First Fishing & Camping Adventure — Lake Vermilion, MN

There’s something timeless about a first fishing and camping trip—especially when it unfolds on the vast, untamed waters of Lake Vermilion in northern Minnesota.

For one young angler, this week marked the beginning of what could become a lifelong connection to the water, the woods, and the adventures that happen where they meet. Lake Vermilion isn’t just another lake—it’s a patchwork of rocky points, weedy bays, deep reefs, and hidden channels, each holding its own surprises. For a newcomer, every turn of the shoreline feels like a new chapter.

The mornings began in that quiet, in-between light when the fog still clings to the water and the only sound is a loon’s call echoing across the bay. Coffee steamed over the campfire while the boat sat ready at the dock, its bow pointed toward the promise of open water.

By the third day, after exploring miles of water, the pattern became clear. Spinners tipped with worms and leeches turned the walleye bite into a steady stream of action.

Between the runs to fishing spots came the smaller moments that would stick just as firmly: skipping stones off a rocky point, helping haul firewood to camp, ice cream at the resorts. The pace was slow, the days full, and the screens forgotten.

But the true reward wasn’t the numbers—it was the slow settling into the rhythm of destination fishing and camping: early mornings, campfire dinners, the hum of a boat motor between islands, and the sense of being far from anything but nature.

At Fish Lake Co., we belive adventures like this build more than fishing skills. They plant the seed for a way of life—one rooted in the outdoors, camaraderie, and stories that last long after the gear is packed away. Lake Vermilion offered more than a week of great fishing; it offered the first chapter of something much bigger.