Vails Lake

Vails Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Vails Lake covers about 157 acres, reaches a recorded 20 feet and holds about 1,351 acre-feet.

What to Expect at Vails Lake

Vails Lake is small enough to check weeds, wood, rock and the first deep drop without spending the whole day moving around.

Fish and Useful Baits at Vails Lake

Fish reported from Vails Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin, brook silverside, brook stickleback, brown bullhead, central mudminnow, channel catfish, common carp, common shiner, fathead minnow, golden shiner, green sunfish, iowa darter, johnny darter, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, spottail shiner, tadpole madtom, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, and yellow perch.

Bass

For bass at Vails, fish weeds, wood and shade with a spinnerbait, jig or Texas-rigged worm for largemouth.

Crappie, Yellow Perch, and Sunfish

For panfish at Vails, use a small jig or minnow beside brush for crappie, and fish a worm, cricket or tiny jig near weeds for bluegill, pumpkinseed, and green sunfish, and keep a small jig, minnow or worm close to bottom for yellow perch.

Walleye

For roaming fish at Vails, jig a minnow or troll a crankbait along points and deeper edges for walleye.

Northern Pike

For large predators at Vails, cast a spoon, spinnerbait or swimbait beside weeds for northern pike.

Catfish, Bullheads, and Carp

For bottom fishing at Vails, put cut bait, a nightcrawler or prepared bait on bottom for channel catfish, and fish a worm or small piece of cut bait in quiet water for bullheads, and use corn or dough bait on a simple bottom rig for carp.

Other Reported Fish

Other choices at Vails include these plans: work a tough soft plastic or cut bait near weeds and wood for bowfin.

A Simple Fishing Plan for Vails Lake

On a first trip to Vails, check one quiet cove, one rocky or firm point and the nearby deep water with a moving lure, then use a jig or worm where you find fish.

When to Fish Vails Lake

Spring at Vails is a good time to check warm coves and incoming water, and summer is a good time to fish shade, weeds and the first drop into deeper water. Fall at Vails can bring fish back to windy points and banks, while winter calls for smaller baits fished slowly.