Leeches - Mille Lacs Lake Fishing (Fishing Reports, Events, Tournament Information and more)

Eastsider · Member

Leeches

Bobber · Admin / Moderator

I'm thinking that with........the cold spring, high gas prices....the prices are going to be up...up$$

tat2jonnie · Senior Member

I talked to the leechers today. They're having a hell of a time. The water's still too cold.

Not much happenin' there...........

MCallies · Malmo Bay Bomber

Thanks Jon, Let me know if you get any good news locally around the East side..

I may order my leeches from Vados Bait in Spring Lake Park, MN (Hwy 65) which is a very good, very well known boat shop. I will call them tomorrow and give you an update.

They are a very large dealer in live bait. smile

Thanks Jon... smile biggrin biggrin

tat2jonnie · Senior Member

Let me know what their prices are. If they're too high up here, maybe we'll get some elsewhere. 15 days to go, buddy!

muskiemike · Member

I know the guys over at Vados, I used to work there. I hear that by next week they will start getting leeches by the truck load. The weather next week looks conducive for leech trapping.

Eyes of the world · Member

Here's another option to consider. Not bad pricing.

http://www.jewelloutdoors.com/store.html

MCallies · Malmo Bay Bomber

Thanks Muskiemike.

Yes, I have been getting baiot and tackle at Vados on Hwy 65 for years and years. Excellent bait shop! Great quality in all therir live bait.

Jon, I will speak with Vados and get us some nice leeches on my way up to the lake which will be May10th. Let me see what their prices will be at that time...

smile biggrin

The count down is on! I think the ice may be out by Staurday or Sunday! My ice out pick is for today - this afternoon -- but it has stayed too cold. RATS. I thought Walleye WWanda would cause a meltdown on the East side? HA!

Tom S · Member

Baitos is awesome! They are also the main sponser for bear facts and fish tail radio program on Sunday evenings on 106.1fm. Should tune into tha show if you've never heard b4. Very interesting stuff on there.

Dr O · Member

Of course there will be a "Shortage" and prices will be high! It's the opener! 95% of all fishing leeches are farm raised. The farmers have to make some cash.

muskiemike · Member

You have some bad info there Dr. O

Leeches are not farm raised. They are wild trapped and 80% of them come from the NW part of the state.

Dr O · Member

muskiemike wrote:
You have some bad info there Dr. O

Leeches are not farm raised. They are wild trapped and 80% of them come from the NW part of the state.

I do stand corrected. I was thinking crawlers and waxies. I even remember the Dirty jobs episode when they were trapping them. They even cooked some up. I guess if the fish have lockjaw, we can still have a "fry"!!

Big Daddy 14 · Member

J.R.'S Tackle in Brooklyn Park now has live bait they currently have jumbo and large leeches in stock

Willy · Member

Prince bait says they have a bunch in already, in all sizes.

muskiemike · Member

Be aware what some bait stores pass off as jumbo leech. Is it hand graded or shaken? I know at Vados, jumbos are always hand graded and have a count of 50-55 leeches per 1/2 pound. Leeches that are not hand graded are called "run".

-- Edited by muskiemike on Friday 6th of May 2011 06:03:27 AM

muskiemike · Member

One thing I have a question about is, most weekend warriors fasination with JUMBO LEECHES. I never did get it. Some guys get irrate if jumbos were not available. Like they couldn't catch a fish without having a jumbo on the hook.

Personally I have always had better luck with medium or lake run leeches. These sizes being about 1/3 of the cost of jumbos, I never could justify having jumbos. Maybe it is just to have the bragging rights that my leeches are bigger than your leeches. Whatever the case, the proof is in the livewell. Mediums under a slip float on a 1/32 jig usually catch the most fish.

RussDaBuss · Member

I'm with you on this Mike-
A buddy and I usually split a pound of LakeRuns in the spring before opener. They are around 10-12 bucks. Not sure about this year though. I have fished next to guys that NEED the jumbo. Well- most times, I am bring in more eyes then them. I too have not had the best of luck with that HUGE leech on my hook. I guess everyone has there own likes ... smile

Big Daddy 14 · Member

Jumbos at J.R.'S are 110-120 per lb they are 5-8 inches.

Rickster · Member

Darn right.... I would rather have Michael Phelps down there giving his all then Fat Albert trenching across the bottom!

Will be interesting to see what that leech does next saturday. Will be like taking the polar plunge for him!

walleyebry · Member

Early in the year when the water is cold, which it will be this year, I have much better luck on med. to large leeches. Keep in mind most everything is smaller this time of year.

Walleyebry NPAA #993

jbob · Member

Cabela's got Leeches in last weekend.

ecnook · Hamms Bear

Keep in mind most everything is smaller this time of year.

Walleyebry NPAA #993

Ok...that was funny !!! biggrin biggrin biggrin

MCallies · Malmo Bay Bomber

Dave, you crack me up!

Please keep your lure in the water (Malmo Mike's Motto). We just need good healthy looking bait. Walleye Wanda told me and Jonnie that one.

So Much Fun Next week.

Doug Ertl · Website Admin

Joel, will you be coming up this way next weekend? I would like to get a pound or two from you. I have a few others looking also.

Glen Ertl · Gray Goose Captain

Jumbo's I will say, used to be the BOMB... I am talking 15+ years ago... lately, it seems Large and medium do fine... and the blacker the better !!! I would take a pound from Joel too if possible !!!

Big Daddy 14 · Member

Yes Doug. Just give me a call and let me know what you want and I'll deliver em to ya

Doug Ertl · Website Admin

Will do, I will give you a call midweek. Thanks Joel

Bobber · Admin / Moderator

Big Daddy 14 wrote:
Yes Doug. Just give me a call and let me know what you want and I'll deliver em to ya

Joel.....put some sticky bobber stops in your pocket for me will ya!! the black ones for 6lb test!! thanks........Doug will pay ya for them..

Thank you......

Glen Ertl · Gray Goose Captain

Joel, I will try some of the sticky bobber stops too... ANOTHER Bobber secret revealed !!!! HAHA !!!

MCallies · Malmo Bay Bomber

Go get 'em Glen. Sticky bobber stops. go figure. It is in the works.

I have the Pro 10 /2 rigging line - secret revealed. They will not know what hit 'em!

HA! In only 3 more days Malmo Mike will be at the Eastside. Lookk out Fever time.

Glen --For yoour boat back up and rescue operations:

Do you prefer: Coors Banquet, Coors Light,

Imports (Becks St Pauli Girl), or just Crown Royal maybe (for medicinal purposes only)?

Malmo Mike strikes again...

Kent · Member

I see that a few of you are buying leeches by the pound, which is obviously the economical way to go. How do you keep them alive for the next few weeks - do you keep them in the refrigerator, change the water often.....? Thanks for the advice.

Doug Ertl · Website Admin

I have kept leeches for months just by keeping them in the fridge in the garage and keeping the water fresh. using a larger container helps too.

MCallies · Malmo Bay Bomber

YES, I store mine in beer and bait refigerator and change the water (down at my lake dock) at least once daily. Changing the water is critical - even more than keeping them refigerated. They must remain out of direct sun or any heat source of course.

Perhaps some fisherman have a professional type circulated or aerated bait live well???

That's my two cents worth... smile

tat2jonnie · Senior Member

Yep, if you purge them regularly and wash 'em with a minnow net they stay smilin'!

Glen Ertl · Gray Goose Captain

I change the water about 1, maybe twice a week. I keep them in the fridge, I will run out of the pound, typically late June. Depends on how good the bite is really !!!

-- Edited by Glen Ertl on Sunday 8th of May 2011 08:58:43 AM

Kent · Member

Hey guys. Thanks for the advice. I just got back from buying a pound of XL's from Fish Lake Bait in Harris. Their Jumbo's are definitely jumbo, maybe too big, and the XL's were blacker in color. Anyway, thanks again and good luck.

walleyebry · Member

"everything is smaller this time of year" I meant forage such as bait fish, etc. I buy 10 lbs. of leeches every spring. The way I keep them is a product called leech bedding. You only have to mix up a new batch about every two months or so. Keep in mind if you use lake water, by law you have to dump out your bait at the landing unless you do not go past the first road away from the lake. Basically, unless you live on the lake. I buy the bedding from Fleet Farm.

Walleyebry NPAA #993 Malmo, MN. USA.

Jon Jordan · Member

The 2011 Hunters Point Calendar for Friday 5/13 says "Stop by White Cap and get Leeches" Is that some kind of insider tip?? I've bought a lot of drinks at the Cap, but never any leeches. confuse

-J.

Moonski · Member

I use 2 get them all the time from old man Jim when he did trappinf. Where is he?

tat2jonnie · Senior Member

Dickiei's gettin' some good leeches, from what I've heard. Check him out.

Ol' Jim is still leechin', too. But I haven't heard from him his year, yet.

I'm so glad the weather changed, but now it's going to go right to summer mode., They'll be moving to deeper water quicker, so crawler's are gonna be working, sooner. Especially with all the high water we've been having.

daveh1649 · Member

Does anyone know what the water temps are now?

Bobber · Admin / Moderator

45-46 degs two days ago! colder out on the main lake

Reports from Brad Hawthorne from the south today was 50-51 with the calm water and sunshine!

-- Edited by Bobber on Wednesday 11th of May 2011 06:39:25 PM