24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
#13993839 07/22/19
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 60,296
W
Campfire Kahuna
OP Online Content
Campfire Kahuna
W
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 60,296
I have not used a leech for bait for years. When I did, I like the toughness of the little suckers.

Any of the good anglers on the old 'fire like to us leeches?


These premises insured by a Sheltie in Training ,--- and Cooey.o
"May the Good Lord take a likin' to you"
GB2

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 41,761
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 41,761
Richard, while they will catch everything, I only specifically use them for Smallmouth.


Paul.

"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 60,296
W
Campfire Kahuna
OP Online Content
Campfire Kahuna
W
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 60,296
What rig Paul? Spinner, jig, other?


These premises insured by a Sheltie in Training ,--- and Cooey.o
"May the Good Lord take a likin' to you"
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,801
B
Campfire Regular
Online Content
Campfire Regular
B
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,801
Leeches can be great bait on the right lake. Some lakes just don't respond to them. They're much tougher than a crawler or minnow and easier to handle than either as well. They don't excel in the Missouri River near here but they do in the glacial lakes in the NE part of this state.


"Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin.'"
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 38,725
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 38,725
Originally Posted by wabigoon
What rig Paul? Spinner, jig, other?


We have used them successfully on jigs and slip bobbers.


Not a real member - just an ordinary guy who appreciates being able to hang around and say something once in awhile.

Happily Trapped In the Past (Thanks, Joe)

Not only a less than minimally educated person, but stupid and out of touch as well.
IC B2

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,664
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,664
Several leech imitations in the fly fishing world, and they are very effective. Surf up a wooly bugger.


1Minute
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 68,922
Campfire Kahuna
Offline
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 68,922
Originally Posted by 1minute
Several leech imitations in the fly fishing world, and they are very effective. Surf up a wooly bugger.


I’ve caught fish on a Wooly Bugger, but never fished with a real leech. Never heard of anyone using them for bait around here.


"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston
Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"

~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 5,651
D
Campfire Tracker
Online Content
Campfire Tracker
D
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 5,651
Leaches are great up here, I rig them on a slip bobber. I've caught bass, walleye, northern and musky with them. Plus, when my son was little, leaches kept him very preoccupied in the boat! Haha!


It isn't what happens to you that defines you, it's what you DO about what happens to you that defines you!

NRA life member

Illinois State Rifle Association member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 16,554
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 16,554
A very effective bait for walleye in our prairie lakes particularly in the spring. Works with any live bait setup, I generally prefer slip bobber. Should work for any species, people around here seem to believe no other fish is worth eating.


The key elements in human thinking are not numbers but labels of fuzzy sets. -- L. Zadeh

Which explains a lot.
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 41,761
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 41,761
Originally Posted by wabigoon
What rig Paul? Spinner, jig, other?


For Smallies, always a jig.

Been slaying the big walleye on bottom bouncers, spinners n minnows, or worm harnesses, though !

wink

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


Paul.

"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
IC B3

Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,039
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,039
I sold a young fellow I was working with a ultra light fishing rig. The next week I brought my canoe to the job sight and took him fishing on Spiritwood lake in ND. The guy at the resort told us that the northerns were having a case of lock jaw so we rigged with small black jigs and small leaches and headed to the downed timber on the west end of the lake for crappies, no crappies but we boated three northerns that totaled just over 50 pounds. We did lose a couple more that ate our jigs. 6# line, eighth ounce black jigs and small leeches. You've never seen a grin like the one on the young fellows face.


After the first shot the rest are just noise.

Make mine a Minaska

Heaven has walls and rules, H-ll has open borders
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 41,761
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 41,761
Yup, good fun on 6lb power pro & a St. Croix ultra light !

[Linked Image]


Paul.

"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,593
Campfire Kahuna
Offline
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,593
Originally Posted by New_2_99s
Originally Posted by wabigoon
What rig Paul? Spinner, jig, other?


For Smallies, always a jig.

Been slaying the big walleye on bottom bouncers, spinners n minnows, or worm harnesses, though !

wink

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


So how do you hook those golden shiners for bait?

wink


Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,202
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,202
Leeches will last a long time with a little maintenance. When you're ready to store them, transfer them to a much larger container. I use a large zip lock style tub about the length of a standard refrigerator shelf and 8 inches wide. Poor them into the tub and try to rinse most of the slime off. I've only rinsed them using lake water - I've never tried city water with its attendant chemicals. After rinsing, fill the tub to around half full and snap the lid in place and put the whole works into the fridge. The cold and dark of the fridge will put them into a state of hibernation. Once a week, remove the tub from the fridge and give them another rinse, remove any dead leeches and place them right back into the fridge

I've kept the same leeches up to two months using this method.

Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 114
B
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
B
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 114
Up in MN we used them for Smallmouths w. only a 1/8 oz. black jig and the leech on it. Works great! Lake or stream - great bait!

Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 837
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 837
I used them all the time on the Wisconsin River by the Dells. Downstream from the dam, walleye love them

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,208
C
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
C
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,208
Used them for years for bass. Especially in shallow water when fish are finicky or lure shy. jumbo leech on plain #6 hook. Bass will take it when leech sinks slowly. Just watch for when the line starts going out.


"Put none but Americans on guard tonight."
-George Washington
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 344
B
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
B
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 344
Leeches are a great bait for big bluegill in the spring/early summer.

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 18,716
1
Campfire Ranger
Online Content
Campfire Ranger
1
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 18,716
Used em for walleyes up north and they work real well. Will be trying them on a local lake we catch walleyes on but normally use crankbaits. Just want to see if the leech works as good on it.

Buddy like them for trotlines as they are easy to maintain and keep alive. He caught a 92# flathead on them about 20 years ago.


The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!

Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
718 members (12344mag, 16penny, 007FJ, 1234, 17CalFan, 10gaugemag, 67 invisible), 3,156 guests, and 1,302 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,752
Posts18,401,318
Members73,822
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.107s Queries: 14 (0.004s) Memory: 0.8797 MB (Peak: 1.0107 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-29 14:32:11 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS