Dialing In Daily - Leech Lake in the 60's

For years I have been telling people that when the water temps are in the 60's on Leech Lake, stay nimble and bring every bait type and lure that you can get your hands on. You never really know what each day will bring. Whether it's trolling crankbaits, rigging leeches, pulling spinners and crawlers or the standard jig and shiner, or even rigging big chubs in Walker bay, leave nothing off of the table. One day you can have an incendiary pattern of rigging leeches in 9 f.o.w. and the next, snap jigging minnows is the only thing that will wake them up. Being willing to "shake the etch-a-sketch" and start all over when bites are slow is really key in June.

This week I found some schooled up fish and jigging shiners or rigging leeches was the best presentation to maximize the catch.

When fish were scattered, a spinner rig and minnow or shallow crankbait located some really nice ones and allowed me to dial-in on some smaller loose schools. 

Having a system while trolling is important. I like to start shallow and work deeper. I like to use a couple of different presentations that work at similar speeds. Shallow crankbaits behind planer boards and spinner rigs on bottom bouncers strait back both work well trolled at 1-2 mph.

      Having more than one live bait type out to start the day has been a good idea too.

We have been seeing a fun mix of 1/2 keepers and 1/2 bigger slot fish the past week. 

Cheers and hook-sets!

Week One is in the Books - Leech Lake Walleyes mid May

When the week started out, we could do no wrong. Fish were caught on basically every one of my proven spots, as long as a light jig and shiner minnow were presented. As the week progressed, the bite windows became shorter and many spots held fish with lock-jaw, so a bit more persistence was required. Having a milk run of good spots and not wasting too much time trying to force feed neutral fish is the key to maximizing your time out there.

Roughly half of the catch so far is bigger slot fish from 20"-25", the other half have been perfect 15"-20" eaters. 

Heavy rain downpours, gale force winds, snow showers and cold fingers are all just part of Minnesota Walleye fishing in May. We can handle it. 

                                  Even one elusive Leech Lake Smallmouth joined the party.

I can't wait to see what week two brings. 

Cheers and hook-sets!

Walleye Opener Morning #2 - Leech Lake Update

With high winds and cold on Sunday morning we didn't do a lot of running around. Having to settle for a closer-in spot, the fishing was a little slower. Two of us toughed it out for four hours. We ended up with some nice ones, and threw quite a few more back. The forecast looks cooler for the next two days and then it should be game on again here in Leechland!

A healthy mix of sizes is out there, most of our Walleyes caught so far have been between 15 and 25 inches.

 I even kept two fillets for myself and enjoyed a crispy Walleye sandwich on a pretzel roll 

with sriracha mayo! 

And Just one more month until Muskie time!

Cheers and hook-sets!

Walleye Opener 2015 Leech Lake

My group had a good opening morning. We got away from the crowds and found 2/3 slot fish and 1/3 keepers. A jig and shiner was the best presentation by far. The keepers were filleted and packaged by lunch time. I can't wait to get back out there after the crowds thin a bit.

Cheers and hook-sets!

The Shallow Water is Heating Up - Leech Lake Panfish

 I took a few hours this week to scout some of my usual early season panfish spots. What did I find? Crappies, Bluegills, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Perch, Largemouth Bass, Pike and even a Bowfin.

I always start by looking for a "hard edge" like a harbor sea wall or thick bullrushes with 3-6 feet of water running up against it. 

53 degrees and rising is what kicks 'em into gear. These fish will still live in the 5'-15' stuff for a few more weeks but will picnic in the shallows on warm afternoons. 

There is just one more week to go before full-on Walleye mode, time to hit the shallows!

Cheers and hook-sets!

Sweet Spring Time

Baseball, green grass and yes, Steelhead! My work brought me near Gitche Gummee today so naturally, I squeezed in a Steelhead session. I was able to land 3 out of 4 hook-ups, a good drag is a must for these dynamos. Hot pink plastics were the piece de resistance.  I am a firm believer that any fish can be caught on some combination of jig and plastic, we just have to figure out the right cocktail. 

This male and female were quickly put back to finish their business.

Cheers and hook-sets!

What’s In Your Leech L. Walleye Opener Tackle box?

With Walleye opener coming up fast, most of us already have a short list of tackle and presentations to start out the season. While compartments full of tackle boxes and bags are the norm on my boat, I usually keep a small arsenal of go-to tackle close at hand for mid to late May Walleyes.

Jigs – Light 1/8 oz jigs in green, gold, white, chartreuse and blue combos are the standard for working main lake points and flats in the 5’-12’ range.  Sometimes, popping the jig is required to trigger strikes, at other times just dragging that jig will be the ticket. When fish are spooky, a 1/16 oz jig on a longer line can make a real difference. For deeper fish on windy days, I will sometimes tie on ¼ oz jigs to stay in the strike zone and help keep lines tight. Fatheads, Rainbows, Shiner Minnows and Leeches can all be good options for tipping these jigs.

Rigs – Jigs are the standard but at times, rigs rule. I keep things simple with 1/8 – 1/4 oz egg sinkers, a swivel and a #2 octopus hook for minnows and a #4 or #6 for leeches. A four foot, 8# fluorocarbon leader is a good start. As the water warms into the 60’s, floaters, longer snells, beads, and spinners will come into play but early on, I start simple.

Artificial Lures – Live bait is often key when Leech Lake water temps are in the 40’s and 50’s but playing around with “arties” can really pay off big time, especially for bigger fish. Jig and plastics are my #1 choice early on. Experimenting with action, profile, and color is the ticket for plastics. Once you find the combo they want, keep the net handy as it can indeed out-produce live offerings. Pitched or trolled stick baits, crankbaits or Jigging Raps can also provide “net results” for anglers willing to experiment.

So what might your go-to presentation be for May Leech Lake Walleyes?  Slip bobber? Blown up crawler?  Maybe you prefer to keep it under your hatJ Whichever presentation you choose (or the fish choose), have a safe and productive opener everyone! I’ll see you out there. 

                                                           Cheers and hook-sets!