Small Leeches Catch Big Fish

I’m happy to say I learned something new this tourney season and small leeches do catch big fish. The agreement with my Team Fin-tech partner in the Rock River Walleye League is that I pay fees and he provides bait and gas. Well I didn’t know that meant I get the left over small leeches after he selects the choice long, meaty fat ones… or so it seemed, his version of the story may vary. After days of moderate success but being out-done a change was needed. Either I walk to the front of the boat to the bait bucket or I deviate. So I grabbed 2 of those small leeches to bulk up my presentation and tailed hooked them both side by side on a 1/16th or 1/8th oz Knuckleball and struck walleye gold and have since been consistently hooking up more and bigger fish. Besides the added bulk I have kind of noticed smaller leeches seem to wiggle more and longer, especially tail hooked – maybe it’s the wiggle catching their attention? Anyway, Last night was the tops. I blasted the field and was the only one to catch a 5 fish limit personally contributing over 20 pounds to our winning bag. Sorry to boast but it sure feels good to try something new and succeed. At least there’s now another option for small leeches other than chum or saving them for panfish.

-Gregg

Thanks for the idea. It seems like we often grab for the biggest crawler, minnow ect.

Great job! I fish a few lakes and rivers where I found the same thing. And a bonus is that the rough fish tend to leave the smaller bait alone more.

I have been in your shoes working outside the box and getting good results is a lesson for everyone.
Congrats Gregg
WeFish

Nice! Congrats on the bag of eyes

Dang if it didn’t work again… won another small local tourney Saturday! Team Fin-Tech is on a roll.

I have caught the biggest of the baddest eyes on tiny leeches with James several times.

Some people never learn!

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Mileage with truck to and from is tourney 30 miles. Mileage with boat is around 20 miles. Most company’s pay around 59 cent a mile so that what I’m using today. Total cost for truck & boat owner $30.00.

Bait, always have two dz crawlers and four dz leeches at $3 a dz = $18.00. Wear & tear on the boat priceless. Total cost for boat owner for the tourney $48.00. Entry fee for tourney per team $30.00.

Working with my partner to get him deals on fishing product – Half price in most cases! Partner usually forget about these great deals. Priceless

I would never limit my partner or client to some bad bait during a tourney or guide trip so you wouldn’t catch fish.

I want anyone in my boat to catch fish. If you catch all the fish that is great, one team one vision.

I do all the pre fishing with very little help from partner, what that’s cost?

Don’t matter who catches the fish when your a team as long as you follow the rules of fishing.

When my partner or client catches fish I know I have done my home work.

In my boat when my clients or partners start bragging they caught more fish than me and think there a pro or what ever most times there not in my boat anymore.

People are stupid at times and this time you should have really thought about this before you hit the submit button even if it was just to be funny!

I gave you a second chance and you blew it!!!!!!!!

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suzuki wrote:

I have caught the biggest of the baddest eyes on tiny leeches with James several times.

@suzuki

You mean to tell me people actually use the big ones?

bola wrote:

I gave you a second chance and you blew it!!!!!!!!

Just curious….did you just throw a great partner out of your boat over bragging rights?

lol – nope! figured I keep letting him teach me some more new tricks.

bola wrote:

lol – nope! figured I keep letting him teach me some more new tricks.

Well here’s a new one, I’ve been consistently catching sauger on Lake WI pitching a Pumpkinseed PowerTube in the rocks on a 1/16th oz Titleshot jig while fishing for smallies.

Do you think the pattern will hold up on other waters?

Gregg Pfeifer wrote:

bola wrote:

lol – nope! figured I keep letting him teach me some more new tricks.

Well here’s a new one, I’ve been consistently catching sauger on Lake WI pitching a Pumpkinseed PowerTube in the rocks on a 1/16th oz Titleshot jig while fishing for smallies.

Do you think the pattern will hold up on other waters?

Pat McSharry put up a recent report of walleye up to 29″ coming on tubes in North Central MN so yeah, that pattern will work elsewhere. That report is here >>> http://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/fishing/reports/northern-minnesota-report/

I’ve caught a bunch of eyes on tubes on Mille Lacs as well. It think anytime the walleye are grubbing in and around the rocks for crayfish the pattern you describe could be a go-to.