Fishing Report 3/14/03 Leech and surrounding ares

With the expected warm up this weekend, I wanted to let everyone know what is going on fish wise in the leech lake area. I was not able to fish for the last couple of weeks so I got some information from some local friends and bait shop owners to share with everyone.

If you are going out this weekend don’t forget the extension!!! With the cold weather we have been having, the ice conditions are great.

The majority of the Tullibees in Leech Lake are being caught in about 30 feet of water. The vast majority of the fish being caught are tight to the bottom. One key area to zone in on would be Stony Point, as this area gains a lot of attention this time of year for those ever fighting Tullibee.

If you are looking to get out and do some fun March Perch fishing on Leech, look for the deeper flats. I would recommend starting with a jigging presentation unless the fish are negative. Then go to a bobber and a medium to small minnow.

Many of the smaller lakes in the area heat up in March as well. Look for some of those plate-size Bluegills to be showing up in the deeper water in front of shallow weedy bays. Crappies seem to be remaining suspended over the basin of many of the lakes in the area. Look at trying the run and gun approach to find the crappies.

With the warm weather coming get out and have a great time on the ice this weekend in the Leech Lake area.

I’m new here, but thought I would chime in on the fiishing on Leech.

Just got back from 1 1/2 days of chasing perch on Leech with mixed results. 3 of us fished Boy Bay and had a hard time on Friday for some reason. Caught enough for a shore lunch and that is about all. Must have drilled 50 holes. Sat we were fishing by Little Soney Point and caught fish off and on all day. Hundreds, but most of them small. We kept enough for another shore lunch and a meal for each to take home but easily threw back enough for a limit for each of us. Not huge, 9-10 inches but good eaters.

We landed at Brevik and drove north. The ice was fine but now has some standing water. One heave to go around by Bear Island. I noticed people driving off Battle point also. The trick was to keep the lure 2-4 inches off the bottom.

Don’t know why Saturday was better than Friday unless it had something to do with the weather change on Friday.

putz,
It’s good to have you aboard!!! How often do you fish Leech? Do you fish Leech during open water? Sounds like your group had a lot of fun last weekend and the weather could not have been better for you!

Thanks, walleyefinder, I’ve read many of your posts.

2 friends and I (we call ourselves the 3 Fat Germans) usually make 4 trips a year. May, Aug, Jan, and March plus my wife and I spend a week at Sugar Point Resort the first week of June. Steve and Bunny keep threatening to retire but so far they have kept going.

The friend that owns a cabin by Brevik is an excellent fisherman so he puts us on great spots and of course early June fishing on Leech is hard to beat if you don’t get hit by mayflies.

In June I am usually taking fish off my wife’s line as she has better touch with a jig and minnow than I do. Lately tho I have been holding my own in the rocks with the Lindy Snagless sinker and a long snell with some added features Going through my records, 5 Mile Point has been our most consistant producer on those trips with Annex coming in a close second, depending on the weather.

Leech is definetly my favorite lake to fish even though I don’t get up there much. I may even retire up there until I get to old to fight rough conditions that sometimes happen on that lake.

What do you think about the panfish situation in Boy Bay? It used to be great but now is a struggle. 1# sunfish and 1 1/2# crappies were not unusual but not lately, Over fished or between year classes?

Lutefisk Lover,

I think that we are probably between year classes on the panfish. Boy bay dosen’t seem to be over fished to me, I actually like to go in there when there is traffic on the rest of the lake because you can have most places to yourself.

Sugar Point Resort is a great place to stay! They are very nice people. I stop in there for a pizza every once in a while when I am over that way. Can you believe that they are about the only resort on that side of the lake now? I hope they keep it up for years to come. Too bad that person tried to put a harbor in by himself a few years ago and ruined so much spawning ground for the walleyes over by Sugar Point. I think they are slowly starting to recover from that.

Leech is a wonderful retierment place as well as a great place to live even before you retire!!!

Do you like to chase muskie as well or do you usally try to concentrate on Walleye and Panfish?

No, walleyefinder, I haven’t taken the time to chase muskies although I lucked onto a 32″ muskie crankbaiting for walleyes off Partridge point last fall. What a battle on light gear! Obviously she went back but it convnced me that it may be in my future when I get more time on the lake

Lutefisk Lover ,
Sounds like you had a great time, thats what it is all about