Leeches by the Pound

I am going on a fly in to Canada the first week of July. Do any of you have a “rule of thumb” for how many pounds of leeches are adequate for a trip. We will have 10 guys and we will be up there for 5 full days. Any help would be appreciated. We will also be brining about 10 dozen nightcrawlers.

IF YOUR GOING WITH JUMBOS, I WOULD GET FIVE POUNDS AND MAYBE A LITTLE MORE IF YOU ARE EXPECTING ALOT OF ACTION THAT CAN HAPPEN ON THESE REMOTE LAKES. IF YOUR NEAR LONG PRAIRIE, CHECK IN WITH JIM JEWEL (JEWEL BAIT). I THINK HE HAS A WEB SITE AND HAS GOOD SIZED LEECHES(ALTHOUGH NOT AS BIG AS LAST YEARS) AT A GOOD PRICE.

You should check with the border crossing agents and the resort/outfitter you are working with. I’m pretty sure you cannot bring live leeches/minnows into Canada. (That may also be true for Crawlers packed in dirt too)

Would suck to have to dump all that bait in the ditch at the border!

Jon is correct. You cannot take leeches or live minnows into Canada. Crawlers need to be packed in worm bedding. Also, no potatos or onions. Seems our northern neighbors have a fear of dirt from the USA.

Good Fishing,
Mike

Everyone is correct you cannot bring leeches or live minnows into Canada. We go to Lac Seuel and no longer try to buy leeches in Canada as they are over priced and puny. They also for some reason do not work as well as crawlers or salted/boraxed minnows. 2 gallons for 12 guys. If we run out the resort does have live minnows for $5.00 US a dozen which gets spendy real quick.We actually use the minnows the most on jigs and bottom bouncer spinner rigs. We buy the minnows by the gallon at Vados bait and preserve with a half salt half borax mixture then freeze. Just make sure your crawlers are in artifical bedding if you get checked and ther is any dirt at all you will not be allowed to bring them accross the border.

Mwal

yep,
I remember back in ’99. We crossed the border up by Thunder Bay. They were strip searching a group because they tried to smuggle 40 pounds of leeches!!! Do you have any idea of how much 40 pounds is!!!!??????!!!!!!?????? They dumped them on the grass and it looked like a dinosaur took a dump!!!! They had their vehicle ripped apart, even taking out the seats. no good…………

Depending where you cross the border, Dryden and Kenora has lots of places where you can buy leeches. I think they run either $20 or $30 (Canadian) for a pound. Maybe more or maybe less. It was 3 years ago when we bought them in Dryden.

Thanks for the info. about not being able to bring leeches, that saved me quite a few $$$. When did this start?? I have not been to Canada for 5 years or so.

MWAL how long do the minnows have to be in the salt/borax mixture??? What type of minnows work best for this process (will fatheads do the job)?? After they are salted and frozen do you just put them in plastic bags and keep them in a cooler??

We buy night mares and leeches in Canada. But after seeing the sucess of the Mississippi river boys with bucktails and rubbers I opted to do that the last 2 years. Works great and I don’t have to worry about the bait.

Gundy

I hear ya Dundez!!!!

We are going to LOTW this Saturday for a week. I stocked up on the ringworms, K-grubs and bucktail jigs. We plan on casting and working the shallow reefs with them.

Now, if I can get James to make a larger version for them muskies I chase, I will be set.

James!!!
Need an 8″ to 10″ K-Grub!!!! Hook me up!!!!!!!!!!

To preserve minnows I pour them onto a screen to get rid of the water. In a 5 gallon pail I then put a layer of 1/2 pickling salt 1/2 20 mule team borax over them then a layer of minnows layer of salt/borax until minnows are all covered. I let them sit 1 to 1 1/2 hours then sift them out of the wet sloppy mixture by filling the bucket with water and nettin them out with minnow net. I then put a dozen or so in a zip lock bag and express all the air out and freeze. When fishing we take one bag out of the cooler at a time and keep the rest as cold as possible or frozen. The salt draws moisture out of the minnows so their cells don’t rupture when being frozen and the borax toughens them up and keeps there natural color. Taxidermists preserve fish skins with borax. Minnows that are frozen fresh fall apart. Preserved minnows sometimes last for more than one fish and work just as good as live minnows on jigs and spinner rigs with lindy or bobber presentation live ones are the ticket. We only bring fatheads but this should work for shinners or suckers as well. I had some left over from last Sept and used them this spring on jigs in the Croix and caught fish so they keep well. Remember smelt cannot be brought into Canada

Mwal

If your at a remote cabin and not at the main lodge,
we usually take a small minnow trap with us
throw some bread in it at night
next morning we always have more minnows.

We are going up the 9th of July to Red Lake, going to get our leeches at Nestor Falls at the Anglers Pro Shop. It’s just on the right as you are going north into Nestor Falls. The number is 807-484-2525. We got leeches there last year and really thought they were good quality, big and lively. Just call ahead and tell them when you will be thru and they will have them on hand and ready to go. Talked to them last week and found out they can also get crawdads, gonna try some this year. Owner said they go thru 200-400 lbs of leeches on a weekend ! He said in July the jumbos are going out of season, but last year we got the large and did just fine,they had good size to them.

I was just up there a week ago but a little south of Red Lake. We were at Cedar Lake by Perrault Falls. We bought leeches in nester falls, a half pound. We hardly used any. I brought up some frozen shiners and they out fished anything else we tried. A gold or chartreuse jig tipped with the shiner caught pike, walleye, perch and a few smalllies. I know what I will be bringing more of next year as we didnt have enough to keep up.

Hey guys, next time you stop at the Anglers Pro Shop…..say hi to Phillip. He is the owner of the place.
Tell him that Bob Carlson says Hi and that you are from In-Depthangling He was visiting the site some time ago when it was FTR and FTL. I was trying to get him to do some reporting on that area of Gods Country!!!!

Just becarefull of the advise he might share with you! He does tell a good story once in awhile!

Phil grew up in Isle,Mn on Mille Lacs Lake and his family owned what is now Pats bait/tackle and Restaurant. Back than it was named after his Dad Ray Haggberg……Ray’s!

anyone remember it back than!

WE JUST COME BACK FROM IGNACE. IF YOU WANT BAIT FROM THE IGNACE AREA IN BULK, YOU WILL HAVE TO CALL AHEAD. THEY WOULD LIKE 2 WEEKS LEADTIME. STAYED ON INDIAN LAKE. FISHING WAS GOOD. WEATHER WAS LOUSY. I USED ONLY BUCKTAIL JIGS. MOSTLY BLACK AND NO BAIT. NO TROUBLE CATCHING FISH.

GUNDY

Had a great time in Canada, stopped by the Anglers Pro Shop to pick up our leeches and said HI to Phillip. When I mentioned Bobber’s name Phillip got a big smile and started telling us some great stories ! He says next year they can’t import leeches from the USA. But he assured us he already has trappers in Canada lined up for next year. Just be sure if you are going up to give him a couple weeks to a month notice of when you will need them.

I think I mentioned his story telling ability! Just kiddy ya little Phillip……….glad you had a good trip!!!

That is correct, you cannot cross into Canada with leeches or minnows. Why? I can tell you why as I am a leech trapper in Wisconsin. The Canadian government decided that they didn’t want to introduce any disease or foreign species into their waters. That’s called political posturing. THE REAL TRUTH! They want to force you to buy leeches in Canada for double the price and half the quality. What a scam, think about it. A leech is swimming along a stream or lake. When they get to the Canadian border, they say to themselves, ” I have to turn around because I’m not allowed in Canada”. Also, night crawlers have to be in bedding. Just where does the soil that the crawlers flats are packed in come from? You guessed it, CANADA! I sell leeches from Wisconsin to a fellow who sells them legally to a dealer based in? You guessed it, Canada.