July 19, 2008 on Leech Lake

It was a beautiful day on Leech Lake today. Temperatures were in the mid-70s, the skies were mostly sunny, the wind was light at 5-8 mph out of the east, and the water temperature was 72 degrees.

I left the boat lift at 3:15 p.m. and decided to do some jigging off Second Duck Point to start the day. I used an 1/8 oz. Northland Neon Fireball jig tipped with a 3" Gulp Alive black leech. The wind was blowing just enough to move the boat at a nice pace so I drifted rather than use the MinnKota electric trolling motor. I caught several small- and medium-sized perch, but no jumbos and no walleyes.

Later I switched tactics. I tied on a #9 orange-colored Minnow Rap and began trolling from Second Duck Point to past Norm's cabin. Again, no walleye, but I did catch and release a 26" and a 30" northern pike.