May 25, 2008

Since it was day three of Rick's visit to Leech Lake, we decided to go fishing three different times during the day.

We started at 1 p.m. and were met with light winds at 10 mph out of the south. The water temperature was 58 degrees. Our first stop was "Bass Bay, " a nickname for a cove near Third Duck Point on Sucker Bay. At this time of year the vegetation in Bass Bay is more fully developed than other parts of Sucker Bay since it is relatively shallow, about 3-5 feet, and on the north end of Sucker Bay, thus getting more sunlight throughout the day than other parts of the Bay. With warmer water and plenty of emerging weeds, bass, pike, bowfin, sunfish, bluegills, and crappie all migrate to the area to spawn and feed.

As the name Bass Bay suggests, Rick and I were targeting largemouth bass. We were casting Parakeet- and sunfish-colored Northland Reed-Runner spinner baits as close to the shoreline as we could, then reeling them back through the weeds. Rick caught 3 medium-sized largemouths and I caught two, along with a 28-inch northern pike.

Later in the day, around 3:30 p.m., we moved to Second Duck Point for some walleye fishing. I was using a 3/16 oz. Bass Pro Shops XPS Walleye jig in a lime/black hologram color tipped with a 5-inch Gulp Alive! black leech. I caught a very healthy 15 1/2" walleye, which I returned to the lake.

It was at that time that Rick and I decided on our own slot limit. You see, on Leech Lake, all walleyes between 18-26 inches must immediately be returned to the lake. You may keep four walleyes per day, only one of which can be bigger than 26". Many people, especially those who stay at the resorts, will keep a 14- 15- or 16-inch walleye. We decided that for us to keep it, the walleye had to be between 16 1/2" and 17 1/2". Not a big slot limit, to be sure, but a sporting one no doubt.

We went fishing for the third time between 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Our target was walleye, and our method of fishing was trolling crankbaits. The wind had picked up some to 15-20 mph out of the southwest creating a good chop on Sucker Bay. Under a quarter moon, Rick caught two small pike and two small walleyes --10" and 12". I caught a 24" pike, but no walleye.

After coming home that night, we heard on the news that there had been a water spout on another part of the lake that afternoon. It was in the vicinity of Battle Point and Sugar Point on the southeast end of Portage Bay. Here's some footage of that bizarre weather event.