July 20, 2008 on Leech Lake

Today was one of those days when I fished on Leech Lake several times throughout the day and used different fishing techniques.

I first went out onto the water around 1:15 p.m. under ominous skies. It looked like a storm was brewing, but at the time, the wind was calm with just a hint of breeze from the NW. The temperature was a warm 78 degrees, the air was heavy and the water temperature was 72 degrees.

I started out in front of Jerry Schiebe's cabin in 8-10 feet of water throwing a Northland jig tipped with Northland Slurpies Swim'n Grub in firetiger cutworm color. I caught a few decent perch, but no walleyes. I noticed that the dark skies were moving south down Sucker Bay, and while the storm was still off in the distance, I figured I had only an hour or two before it hit our place. I decided to move a little closer to home and switched tactics, baits and targeted fish species.

I motored my Lund 1800 IFS to right in front Norm's cabin in about 4 feet of water where I started throwing a double-bladed white spinner bait into the reeds and grass trying to scare up a big largemouth bass. Many people don't realize it, but many Minnesota lakes are fantastic bass waters, including Leech Lake, with big fish growing in excess of 24" and 6 lbs. Sure enough, I caught a couple of very nice bass; one roughly 18" the other over 20".

By this time the storm, which was moving faster than I had originally estimated, was nearly on top of me. The air was very heavy, the temperature was dropping quickly, the wind had really picked up and was now blowing quite strong out of the NW. I fired up my Mercury Verado, quickly headed home, got the boat onto the boat lift, gathered up my things, and went ashore.

I decided to go sit on the end of the dock and watch the approaching storm. The wind by this time was very strong and the lake was covered in white caps. A boat heading from south to north motored by the dock fighting against the wind and waves and I couldn't help but thinking that the two guys in the boat were probably from out of town, were staying at Birch Ridge Resort on the north end of Sucker Bay, and were not experienced enough to read the weather and get off the lake before it became dangerous. Every year or two I read about some Leech Lake boater who gets caught on the water during a storm, ends up in the lake and drowns. That's why I keep a constant eye on the weather, and know when to head home. I love fishing, but not so much that I'd risk my life to do it.

The storm hit with a vengeance. Heavy rain, wind and hail blasted our house and cabin for the better part of an hour. The storm finally ran out of gas, the clouds parted and the sun came out! I figured with the change in weather, I'd go fishing after dinner.

From 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Joe and I trolled from Norm's cabin to Second Duck Point using our usual Minnow Raps in hot steel and purpledescent colors. We each caught several northern pike, and Joe caught a very solid 17" walleye, which we kept for a future fish fry.

Another great day on Leech Lake.

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.

July 18, 2008 on Leech Lake

After coming home from spreading concrete at the Otter Tail Peninsula Community Center, I ran to the end of the dock and jumped into the lake to cool off.

Once I had cooled off, I decided to go fishing prior to dinner. I hit the water around 3:30 p.m. for two hours of fishing, trolling more specifically.

I trolled from Second Duck Point to Malays using a number of different sizes and colors of Minnow Raps. I caught numerous medium- and jumbo-sized perch, but decided not to keep any of them. All were released unharmed.

A very busy day. I'll sleep well tonight.

July 18, 2008 -- Spreading Concrete at the Otter Tail Peninsula Community Center

For those unfamiliar with Northwoods living, there are many amenities that you have in the city that we just don't have on the north shore of Leech Lake. One of those luxuries is trash pick up. When our garbage cans are full, we have to load the garbage into the pick-up truck and haul it ourselves to the Otter Tail Peninsula Community Center where there is a large trash compactor and a recycling bin for glass, aluminum, plastic and paper.

The garbage compactor and the recycling bin sit atop class-five hard-packed dirt, which is fine when the weather is dry. But when we have rain, or during the spring thaw, the dirt around the garbage compactor and the recycling bin turns to ankle-deep mud, making the simply task of "taking out the garbage" quite an adventure.

After years of complaints from residents on the Peninsula (see map of the Peninsula below), the OPA board members finally agreed to pave the area around the compactor and bin. The decision was made that concrete would be laid this summer, thus providing a clean, solid base for the trash and recycling area.

I volunteered to help spread the two truck loads of concrete that it was going to take to do the job. I arrived at the Community Center around noon, under sunny skies and the temperature already 85 degrees. There was virtually no wind, making conditions very hot and humid for the task of spreading concrete.

I was joined by Bill Walter, Mark Boyd, Ron Newstand, Warren Snyder and about 3 or 4 other guys whose names escape me. It took us only 3 hours to completely spread the entire two loads from the cement mixers, smooth the concrete and rope it off so no one disturbed the drying cement. We did good work and the entire garbage and recycling area will be cleaner, easier to use and easier to clean up. All in all a job well done.

July 17, 2008 on Leech Lake

The temperature today was near 80 degrees, but it was very windy, with gusts up over 15 mph out of the NW.

No fishing today.

July 16, 2008 on Leech Lake

I limited my fishing today to the afternoon hours -- between 2:00 and 5:30 p.m. -- because it was a grey, rainy, overcast day and I felt like being warm and dry this evening.

The temperature was a comfortable 72 degrees, the water temp was the same as the air, and the winds varied from calm to about 8 mph out of the south.

I switched between the smaller #7 Minnow Rap and the original size #9, and just for good measure I also used a jointed-Shad Rap.

Trolling between Second Duck Point and Norm's cabin I caught numerous medium-sized perch, several small northern pike and one 23" walleye. Another productive multi-species fishing day on Leech Lake.

The sun finally peeked through the clouds right at sunset.

July 15, 2008 on Leech Lake

I fished alone today from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. The temperature was 77 degrees, the winds were 5-8 mph out of the south, and the water temp was 73 degrees. The sky was overcast with a blanket grey clouds and it sprinkled rain on and off all day long.

I trolled from south of Second Duck Point to north of Norm's cabin. I switched off between using a Grappler Shad and a jointed-Shad Rap. I caught numerous medium sized perch and one 22" pike, but no walleye.

We enjoyed another fish fry for dinner today thanks to the walleye Joe caught last night. I never get tired of eating Leech Lake walleye.

July 14, 2008 on Leech Lake

Once again Joe and I launched the boat as the sun sank low in the western sky and stayed out only an hour or so, until 9:45 p.m. The temperature today was near 80 degrees and had cooled to the low 70s when we started our trolling mission for Leech Lake walleye.

The winds were at 10 mph out of the south and there were big thunderstorm clouds looming in the northern sky, which flashed nearly constantly with lightening. It provided us with a brilliant light show, and was not threat to us at all as the front moved slowly to the northeast.

The water temperature was 73 degrees as we made our way south toward Second Duck Point in 8-10 feet of water. Tonight was a rare night when I was completely skunked, not a single fish boated, not even a rock bass.

Joe, again, had much better success. Using his trusty #9 purpledescent Minnow Rap, Joe caught two beautiful "eater" walleyes -- one 16 3/4" and the other 17 1/4". We kept both of them for a future fish fry.

July 13, 2008 on Leech Lake

The weather finally cooperated for us so Joe and I hit the water for some evening trolling for walleye. As we launched the boat at 8:30 p.m. the temperature was just around 70 degrees, down just slightly from a high today of 75. The wind was about 10 mph from the south, creating a nice "walleye chop" to the lake. The water temperature was at 72 degrees.

We were on the water for just over an hour and I had no luck at all using my hot-steel colored Minnow Rap, catching only one rock bass. Yes, I caught a rock bass while trolling.

Joe did better using his purpledescent #9 Minnow Rap. He caught a decent sized northern pike, and a 25 1/4" walleye -- the biggest walleye netted in my boat this season. Way to go Joe!