My Top 5 Leech Lake Fishing Experiences (so far)

In July 2006, Kathleen and I celebrated our fifth year of having a cabin on Leech Lake. We've had countless memorable experiences during that time, in all seasons. But since I have a special affinity for fishing, I thought I'd take a look back at my top 5 most memorable fishing moments during the past 5+ years. So in reverse order, here we go:

#5: I've known my friend Rick since high school. He was the best man at my wedding. So for his birthday in 2003 I decided that there was no better way to celebrate it than on the water hunting big muskies. I took no chances and hired famed Leech Lake guide Al Maas to lead the expedition. At approximately 10:30 a.m. on a clear, sunny September day with just the hint of a breeze, Rick hooked into his first-ever muskie; a fantastic 50 1/2" horse. Check the February, 2005 archives for a picture of this beautiful fish.

#4: My son Joe and I have enjoyed many fishing trips on Leech Lake -- hot summer mornings fishing for bass, cool autumn evenings trolling for walleyes, and many days on the ice hooking jumbo perch. But in May 2003, just after walleye opener, we had a particularly memorable fishing experience. I had read that casting crank baits and jerk baits in shallow water just after dark was a good way to target post-spawn 'eyes. On this evening, Joe and I decided to venture no further than the end of our dock to try our luck. We both were casting Rapala Husky Jerks (Joe was using the jointed model) and we absolutely nailed some big fish. We both caught our limit of beautiful walleyes in the span of no more than 45 minutes! We kept only two eater sized fish, which we did indeed eat. There's nothing better than freshly caught walleyes for dinner.

#3: I've often written here about my good friend and neighbor Tom Maley. It was with Tom and his son Sean that I had one of my two most memorable ice fishing experiences. It was Easter Sunday 2004, and we made it out onto the lake a little past noon. The weather was perfect -- sunny, temps near 40 degrees, no wind. Just the same, we set up Tom's portable fish house and went to work. It was one of those bites that you have maybe once or twice per season if you're lucky. Between the three of us, we must have caught several hundred jumbo perch. Each of us hooked into several perch weighing more than a pound. Sean caught a 1.4 pounder, and Tom caught a beauty that was 14 inches long. We kept 15-20 of the medium-sized fish and had a wonderful perch dinner to celebrate Easter.

#2: My second most memorable fishing experience on Leech Lake happened just a month ago, the winter of 2007. I won't go into detail here, but rather direct you to my March 1, 2007 post.

#1: My number one fishing memory occurred in mid-July 2004. I have always enjoyed the outstanding bass fishing on the lake -- an often overlooked species on Leech Lake -- and one of my favorite ways of pursuing the bucketmouth is using a Texas-rigged, unweighted 5" Senko on spinning gear spooled with braided line. With this set up, I began fishing a patch of reeds on the east side of Sucker Bay. After a number of casts I caught my first bass, a nice 2 1/2 pounder. On my very next cast I had another strike. This fish mangled my Senko pretty bad so I replaced it, and cast the new lure back into the reeds. Right away another strike. After 10 casts I had hooked 10 nice bass. I couldn't believe it, 10 for 10. But my luck didn't stop there. Fifteen casts, 15 fish. My amazing streak ran to 21 bass on 21 consectutive casts before I finally cast and didn't hook a fish. I was actually laughing out loud at this point. I had never had such a run with any type of fishing, let alone big bass. And to this day, I've never had this type of run on the open water. That's why this particular angling experience is my most memorable.

Hot Ice Action

The ice fishing action on Leech Lake's Sucker Bay was 'hot' during the final 10 days of February. My son Joe and I spent President's Day week ice angling for jumbo perch and we were not disappointed.

As usual, I was fortunate enough to be in the company of my neighbors and good friends Tom Malay and John Newman. We fished primarily two spots: in front of Newman's house and at "The Birches." See my July 13, 2006 entry for more on "The Birches."

The fishing in front of the Newman's was slow and produced relatively small perch; hardly a keeper among the fish caught. But when we moved John's fish house (see picture below) to "The Birches," the entire situation changed dramatically for the better.

On Wednesday, February 21, Joe and I fished from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT and caught in excess of 200 jumbo perch!! As fast as we could put our fathead minnows on our lures and drop them into the holes in the ice, we were hooking fish. The action was so fast and furious that at one point Joe quipped, "I wish they'd stop biting for just a minute so I could get something to drink."

We were using fairly standard ice fishing lures. Joe was using a Lindy 1/16 oz. Techni-Glo Frostee Jigging Spoon in glow red, while I was using a Northland Eye-Dropper jig in a golden perch color. Both lures were baited with the common fathead minnow, which we purchased at Froggy's Sports in Cass Lake, MN. We bought four scoops of minnows (and for those you familiar with the area, the scoops at Froggy's are twice the size you used to get at Leroy's Minnows) and we still nearly ran out of bait during the week.

Despite the enormous amount of perch we caught, Joe and I kept only 8 fish (see picture above), just enough for a hearty meal. As I've written here before, there is nothing better than a meal of fish caught, cleaned and cooked within a matter of hours. And when those fish come through the ice, they somehow taste even better.

In addition to the perch, we also hooked our fair share of northerns and one 5-6 lb. eel pout.

All in all, another fantastic ice-angling adventure on Leech Lake.

Leech Lake Water Level Remains Low

The water level in Leech Lake is well below where it was a year ago, and significantly lower than it was in the spring of 2006. From April to June of last year we had relatively normal water levels in the lake. But the lack of rainfall during the summer, and the unseasonably hot temperatures, led to extensive evaporation and thus the lowering of the lake's water level. Click here to see a graph of the water level in Leech Lake during the past 12 months. The graph is from the Army Corps of Engineers at Federal Dam, MN.

Newman's Ice Angling Success

Here's a recent update on the Leech Lake ice-angling action from my friend and neighbor, John Newman:

"The weather was mild and perfect for outdoor action. The fish house performed beyond my wildest expectations in terms of comfort, ease of use, conviviality and, above all, angling success. We all caught plenty of perch all day long. Each evening from approximately 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. our 'Walleye Power Hour' produced exciting walleye action. Karen battled a 22-inch beauty to a successful finish, and I caught a nice walleye of approximately the same length; plus several eater size wallies were kept. Mixed in with the walleye were several eelpout. All in all it was a fabulous winter getaway that culminated with a picturesque 3-inch, day-long snowfall on Friday, December 29. With light winds and mild temperatures hovering around 30 degrees, it was a magical way to cap off of a great family fishing excursion."

NOTE: The fish house to which John refers, and is pictured below, was designed and built by John himself. I look forward to spending several hours in the warmth of the Newman fish house this February when my son Joe and I visit Leech Lake for some hard-water angling excitement.

Leech Lake: 2007 Governor’s Fishing Opener

Leech Lake has been selected as the site of the 2007 Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener. For more information, click here.

MEA Week Update

I was at Leech Lake for the MEA week in Minnesota (Oct. 14-22) and it was a nasty week weather wise. Temperatures were colder than normal, in the mid-20s to low-30s, and it was windy several days during my stay.

With my boat already out of the water (see Sept. 15, 2006 post) I once again relied on the hospitality of my neighbors Tom Malay and John Newman for any open-water angling action. I went out once with John, and three times with Tom. The trip with John and Johnny Newman produced no fish, and not even a bite. We were jigging with minnows while both drifting and anchored.

Tom and I tried a different technique, one that had proven very successful during my September visit to the lake -- trolling crankbaits. This time, however, our catch was limited to a couple of good sized northern pike, but no walleyes. I'm not sure if was because of the cold front that moved in, or if we were just not fishing deep enough -- we were trolling in 5-6 feet of water and in 8-10 feet. The walleyes might have been even deeper.

On Friday, Oct. 20, I awoke to a 1 1/2 inch blanket of white snow. It was great to see snow again, although it melted by late afternoon.

I won't be back to the lake until the third week of February. I'm already looking forward to some ice-angling action.

MN DNR Update: Sept. 25, 2006

Greetings!
This update is the third in a series of reports the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is sending to Leech Lake area resorts, businesses, and others interested in DNR activities on Leech Lake. The goal of these messages is to keep you up to date with our findings and our current activities on the lake. As always, please contact our office (Walker Area Fisheries Office, 07316 State Hwy. 371 NW, Walker, MN 56484 (218) 547-1683) if you have any questions or comments.

Leech Lake Gillnetting
The Walker Area Fisheries office finished the gillnet survey of Leech Lake on September 15. Since 1983, Leech Lake is sampled annually with gillnets. Nets are set in the same locations and at the same time of year. In this way, we can compare net catches from year to year. What we found was very encouraging! The overall gillnet catch of walleye was 7.1 per net, up from 4.9 per net last year. The catch rate was even higher in the main lake (8.7 per net). While large walleye are still present in good numbers, nearly one-half of the walleye catch were from the 2005 and 2006 year classes. Further, growth of age 1 walleye (2005 year class) indicates they will reach keeper sizes early next year. We are hearing some fall anglers are keeping walleye that are 13 inches in length. There is more good news from our gillnet survey. The catch of yellow perch in the main lake increased dramatically from last year, primarily perch less than 7 inches in length. This is likely the result of good natural reproduction and the double-crested cormorant control over the past two years. With a larger population of small yellow perch currently in the lake, better catches of big yellow perch are likely to follow in the coming years. Anglers this fall, however, are catching good numbers of big yellow perch. If you are interested in other information from our surveys, please call, email or stop by the office.


MPCA Looks for Mercury in Leech Lake Fish
Most fish are healthy to eat and are an excellent source of low-fat protein. Eating fish may also reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other chronic illnesses. But any fish (store-bought or sport-caught) could contain contaminants such as mercury and PCBs that can harm human health - especially the development of children and fetuses. You can't see, smell, or taste the mercury or PCBs in fish. That's why it is important to know which fish are safer than others to eat. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) tests fish from Leech and other lakes on a periodic basis. This year, the Walker Fisheries Area office sent walleye, northern pike, and yellow perch to the MPCA to once again check mercury levels in Leech Lake fish. Previous tests have found very low levels of mercury (see this link for current Leech Lake guidelines http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/fca/report.html?downum=11020300).
The DNR website will be updated if there is a change in consumption advisory. For more information on eating fish, please visit:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/fish/eating/index.html

Eurasian Water Milfoil is Hard to Find
On August 8, staff from the DNR’s Ecological Services Division in Brainerd made a search for Eurasian water milfoil in Leech Lake. Originally found growing in five harbors in 2004, areas that continued to have the invasive exotic were treated with an herbicide earlier in the summer. The August inspection found very few plants and in only two locations. While it is not likely possible to eradicate Eurasian water milfoil from Leech Lake, aggressive treatment and follow-up seems to be keeping it in check. For more information on Eurasian water milfoil, please visit:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ecological_services/invasives/ewmprog.html


Of Interest
Many Leech Lake residents and tourists note the large number of loons seen on Leech Lake counted common loons (Gavia immer) weekly onlakes Winnibigoshish and Mille Lacs to determine premigratory numbers, flock sizes and locations. Counts were made from shore, boat and plane. On Lake Winnibigoshish, the highest count was recorded on October 21 with 1,599 loons. On Lake Mille Lacs, thighest count total occurred on October 20 with 1,688 loons, a record high count for any lake in Minnesota at any time. Minnesota has more loons than any other state in the lower 48.


Contact Information
Pat Rivers (pat.rivers@dnr.state.mn.us) or Harlan Fierstine (harlan.fierstine@dnr.state.mn.us)

More on the New Rapala Minnow Rap

New Minnow Rap to Come in Classic and Bleeding Patterns

It's been called the offspring of a famous heritage, and we like that. Because it is. The new Minnow Rap is the latest balsa creation from Rapala, the only company in the world that can make lots of lures from balsa that all swim the same, right out of the box.

Whether you're a fish or a fisherman, you recognize the shape as that of a 'baitfish' that big fish are born to chomp down on. This lure has the swimming action of a Shad Rap, in a thin 'minnow' profile.

In a never-ending quest to marry the best of old world craftsmanship and modern technology, the Minnow Rap will be available in two distinctly different versions. Classic Patterns will feature clear diving lips and VMC black nickel hooks.

Bleeding Patterns will sport red diving lips, bleeding gills and VMC red hooks to give off the ultimate wounded minnow impression.

Hall-of-Famer Al Lindner already calls the Minnow Rap, “a multi-species fish catching machine,” and says in his testing, he can't find a fish “that can resist its shivering wiggle.”

The new Minnow Rap will come in No. 9 size, measuring 3 1/2 inches long and weighing 5/16 oz.

The color patterns are true Rapala in quality and detail. Classic Patterns include Silver, Shad, Perch, Yellow Perch, Firetiger, Hot Tiger, Hot Steel and Purpledescent. Bleeding Patterns will be Bleeding Copper Flash, Bleeding Hot Olive, Bleeding Olive Flash and Bleeding Pearl.

It's a shad. It's a minnow. It's both.Best of all, it's a balsa Rapala.

New Boat (part 4 of 4)

Post number four from my recent 10-day stay at Leech Lake.

As mentioned in an earlier post, when I pulled my boat out of the water during my recent stay at Leech Lake -- much earlier in the season than usual due to the extremely low level of water in the lake -- I took it to Corner Sports in Bemidji and traded it in for a new 2006 model. While the new boat is techincally mine, it will be in storage until Spring 2007 when I put it in the water for the first time on Leech Lake.

The new boat is a black Lund 1800 Pro-V IFS, Verado Limited Edition (pictured). It will be equipped with a new 150hp, 4-stroke Mercury Verado motor, my old Honda 4-stroke 8hp will serve as the kicker motor. I'll also add a new MinnKota Maxxum Pro 80US electric trolling motor and a new Lowrance LCX-25C professional sonar/GPS+WAAS. I will mount my current Lowrance LCX-15MT sonar/GPS+WAAS unit in the bow and use it with the universal sonar on the MinnKota Maxxum Pro as a sonar-only unit.

I look forward to posting a report here next May after the new craft is in the water.

I will be at Leech Lake in mid-October to close up the house and cabin for the winter -- clean the gutters, close the vents, etc. -- and for one last adventure on the water before the winter. I'll post here again after that trip.