Walleye
Fishing on Leech Lake
Catch and release fishing creates a great opportunity for anglers to maintain and potentially improve the quality of fishing and has become increasingly popular among walleye anglers. There is no slot limit on Leech Lake and by voluntarily release of quality sized fish; an angler essentially recycles the fish and provides future angling opportunities for himself and others Tips for Catching Leech Lake Walleyes Locals usually describe Leech Lake in two categories. The big lake, or the bay. The big lake is the area of Leech Lake that contains Sucker, Traders andPortage Bay, and the south shore area of Whipolt. The big lake isshallow compared to Walker Bay. The big lake has several rock reefs and points, and is a very large body of water. The City of Walker sits on the shore of Walker Bay. The bay is very deep in some areas and has several sunken islands. The shoreline is steep, and the water is very clear. Spring fishing is usually more consistent on the big lake. Fish the wind swept points with Northland Fireball jigs, tipped with a small to medium sized shiner minnows.
Fish the deep sunken islands in Walker Bay in the summer. Fish will be in deeper water and a check with your sonar should determine the depth the walleyes are staging. Use a ¼- to 3/8-ounce Northland jig tipped with a minnow or leech. Live bait rigs with a leech or nightcrawler will also catch fish. To cover water, you may want to try bottom-bouncers and spinner rigs. Fishing at night trolling crank baits is very effective. Troll various depths till fish are located. Start in 8-10 feet of water. Good luck and let em go, Jim Murphy
Editor's Note: Jim Murphy is a professional fisherman who has been fishing Leech Lake for a number of years. He is well known as a local expert on fishing Leech Lake. Please feel free to check out his web site at http://www.fishingleechlake.com/guides/murph.
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