Yearly Fishing Report

We just got back from Leech a few days ago. The fishing was spectacular. There are large numbers of 2-5 pound largemouth patroling the shallows. I caught some with jelly worms. I caught about 10 bluegill and pumpkinseed one afternoon on a flyrod with a surface popper. The northern showed up everywhere while I fished for other species. Most were 19 - 25 inches. Crappie were typically 12 inches but a few were up to 18 inches. Yes, 18 inch crappie are in the back of sucker bay. You know the walleye fishing is very good when people on other sights are complaining that all they caught was 10 keeper and 20 fish over 20 inches in a day's fishing. The fishing is very strong. Have fun everyone.

Steve

Good info thanks! Did you see any skis?

Yes, I saw a few while crappie fishing with the polarized glasses early in the week when it was calm. One was about 25 inches and the other about 30. They weren't chasing my lures. They were just moving out of my way as I drifted by. I saw a 30 inch northern also and some 5 pound bass. It was kind of like a glass bottom boat on that morning. Had one of them gulped in my minnow, I would have surely been left with a push pin for a hook. :)

Steve

Steve, dude.......... What happened to the detailed report? C'mon Leech Lake is an every other year thing for me and I really look forward to your end of week report each summer; especially in the year I have to turn in my man card and do a different vacation. The details of species and #'s caught is not only cool but also shows / gives me hope!!! Throw in a few detailed excursions from the week and I am a happy camper; so Steve if you got one more in you edit the report and add a few more specifics and maybe this forum will liven up a bit. Thanks and take care, Kevin.

You know what, Kevin, you are right. You all
deserve the detailed report. My flimsy excuse is that my new job requirements have me busier. Weak, I know. Okay, here it is.
151 total fish were caught in the boat or as keepers from the docks. Here is how it broke down.

Northern = 41 fish

Northern bit well on one nightly occasions using live minnows. On a windy night, my mother caught 5 northern between 23 to 25 inches using live minnows under the light in our resort's marina. The wind kept the bugs off us. She was laughing away with delight. We also got some nice ones trolling the weedlines in sucker bay on the way to other fishing.

walleye = 9 fish

I shadrapped for walley mostly unsuccessfully in the evening. However, on a few occasions of extremely high wind in Traders Bay, I got some very nice ones with 8 keepers for the week.

Crappie = 15 fish

I really enjoy crappie fishing. I do it more there every year. I only do well when it is still as glass outside. On two occasions I had the right conditions. I drifted in 3ft weedy shallows with freelined minnows. The crappie were huge and so fun to catch.

Rock bass = 35 fish

Many of the rock bass were caught while trying to catch crappie, but many were nice ones. I also hit a special beaver dam like I do every year to catch about 20 in an hour using big black jigs. I like to start with a few leeches until I get them started. Then I switch over.

Sunfish = 22 fish

My sons got most of the sunfish back at the marina, but I got some handsized ones by flyrodding one day in the old indian harbor.

perch = 25 fish

We picked up most of our perch by trolling. Brindleys harbor had tiny perch only. Larger ones were picked up in sucker bay and sand point area.

largemout bass = 4

I fished for them on one occasion with jelly worms. They didn't dissapoint.

Enjoy the lake all.

Steve

Awesome report Steve, Thank You!!! I can now start lobbying the boss / wife for a return trip to Brindleys next summer. What do you think is up with the night bite? I haven't heard of too many people getting a quality night bite pulling cranks this year. Thanks again, Kevin.

Shadrapping for walley wasn't as successful for us this year. We got a couple in the evening. Most of ours from shadrapping were caught during extreme wind conditions on windblown coves or shorelines. The rougher the better.