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| Does anyone have a suggestions for fishing Leech Lake MN starting 2nd week of June? What patterns work & what general suggestions would you make? We don't get to fish Musky alot so be kind. |
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | Leech is a tough early season lake when it comes to muskies, especially if you're not familiar with the lake. Assuming this is a vacation trip for you, I'd stick to walleyes on Leech and hit some other near by lakes if you want to chase muskies. A month later and I'd have more confidence staying on Leech for muskies.
Aaron |
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Posts: 670
Location: Otsego, MN | For sure the walleye bite will be good. I would hit some of the smaller lakes in the are for the muskies. If your stuck on Leech I would try and find some warm water and some weed growth. |
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| I would try trolling that early on Leech. Try Walker bay and troll the deep water with a double 13 bucktail behind 16oz. of lead weight down 25-40 feet. The fish are coming off the spawn and heading out to suspend until the shallows start to warm up. |
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Posts: 829
Location: Maple Grove, MN | I'd recommend hitting any of the smaller lakes in the area in June. Baby, Man, Little Boy, and Wabedo to the south/ southeast would be options. Or you can head to the northwest and hit Little Wolf or some of the other lakes just west of Cass Lakes. Good luck. |
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Posts: 646
Location: In a shack in the woods | Don't waste your time on baby (small fish) Mann is inaccessible unless your in a 14' boat, little boy/ wabedo, the other lakes in cass chain would be alright, and also the bemidji area lakes warm up sooner. Leech can be completely hit or miss that early. |
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Posts: 3504
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
I would agree that Baby has smaller fish (former shoepac strain stocked there in the 70's and early 80's) but there are some larger ones to be had. This lake gets hit hard early season due to the numbers of fish it contains. When the public access went in in 1997, the lake was really strong for numbers and the average size I was seeing out of there was around 36". Largest ever for me was a 44" back in 1997. There have been larger specimens caught, but they are very few and far between. The lake contains a healthy population of perch, and some cisco too, so trolling is a good option.
Man lake (yes it is spelled correctly with one n...it was voted upon and passed in order to reflect the same style of lake name as it pertains to the other pronoun named lakes in the area) is only accessible by small boat via a very shallow channel and narrow bridge. Tougher body of water to fish, and overall less fish in the system. It also gets hit pretty hard the first few weeks of the season from residents on the lake.
Wabedo can be good...it has a little more of a tannic stain in the water as compared to little boy, but over by what they call the hayfields can be fairly decent if the spawn is a little late. enough structure in both basins to keep you busy.
Little boy is clear with plenty of possibilities for finding fish. From pencil reeds to humps to points, it has it all, although I have found it can be a little tough of a bite at times too (any lake not experience this once in a while?)
Leech is fickle....if temps have been warm, it can be good, but many say to stay away from leech until after the 4th of july. The key is to find spawning habitat and fish areas adjacent to those spawning grounds. If things have been warmer yet, move further away from those areas. Leech is changing a bit due to what I would call a fairly major infestation of Rusty Crayfish. Lots of weedbeds have disappeared, which has changed fishing locations for many. I would say it is worth a try, but if nothing is producing, switch lakes and find fish.
Lots of water bodies within roughly a half hour drive of leech...going north, west and south.
Steve |
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| It's always about the weather. If we have a normal spring the 2nd week of June will be a bit early for Leech. If warmer than normal it could be good. We usually get excited around the 4th of July for the muskies to be moving consistently. With that said, they still have to eat. I will fish a few days after the opener to see what is going on. Someone posted to fish the growing weed beds near the spawning areas. This is a good tactic for action from smaller males who remain in the area if there is bait. Females began moving to there summer range after they spawn and recover a bit. Run and gun and look for a pattern of active fish. Don't be afraid to go against the normal. Logic is to throw smaller baits in the spring. I prefer to give them an easy meal with a larger bait. Good advise already given on the smaller area lakes. Do not rule out suspended fish or you could be missing the best pattern.
Good luck, Murph |
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Posts: 3156
| dont totally write off baby,,,baby is one of my personel favs,,,yes on average the fish are smaller but its early season and you may just want action,, the scenery and solitude go a long way,,the lakeshore owners on that lake are doing it right their not tearing up the shoreline.
if you want to drive a little bit dont forget little wolf too its small and shallow and should be warmer
Edited by happy hooker 3/3/2011 6:55 AM
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Posts: 9
| Shoot me a PM.... got some other lakes in mind....! |
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