2020 Leech Lake Fishing Reports - Hackensack, Longville, Walker MN Also

[folke2000]

How is lake travel by Goose Island and Stoney Point? I am heading up next Friday, and still trying to decide what to bring with....Can you get around with 4 wheel drive truck, ATV or do you need a snowmobile?

We will be staying at Adventure North.

Folke

[snotroket]

hey folke, we are also staying at Adventure North next weekend, at the big Cedar place. I am hoping to get around by 4 wheel drive. We won't have any sleds. Good luck to you.

[folke2000]

We are staying in Shoreview next weekend. Still debating on bringing ATV's, snowmobiles or just driving 4 wheel drive. Last year (same weekend) we couldn't get far with just trucks. A couple of guys also at the resort were over by Hardwoods, and really nickled up on the jumbos.

Good luck to you also, and hope to see ya there and compare notes on the fishing, and beverage choices.

Folke

[crappie12]

Fished Leech this evening. Caught 3 walleyes 16 inches. Lost 4 others. Fished the humps in Walker bay. Did not catch any Perch. 4 wheel drive trucks are able to go almost anywhere.

[Aces In The Hole]

Just got back from Leech. We mainly fished Walker bay. Caught some nice perch. 15 walleyes total. Kept 4. Pretty fun watching the walleyes swim by the camera all day! Hope to get up there again soon!

[deerwoody]

4wd is no problem just avoid the snowbanks.Pine Point/Goose Island/Grandview area was pretty slow this weekend.Perch were biting but alot of sorting.

[MNfishingFun]

How's Walker Bay looking for this weekend? heading up Saturday morning how to be home in time for some football with a cooler full of fish?

[Meat-Run]

How's Walker Bay looking for this weekend? heading up Saturday morning how to be home in time for some football with a cooler full of fish?

Good luck I was just up there chasing the perch on Monday all day long and came home empty handed. Drilled a hundred holes and moved all over the lake and never ever found a school of perch..gonzo...zip nothing. Maybe we were looking at the wrong depths but we could see all the way to the bottom even in 20ft of water with no problems if there was a fish within 15ft of my lure I would have seen it. Your better off picking up a case and start your party early.

Meat-Run

[Irish]

I just got back from a over-nighter up at Leech. We were in a sleeper on Walker Bay and went out after perch in the Grand-Vu flats area. We did not catch one perch or even see any on the camera. We only got 2 small 12" walleye in the evening walleye (3:30-9:00) fishing. Nothing on the rattle reels or anything in the morning (6:30-8:30) fishing.

[seanymph]

Was just up to leech this week end. You have to move an find the perch. An occassional jumbo will be caught but most are not keepers. Was my first time fishing leech. We moved alot and had to find them. Pretty exciting catching a jumbo. The more experienced leechers who were with me were dissapointed but I was thrilled.

[hiwayman33]

Here is my report from the weekend - sorry it is late have been busy since getting back. Went up Thursday and got the Castle dropped on the ice at about 1pm or so out of the Shores on east grandvu. Drilled 20 holes around the shack and never got a bite all day/night. They would sniff and then nothing. Disappointed we watched hangover and had some adult beverages. Next morning nothing again so I told my little bro time to run and gun son with the portable. We grabbed my lowrance and a map and headed out. First spot we tried on a deep breakline produced. A few 13+ inch perch. Got some more nice perch and a few walters. Spent the rest of the weekend there. His buddy met us Friday night and by the time we left we had 75 keeper perch with most 11-13 inches and 7-8 14-16 inch walleyes. One of the better ice trips in recent memory. Afternoon perch bite was best right up until the lights went out. Walleyes bit mid morning which was strange. No walleyes during the bewitching hour. Alright I have typed enough. Find some weeds and you may find some perch. If guy works a little you may have some luck like we did.

[Rigger1]

Hiwayman - How deep were you fishing?

[hiwayman33]

We were fishing a break and had drilled several holes. 12-15 feet seemed to be the best and shallower was a bit better later in the day.

[paullyb]

Anybody fishin Woman, lookin to catch anything on the north end of the lake this weekend. please help

thanks

[USDA3]

Any reports guys? heading up for the weekend and wondering how things are. How is travel off the roads? Need a sled, or can you get by with 4X4?

Perch going? Tulli's?

Thanks in advance!

[Northdrifter08]

Hows fishing up by Grand View? or Goose Island?

[USDA3]

very poor saturday, lots of lookers not many takers. Fished several areas from 8-21 feet. 5 guys, 4 keepers. Sun felt great though!

[tweedlap]

We were up Friday, Saturday and Sunday 'till noon.

Weather was ok after the raining most of Friday. Lots of water on the

the ice and slippery doesn't begin to describe the ice.

We fished the north end by North Star and most of Portage Bay.

It was terrible. Millions of 4 to 5 inchers. I thought I was back at Millacs.

We averaged one Jumbo,,,10/12" each.

If you drive be careful and pay attention. There are worm holes,

from all of the rain running in holes, big enough for a person or

a tire to fall through. You will instantly drop it on the frame.

The ice is 24-28" and very good except for those holes.

Some trucks out, yet on Sunday, but mostly 4 wheelers.

It was a tough bite

tweed

[fisherdog19]

Fished Leech this weekend around the Goose Island area. Hit a spot with carpet weed in 15-16 fow and did pretty well on the Jumbo's, go around 100 perch in parts of 3 days, around 10 hours total fishing time. Kept around 40 10"+ perch between 3 of us. Fish were feeding on bloodworms, had some floating in the holes and up on the ice, they were a little finicky as well. Spoons and minnow heads or waxies, and small jigs with waxies produced but the jig an waxie was the best.

[gigidy]

we may as well start talking about it now !!! early ice out ,warm water temps for opener,what are some things different poeple should do if we have 50 plus degree water on opener weekend??is this good? or will the fish be very post spawn lazy?we are staying at moonlight bay for may15 16th and intend to fish pine pt stoney pt area,what are some of your thoughts,fish like its june?on opener?

[gigidy]

anyone ever fish for crappies ,pre spawn at leech?what do you suggest?thanks. we had some excellent walleye action last july out from horse shoe bay ,lindy rigs,fat heads gold and silver spinners,fished humps out from grassy pt and near big rock reef,with jigs ,morn and evening,caught some nice eyes,jumbo perch,couple nice pike,would like to find a few of these 12 to 15 inch leech slabs some people talk about?my cousin likes crappie fishing.thanks

[PeteA34]

I am thinking the bite will be good (weather pending). I grew up in the area by Leech and have been fishing Leech for years and I think the actual weather on the days you are fishing will be the biggest factor. People get hung up on water temp. Fish are on a biological time table to spawn about a certain time every year. The water temp does not play as big a role as you might think, but it can affect the baitfish thus play a role in the walleyes. You can google research studies on this and it does make sense if you think about it. Just hope for a good South, Southwest wind and not a North wind.

[fishingfool]

Do you have links to theses research studies?

[Muskie456]

I agree with Pete. The warmer the water can get by opener the better. I too lived in Walker for years and found the month of June to be the best for Walleyes. When that water temp gets in the sixties and thier metabolism gets going those fish are actively feeding. It is more a matter of conditions that dictate how many fish hit the net. Give me a good blow in any direction and I'm happy (yes, even east). That stacks up the bait fish,, gets that water moving, breaks up day light and allows you to get over fish in 7-10 ft of water without too much boat spook. I am really excited for opener.

[pulleye16]

Don't take this in a bad way but I've been fishing leech only a few years just recently and does any of that matter? I've never caught so many walleye at any time of the day, regardless of wind direction, or temp! I love this lake! Slip on a lindy rig in 12' near some weeds any time of the day any day of the month and BAAAAMM!! walleye...oh wait ANOTHER 22 incher? stupid slot!!! LOL

[PeteA34sDaddy]

Pete, as the current Leech Lake Bass Tournament Champion I know a thing or two about fishing these waters. These days I mostly hunt carp with a blow-gun. However, I learned most of what I know about Walleye fishing from a wise Indian guide out of the Buffalo area named “Kaz that sits down to pee”. Now here’s a free lesson for you for the upcoming Walleye opener. While all the other boats are drifting various flats and drop-offs you’ll outsmart them with this. Here goes… Fist-size dough balls on quick strike rigs in 2-3” of water. Note: Walleye love Wonder Bread. If the wind is out of the North, then you’ll want to try brightly colored Hula-Poppers over 105’ of water. Hope to see you at the opener. If his rash clears up I’ll be up there with my slow but trusty guide Kaz. Good luck and good fishing!

[ddsbyday]

Thanks for wasting my time. Leech should be good this year. Good luck to everyone. The warm spring may spread the walleye out a little but if there is a consistant wind for a couple of days dough balls and hula poppers may work.

[Riverratpete]

You guys are wrong wrong wrong about the dough balls and hula poppers..my favorites been a daredevil on a bobber in 50 ft of water..been working for years.

[TimTebow]

I think that Pete’s Daddy might be exaggerating just a bit about the size of his dough balls…but they do work. For years we’ve used dough balls (early in the season – no good late)for walleyes in very shallow water. You don’t even need a boat. Let me explain, because Leech Lake is so large the gravitational pull of the moon creates an unusually large high tide. You can google the research studies. What we do is find a beach. Then we set up a clamshell walleye blind (like ice fishing) right next to the water. Then we arrange marble sized dough balls in the sand. Next we hide quietly in our walleye blind and wait…quietly. When the tide comes in and covers the dough balls the walleye smell the balls and race in like piranha. Here’s the tricky part, when you hear them splashing, you jump out of the blind and catch them with Hefty bags. I like to wear flippers I think they help me run faster. Anyway, we’ll be camping (light blue clam shells) at Federal Dam for the opener. If you see us stop and say hi. I’m the one with the banjo, walleyes love a banjo.

[woodman]

We have been camping at Federal Dam for years now, and there is a group of 13 families that have the back loop by the play ground. We fish the river with the kids and they have a tourney and traveling trophy every year. Great family weekend.