crappies?

[Guest]

I've been hearing about slab crappies in Leech Lake. Does anyone know when, where, and how to catch 'em. I'm guessing ice out is the time to go, north part of Sucker bay?

[Terry Hagstrom]

You will have a long wait yet before ice out. There is approx. 30" + of ice over the lake. When it does leave, the north end of sucker, steamboat and portage are good places to try. check out some of the smaller bays around the lake also.<BR>Terry<BR>

[Guest]

easyE,I'm not quite sure where terry got his info but I was there saturday and there was no way out on the ice.It has pulled away from shore anywhere from 10 to 60 feet or more!I'll give it 10 days and the ice will be gone.Just thought you might want to know.------------mallard1662

[GullGuide]

Mallard,<BR>It might be pulling away from the shore...always does first...but I'm willing to bet there is still a good 2 feet out from shore. Talked to some people who were fishing Mille Lacs last week, shore ice was bad, out from shore no problems..Leech is a lot further North than ML, I'm still betting on a day before opener <BR>>"////=<

[Guest]

A stupid question I know, but in the South 30" of ice is hard to imagine. How long does it take under normal weather patterns to melt?<P>Does a early or late ice out have a effect on fishing? Walley?<BR>Thanks<BR>Rooster

[GullGuide]

With a late ice out, walleyes are VERY easy to locate. Look for typical spawning areas...Shallow gravel/rubble shoreline flats or any type of current, preferably incoming.<BR>With late ice-outs, it's almost a crime how easy it is to catch fish, sometimes I wish they would push the opener back on years such as this, but what can you do? What we all can do is act responsibly and not get into the meat-hunter mode, which is easy to do when the potential is there for limit after limit. <BR>My favorite method is to troll a #13 rapala behind the boat 200' or more in 5 feet of water or less. Another favorite is to cast a jig and twister-tail into in-coming current areas. Make sure to cast slightly down and across the current, letting the current swing the bait along while you slowly retrieve the jig...lethal on early season eyes. With this method I have found it is more effective to NOT use any live bait with the jig...just a twister-tail.<BR>Good Luck,<BR>GullGuide<BR>>"////=<

[Guest]

10-4, Thanks<BR>Rooster