Transport and care for Leeches at a remote cabin??

[Ohio fisherman]

Hi Guys: Thanks for all the advice and assistance on this website regarding where to go fishing in Canada. My brother booked a cabin for June 21 somewhere outside of Wawa. I am not sure of the details, he just emailed me the dates and said put it on my calendar! We will take our own boat because the place is "boat-in" only. And from there we will fish the main lake and run the boat to access some remote portage in lakes. Sounds good to me. Two years since anything more that a weekend off - wow, do I need a vacation bad!!!!

In the past, we have always taken crawlers, but now being a new convert to the magic of leeches as bait, we want to use the "walleye candy". However, my question is this. At that time of year, I believe we will want to use plenty of leeches. I know that we cannot take them across the border so, where can we buy good leeches in Canada - maybe Sault Ste. Marie, or Wawa, or somewhere in between? I want to call a bait shop and reserve a few pounds of nice jumbos. Also, what do you do to keep them in the best shape for transport during the drive and then at the cabin during the week to 10 days? We will not have electricity at the cabin, but ice will be available about 3-4 miles away at the lodge. However, I do have a battery powered air pump bucket rig (2.5 gallon) that I use for minnnows and leeches in the boat. Should I rig up a large one of these - they have a 20 gallon model in Cabelas that is reasonably priced. What are the variables of concern for leeches for a week? Changing the water? Water temperature? Enough oxygen in water? Do they need any food?

I do not want to put them in a cage or tank in the lake. I have tried that in the past with minnows and leeches and have made the otters and mink very happy.

Thanks for all the help. Everyone have fun planning your next fishing adventure!

Ohio fisherman

[Sunshine]

Get a couple of leech tamers. One for each person in the boat. Buy a small and cheap cooler. Keep leeches on iced water for transpot. I'd keep half in cooler throughout the week on ice for backup. No need to feed if you keep them cold and because of short time frame.

[shadowman]

i agree with sunshine just keep them cold, i kept 2 pounds in a cooler for two mweeks and just added ice as i needed it, if you put a air pump in watch what kind you use cause i don,t know how they do it but the lereches will get in the pump.

[hook&line]

Keep them around 50 degrees, somewhere above that temp they
will start to spawn, then die. as long as you have access to ice
use liberally. also keep the leeches you use that day seperate
from the leeches on ice, that way they won't affect the leeches
that are cooled if they have started to spawn or picked up
something that they could pass on to the healthy leeches.
good fishing!

[FlyBoy]

I concur with everyone else suggestions with one addition: Buy leech tamers for the indvidual fishermen, but buy a Bait Tamer to keep the 'pounds' of leeches in the cooler. Tamers keep the leeches slime free (eash to clean out) and health.

Hope it helps. Go buy stuff, that's half the fun of going on a trip!

-John
FlyBoy

[Atomic Eye]

One caution I will mention from the batch of leeches I kept for >13 months. Don't crowd them, or they will revert to cannibalism and suck the blood on a conveniently close neighbor!! The leech bags are bad for extended storage of them because they're too temptingly close to each other. On a one-day basis, they may be OK.

Atomic Eye (New Mexico) -- "Gone Fission!" ~~~<}}}:>

[Badger 05]

I keep leeches all summer long each year in "Fat and Sassy" leech bedding. Works great, just put the bedding in a worm container (waterproof) add the specified amount of water and then add the leeches. I keep them all summer long in my bait fridge(a cooler should work just as well), each time I need some I just pick out a few dozen, put them in a leech tamer, and head to the lake. I bought it at Cabelas, but I have seen it at other places also.

Fishing is: One jerk waiting for another jerk at the end of his line.

[Ohio fisherman]

Hi Badger: Thanks for the info on the leech bedding. I have wondered about that stuff. I have refrigerator for bait and other important stuff in my garage. Do the leeches try to crawl out of the cooler along the edge of the lid? Is it necessary to periodically add water to the bedding like with crawlers in bedding? For a week in Canada, would I add ice in plastic bags to prevent the bedding from becoming too wet?

Thanks, OF

[Kevin]

OLD COOLER....LITTLE FRESH ICE EVERY DAY.....EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE SING THEM A COUPLE VERSES OF "ROCK A BYE BABY".....AND ENJOY THOSE HOG WALLEYE

[Fitz1131]

Check with provincial DRN at the location of the boarder crossing you're going to use. I was able to get leaches into Saskatchewan by crossing into Ontario. The shops in the boarder crossing area of Ft. Frances will sell bait during the season but call ahead. Can't help with a phone number because the trip was a few years ago.

Fitz

[daveT]

I'm no expert on Canada Walleye, but I and other fisherman I know took a bunch of leeches to a new body of water only to find the fish won't touch em. My advice is be sure to take plenty of crawlers also.

[Badger 05]

I don't think they can get out of a worm container. But, I put my stash of Night Crawlers on top of them just in case. I do add a little bit of water periodically. After I posted the last post I went home and checked my bait fridge to see if there were any left in the box anymore. There were, they were still alive from this summer although they do not smell very good. I think I will throw them out.

Fishing is: One jerk waiting for another jerk at the end of his line.

[Wawajake]

Consider calling Young's General Store in Wawa 705 856 2626
They sell a lot of bait,probably take preorders,they are easy to find as you drive into Wawa on right hand side a few hundred yards after Chevy dealer. They are Esso dealer too.

jake

ps are you by chance, going to Manitouik or WhiteFish lake?

[Ohio Fisherman]

Hi Wawa Jake: Thanks for the tip on the baitshop. I have never heard of the lakes that you mention. My brother booked a cabin on Dog Lake. What do you know about that lake? Please be truthful, even if it is not good.

Thanks, OF

[wawajake]

Dog lake is the next big lake upstream from the big lake Manitowik.
I have never fished Dog lake but hear good things about it. You are probably driving thru Wawa and then east and north (Another hour or more) to the small town of Missinabi to access Dog lake.
From what I hear, without a guide you will want all the maps or local advice you can get. Youngs general store and a few other shops in Wawa carry local lake maps if you need. But their staff won't know that lake's hot spots because its is so far away from their local lakes. Dog Lake has many many inlets and arms that stretch every direction. I used to have a old fishing magazine that did an article on fishing that lake I will try to find it. Leave me a fax number and I will fax it to you from work if I find it.
jake

[fishinnut]

What I have done is to place the plastic bags containing leeches in a cooler with ice for the ride to the cabin. Once there, transfer to a couple gallon milk jugs and keep in fridge. Change some water every day. No problem for a week.

[Ohio fisherman]

Dennis - Thanks for the tips. I picked up the leech tamers.

OF

[Ohio fisherman]

Thanks for the tip on keeping new and used leeches apart. Thanks, OF

[Ohio fisherman]

I will get a bait tamer for the tank. Thanks, OF

[Ohio fisherman]

Even leeches would complain about my singing! It would kill them for sure! OF

[Ohio fisherman]

That is a good reminder about taking some crawlers. I had not planned on it, but it would be a good idea. Thanks, OF