How to Keep Leeches???

[cfwalleye]

I have a hard time getting leeches out here in Washington St. so i have to order them. Does anyone have any advice on keeping leeches alive and kicking for as long as possible. Thanks.

[Mr Nailz]

I've kept mine alive for a whole season in a fish tank in my garage. Just keep the water cool and clean. Every couple of weeks go to the butcher and get a hunk of liver and throw in there. They will suck it dry in no time. Hope this helps.

[Riverguy]

I was always told that walleyes dont like leeches that are caught on beef. They should be fed fish or caught on fish. My grandparents have a pond that someone leeches for them-and he swears by this.

Any thoughts?

[JerryA]

I've kept leeches in the refrigerator for a whole season by just putting them in large styrofoam cups with clean water. Changed the water every week or so but didn't bother to feed them. I used tap water run through a purifier on the faucet. They eventually start to die off and you have to remove the dead ones. But, sure wasn't much trouble.

[cfwalleye]

Thanks for the advice guys. I did a search through the archives and the general concensus was along the same lines: Keep in cold, clean water, feed or they will shrink.

[Tom (mich)]

The latest Walleye Insider, under new products, describes a "dry" bedding type material for storing leeches. If I recall, it said they could be kept for a month in this material - they referenced the fact that leeches spent 90% of their time in mud, not water.

[Chad]

Fat & Sassy Bedding.

This stuff is awsome. We also use their worm bedding. It already has the water and food mixed in. Just add crawlers. It lasts about a month and they just change the bedding.

[s.f.]

leeches can be very hard to keep alive if the conditions aren't just right. as all have said, cold water is one thing to think about but unless it is about 34 or 35 degrees, it really doesn't matter all the way up to 75 degrees. at 34, they will be completely dormat and don't require any food or much oxygen. i once stored four pounds of leeches over winter, knowing they wouldn't be available for an early april super pro event. we monitored those gold plated leeches with several alarm equiped thermometers all winter. even hired 'leech sitters' a few times.lol and they ALL survived to be worth lots of $$. i truly think it is more important to keep the water perfectly clean at any higher temps. that means absolutely nothing but well water or lake water. western reservoir water is great. they love it.
that means no ice that is store bought unless you first ask the maker what is in it. fluoride is the only thing i want to hear. no chlorine or city water. so...temp is key IF it is cold enough (but DON' T freeze the water...watch it close!) CLEAN water if it is warm.
fresh, oily fish fillets or fish heads like trout or salmon or suckers are best food. best to fillet and leave the skin on.
long winded as usual.lol but...parsons? you remember what you offered for me for those leeches at quachita? ha!ha!#49

[Ristorapper]

Leech bedding is a new product out and as stated, should keep your leeches alive for some time.

Several facts I discussed with a guy at the sports show this weekend involved using a product called a leech tamer. Made of a minnow siene type material with a velcro closure at the top. Vital never to vary temperature of water by more than 10 degrees as leeches do not handle temperature change well. Change water at least once a week. Take leech tamer outside and rinse leech waste from leech tamer bag as he said this is what will eventually kill leeches too(so change water often).
Or if you are on the water swish the leech tamer bag in the water several times to get rid of leech waste material that will cling to the leech tamer bag then store them back in the livewell.

I do not own a leech tamer and sounds like they may be a good investment. $7.99 at sports show, did not check the price of the leech bedding.

BW(ND)

[Atomic Eye]

In a few months I may have a 1-year BD party for the leeches I brought from MN to NM. I've kept them in my fridge in 1# butter tubs. When I put them in a leech bag, they just couldn't resist the urge to suck on a buddy & kill him off. Every 2 weeks, I feed them some WE belly flesh, and then remove the flesh within 2 days. Then, I rinse & I make sure the water is clear of any final floating fish flesh flakes. Every couple of weeks, I scrape the slime off the tub's sides so bacteria / mold can't attach to it.

I don't know if I'll be able to part with Jake, Harry, Mildred, or Brittany and put them on a hook this spring?

Atomic Eye -- "Gone Fission!"

[dstank13]

if you have a sump pump and a pair of pantyhoses put them in the sump pump and as the water goes in and out it rinses them off. keeps them fresh for a long time.

[rmitchel]

During the summer, I camp with my family in Northern Wisconsin for 4-5 weeks. Last summer I kept a pound of leeches in the refrigerator. It was kind of pain in the refrigerator and took up valuable space.

Would they have survived in the lake water -- just in a leach bucket?

[s.f.]

sure, then the leeches would have been happy campers too. just make sure the critters like otters etc. can't get to them if you store them in the lake.
#49