Leech Tamer Bags

[Alec]

I picked up a couple of these bags but there are not any instructions on how to use them. Is it used to store leeches in the refrigerator or do you take them out in the boat in the bag or in a bucket? How many jumbo leeches can you realisticly put in the bag? When storing them in the refrigerator do you only use a couple inches of water with the bag in a bucket or are you best to fill up the bucket with water for better oxygen? Any responses would be great.

Thanks and keep your lines wet!!!!!

[Johnnie Candle]

The bags will hold a pound of jumbos with no problem. Use them in the boat or the fridge or anywhere in between for that matter. The leeches only need to be damp so a couple of inches of water are all you should need. Keep the water fresh and they will last for a long time. You'll love the bags.

Keep the line tight,

Johnnie Candle

[bracketpro]

hey john! who has them for sale? thanks in advance robert

[walleye herbie]

I use mine in a 11/2 gallon plastic icecream container filled with water Kept in fridge. Two leech bags with about one or two pounds of leeches in each bag. Change water on each fishing trip, you know every couple days. Just grab the bag and throw it in the live well when you jump on the boat.

[walleye Herbie]

>I use mine in a 11/2
>gallon plastic icecream container filled
>with water Kept in fridge.
>Two leech bags with about
>one or two pounds of
>leeches in each bag. Change
>water on each fishing trip,
>you know every couple days.
>Just grab the bag and
>throw it in the live
>well when you jump on
>the boat. By the way you can get the bags at www.driftbag.com.

[PWaldow123]

Gander Mountain has them

[BobEaton1]

Great bags I have 2lbs of leeches I bought last April and they are still alive and in great shape. I also use the 2 gallon ice cream pails and 2 inches of water distilled water kept cold will last forever. Use these bags at home and when fishing in the boat, like Johnie says just keep them damp. You can call Dave at Anglers Supply 402-592-3788 he has a great supply of all the great Tamer equipment. Don't forget to check out the Wave Tamer Bags, Bottom Bouncer Tamer bags, and of course the leech tamer bags. Great products and great company.
Bob Eaton NPAA #292
Omaha,NE

[Dennis MN]

Don't you have problems with the water in livewell being too warm and then the leeches spawn and die? Or after being in warm livewell and you bring them home they spawn and die? Thanks, Dennis

[Dave S]

Bob, Do you know what approximate temperature you keep your refrigerator? I kept my refrigerator around 45 degrees last summer as I also had night crawlers in the frig, had the leeches in a leech tamer bag in a full bucket of water (Mistake ?) and after a month they spawned (got white and slimmy) and died. I changed water every several days letting extra water sit for 24 hours to let any chlorine escape and to allow replacement water to get to same refrigerator temperature. Any suggestions?

[BobEaton1]

Dennis,
When the water gets over 60 I don't put them in my livewell when I go to tournaments insteadt I keep them in a cooler with a little ice in it. At the end of each day I clean the water and there ready for the next day. When I get home I clean the water and put them in the refer and change water every 3 days till around August 1st than I change it every day because that's when they normally spawn and for about a 2 week period I do loose a few cuz some will spawn and they do die. During this time frame I take them out of the bag once a week and take out the dead ones and keep the water clean and cold. This is the only time they ever leave the bags. After there spawning cycle is over your problems with loosing them is over. I had my leeches in 3 sports shows one in January and 2 in February and haven't lost any since last September. I looked at them this morning and there ready to go fishing. Before the Leech Tamer Bags I had the same problems that everyone else talks about, they can't keep them alive. Get the Bags they are a must if you want to keep from buying bait every weekend. Hope this helps you out. Any other questions e-mail me at Bobeaton1@msn.com and I'll help any way I can.
Bob Eaton NPAA #292

[BobEaton1]

Dennis I also keep 2 flats of night crawlers in the refer but I believe I keep mine a little colder. I would only use about 2" of water and turn the temp down. I use the 2 gallon ice cream pails with 1 bag and 1 pound of leeches per bag. My crawlers are like snakes this spring and eat like horses. If you need any more info let me know. Good fishing with your leeches.
Bob Eaton NPAA #292

[caleb]

I have a question how often do you feed them and what do you feed them with?

[Stezostedion vitreum man]

Dave S

When I keep leeches in the refrigerator, I try maintain the temperature just above freezing. This keeps the leeches in a dormant stage and prevents them from reporducing. White, slimy material in the water does not always indicate that the leeches have reproduced. This material is often associated with your leeches undergoing stress. This is usually due to the water being too warm, allowing them to move around (and then reproduce). You can tell for sure when leeches reproduce, there will be a round, bump like mark towards their anterior (small) sucker end. Also, you will notice in the water or container small dark cocoons, as they are called, which will develop into small leeches. After they reproduce, they will then die. That's why it's so important to keep the water cold to keep them dormant.

As for the amount of water, a full bucket of water is not going to do any harm, leeches carry on respiration through their skin. The best thing to keep leeches in, even when using a leech tamer, is a styrofoam bucket. Styrofoam "breathes", which allows oxygen to be dissolved into the water and provides this oxygen to the leeches. Cooling the water down before changing regularly is a smart move to retain their dormancy. As you mentioned, if using city tap water, you should allow it to sit out for 24 hours so that the chlorine will dissipate out of it. Changing the water regularly allows for fresh oxygen to be introduced and removes metabolic wastes produced by the leeches.

If you keep crawlers in the same cold refrigerator, it would be advisable to keep them in a separate smaller cooler, otherwise they probably will not survive. Whatever you do, a person will never have a 100 % success rate keeping leeches in the identical shape you bought them in, but you can minimize the damage that might occur by mishandling them. Good luck on your leech endeavor.

Remember to keep your eyes open and your feet dry.

S.v.m

[PWaldow123]

They LOVE raw liver!!!!

[Stezostedion vitreum man]

Caleb,

If your question pertains to feeding crawlers, there's commercial feed available on the market that works very well.

In PWaldow's post he mentioned " they love raw liver". I believe he was referring to feeding leeches. The most common "food" used to feed leeches, and trap them by the way, as mentioned by PWaldow, is liver. Fish heads are also commonly used to "feed" leeches. Actually, leeches don't consume this meat, but instead feed off the smaller microorangisms ( i.e. bacteria, fungi, etc.) decomposing this meat. That is why when feeding leeches, you should allow the meat to stay in the water for at least 24 hours. Immediately thereafter, change this water with fresh, cool water. Leeches that are kept for a long time and not feed will lose weight, even if kept cold and dormant. You may start out with jumbo leeches, and if kept for a long period of time ( 1 month or more) and not feed, end up with medium or smaller leeches.

Remember to keep your eyes open and your feet dry.

S.v.m

[Dave S]

Thank you S.V.M.

I did notice that the leeches got round and when that happened they were soon gone. As I recall they got a narrow ring of different color around them. Sounds like one needs to decide if you are going to keep leeches keep refrigerator temp around 35 degrees and if crawlers around 45 - 50. I am lucky to be able to use one refrigerator for my fish bait. Don't want to push my luck with bait in our second refrigerator.

[Mike]

When you pull the leeches out of the refrigerator to go fishing do you bring the whole bag or just what you feel you will use?

[TBO/MN]

I have a refrig. in my boat, and I was wondering if using a gallon size zip-lock bag would work the same a plastic bucket. I run very short of room in that refrig. and find that an ice cream pail takes up a lot of room. What do you think?? I would think that a leech tamer in a larger zip lock bag should still do the trick. ?????????????

Good Fishin'
TBO/MN

[Stezostedion vitreum man]

TBO/MN

Don't see why not. As long as you're keeping them cool and moist, they should remain healthy. Good luck and good fishing.

S.v.m