Best time for leeches

[doubleheader]

Is there a best time of year to fish leeches? I've used them in the summer, but never early in the year. Also, what is your preferred presentation with leeches.

[sgrittin]

>Is there a best time of year to fish leeches?

Summer is best.

By the time the season opens here water temperatures generally are still cold and leeches ball up and seem to do little to entice a hit. I’ve seen some people drifting leeches on a slip-bobber in spring with success, but I’ve never tired it. I’ve also never fished plastic leeches, but have wondered if they would work well when the water is cold and the walleyes aren't biting minnows.

We start leeches when the water hits 60 degrees or more on 1/16 or 1/32oz jigs that give them the ability to squirm a lot and rigs with a #8 hook. Try drop-shotting, slip-bobbers, live-rigs, slip sinkers, three-ways with floating jigs, and deadsticking.

Depends on the lake. I agree with the above post on the leeches balling up, so I keep them in ice cold water that is cooler that the lake temp, this way when they hit the lake water they open up nicely. However leeches are the bait of choice from ice off through early summer on Devils Lake. They will outfish minnows everyday.

[manitobawalleye]

we also keep ours super chilled in ice water
they then stretch out in cooler spring water temps

manitoba .... a 100,000 lakes
how many walleyes ????
i will never have enough time....

[sgrittin]

I like that idea about using super chilled water to make the "spring" water seem warm in comparison. I'll have to bring some up for the opening May 5th - it'll be a different presentation for walleye's being hit hard with minnows.

Icing leeches works well