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Author Topic: Fishing with Leeches  (Read 7895 times)

reelcharacter

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Fishing with Leeches
« on: Mar 08, 2004, 11:14 AM »
I wonder if anyone has some positive experience of fishing with Leeches for Panfish. I would like to give leeches a try this coming season.

I have occasionally found a leech (usually between the toes) and have had good luck while fishing with it after extraction. Have not had good luck finding them for sale at our local bait shop/s in order to try them out more.

Has anyone had success catching leeches in any reasonable quantity? How did you catch and keep them?

I may have to find a good on-line source for purchase. Any suggestions where to purchase them on-line?

If leeches are in your regular panfish baitfishing arsenal, what are your ways to fish with them?

Thanks for any ideas and suggestions,
-Reelcharacter
Email me to swap information on fishing holes or to go fish'in sometime in the Syracuse Central NY area (Onondaga and Madison county water holes in particular).

skulldugary

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #1 on: Mar 09, 2004, 08:36 AM »
Don't use them too often for pan fish but have had gills and rock bass take them.I usually hook small ones through the sucker with a #10 long shank hook and fish it under a slip bobber.I know that smallmouths love them...Can't use them in water too cold because they ball up on the hook......

dachmation

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #2 on: Mar 09, 2004, 08:53 AM »
I use leeches for walleye a lot. Catch some bass on em and also rockbass. Usually use a slip bobber rig or troll or drift with a bottom bouncer, use about 3 ft leader with a floater.
Mike
""TIGHT LINES"

fishboy899

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #3 on: Mar 09, 2004, 02:50 PM »
I was watching a episode of in-fisherman where they were catching monster bluegill with a leech and a float.  I have never tried it myself.
A 17 yr. old that is addicted already.

slabby1

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #4 on: Mar 09, 2004, 06:52 PM »
 8)Hi,kind of new to this world of internet fish chat,however
am finding out real fast,i'm easily addicted here!LOL!I'm
from Southern tier but have been in Ontario,Wayne county
area last 15years,fish leeches lot here for bullheads also,can usually get brown or black in spring anywhere in
bait shops here from Canandaigua north to Sodus,would
imagine not much that wouldn't hit them.Bait shops in Sodus would have in spring,not a bad reason to drive up
and fish Sodus!Hope this helps.

rgfixit

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #5 on: Mar 09, 2004, 08:30 PM »
Small black leeches are deadly for bluegills . I don't switch to them till the water is over 65 degrees. Till then I stick with spikes, waxies and worms.

I usually fish them on a small bucktail jig with or without a bobber.

Rg
If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

reelcharacter

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #6 on: Mar 10, 2004, 12:02 PM »
RG,

What time of the year do you find the water to be 65 degrees here in CNY?

-reelcharacter
Email me to swap information on fishing holes or to go fish'in sometime in the Syracuse Central NY area (Onondaga and Madison county water holes in particular).

fulltmedad

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #7 on: Mar 11, 2004, 08:46 AM »
You can catch your own very easily if you have access to a backwater creek or pond. I use a chunk of liver (cow, calf or pork) in an onion net bag with a rock inside. Leave it for at least two days....don't worry, no one has ever stolen mine. I have collected so many that my wife refuses to go with me when I pick them up. When you pick up the bag it looks like a scene from a horror movie, but I always have a good supply. I use them for walleye on a bottom bouncer/leader rig, but I have also caught nice crappie on them.
FTD

broken rod

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #8 on: Mar 11, 2004, 08:37 PM »
 liver works great for us also
tight lines, chuck

reelcharacter

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #9 on: Mar 12, 2004, 12:26 AM »
Just had a related thought, prompted by another topic's post, along with the burlap bags referred to in this topic.

The post referred to seeing Bullhead caught on Leeches. That made me think of something I've heard before. Many of the things "passed down" are more folk lore or wive's tales, so I do not know if there is any factual basis to this. (Also, is not anything I would intend to try for obvious game law reasons).

I have heard of placing a burlap bag with chicken parts, beef stuff or even woodchucks (a crossover sport between woodchuck hunting and bullhead fishing, I guess). The bag after a day or so will bring all the Bullhead around. It was assumed the meaty contents attracted the Bullhead. I wonder if Leaches are attracted to the meat and the Bullhead to the Leeches?

Try not to loose any sleep over this one  :) .

-Reelcharacter
Email me to swap information on fishing holes or to go fish'in sometime in the Syracuse Central NY area (Onondaga and Madison county water holes in particular).

icefishnh

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #10 on: Mar 13, 2004, 05:43 PM »
cant say ive ever tried leeches but peices of nightcrawlers and waxworms work great on panfish
I like big fish and I cannot lie!

howey1176

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #11 on: Mar 22, 2004, 11:49 AM »
Just had a related thought, prompted by another topic's post, along with the burlap bags referred to in this topic.

The post referred to seeing Bullhead caught on Leeches. That made me think of something I've heard before. Many of the things "passed down" are more folk lore or wive's tales, so I do not know if there is any factual basis to this. (Also, is not anything I would intend to try for obvious game law reasons).

I have heard of placing a burlap bag with chicken parts, beef stuff or even woodchucks (a crossover sport between woodchuck hunting and bullhead fishing, I guess). The bag after a day or so will bring all the Bullhead around. It was assumed the meaty contents attracted the Bullhead. I wonder if Leaches are attracted to the meat and the Bullhead to the Leeches?

Try not to loose any sleep over this one  :) .

-Reelcharacter

I have heard of poeple doing this to attract bullhead. Bullhead are attrcted to anything stinky and bloody. I don't think the bullhead are coming there for the leeches but rather the bloody meat. If there are leeches there they would be a bonus I think.
Harold

TroutFishingBear

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #12 on: Mar 26, 2004, 05:53 PM »
A lot of the catfish around here (fruita colorado) have leeches on them when I catch them. I've never used leeches, but that solves your problems of getting them

reelcharacter

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Re: Fishing with Leeches
« Reply #13 on: Apr 02, 2004, 11:20 PM »
How early here in Central New York can you begin to catch leeches? What week of what month, or what water temp should I look for?

-Reelcharacter
Email me to swap information on fishing holes or to go fish'in sometime in the Syracuse Central NY area (Onondaga and Madison county water holes in particular).

 



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