Has anyone heard if Pronature still has leeches? I've tried calling back they haven't returned my call.
Talked to them today and they do not expect to have any this time next week. When u leave?
Slim pickings this year!
Trout Lake has leeches but will only sell 5 doz per user, other places I called don't have any at all.
Oarin, so pleased to see your planning. The planning and lead up is half the fun as I’m sure you know. We’ve stopped at Billy Bob’s in North Bay on Lakeshore I believe in the past. It’s been years so not sure if they’re operating still. Hope you find your leeches, and I hope you and John make it safely to your cabin. All will be all right with the world when you can settle down and share a drink with a view…..
Look forward to hearing your report.
Oarin: the last Cell # I have for Bob @ Trout Lake is 705-493-1781 - # at the store 705-495-4227 - I've got leeches from him in September before - Good Luck!
Thanks everyone. We leave Saturday the 28th at about 4:30 AM. Can't wait to get to the Outpost!
I called Billy Bob’s this week and they are out for the season.. but I would try again.. who knows maybe they got some..
Just called Trapper Joe's on Trout Lake, they are down to the last two dozen. I leave Saturday. not looking good.
We're heading up Sept 12 ..if anyone gets some info on who might still have leeches we would greatly appreciate it..thanks
Quote from: Oarin on August 19, 2021, 12:01:52 PM
Thanks everyone. We leave Saturday the 28th at about 4:30 AM. Can't wait to get to the Outpost!
Very glad to hear your trip is on
@Oarin .
Glad to hear you're going to make it up Oarin. I'll warn you though...I'm breezing through North Bay about 18-hours in advance of you and if I find leeches I'm buying whatever they have on hand. ;D
Well...I'm going to buy what we're going to need for the week. We're not planning on finding any leeches though... :-\
Good luck, T-Bone. I'm glad you're getting back to Alwaki. I don't really hold much hope for leeches either. Crawlers will have to do. I just hope nothing happens in the next week to screw things up for our trips.
Has anyone had any experience with Gulp plastic leeches? Hoping to hear some success stories.
I just got back today (will write up a report later) - Trapper Johns in North Bay on the 13th said they had a couple dozen but might have more the next ... call pronature and they said no more reservations but a pound would be fine so we just went straight there on the 14th (last Saturday) and they had 5 or 6 1lb bags in the fridge plus a bunch of 1/2 pound bags. No idea about now but they were very helpful on the phone and the leeches caught fish :)
I've always been curious about leeches in particular. I've only ever used worms or minnows for Walleye ever since I was a kid. Even on any of our many trips to Kipawa none of our group from the Ottawa area ever used leeches. We did notice that more of the American clients used leeches all the time. So I'm thinking that it's more of an American preference, not that Canucks don't use them I would think.
I'm certainly not knocking them as a bait, although I have read that they're not as effective in cool water seasons. I'm just wondering why they seem to be so much of a priority when to me worms would be a totally suitable alternative? Is it because you believe they catch more fish than worms under certain conditions or techniques? Or is it just a confidence thing because that's what you've always used? I would totally get that too, but in my case not having a leech to put on my jig, trolling a harness or drifting a spinner rig off a bottom bouncer wouldn't even enter my thoughts, totally happy using a nice dew worm. So like I said, just wondering.
Enjoy your trips guys, I envy you. Cheers
I'm with you smitty55, just use worms. Sure they are a little messier than leeches, but when you're sitting still with a leech under a slip bobber, how much lazier can you get. My first trip into Smithbay lodge we tried leeches and slip bobbers. I found it wasn't my style of fishing. Went to the ned rig and had a field day catching eyes on plastic man TRD's. On our second trip back to Smithbay lodge, Grant and Lyn said to give worms a try. I know how messy they can be but we solved that issue. Caught a lot of eyes on a light jig and worm on the bottom with a little lift every once in a while. Interested on my next trip, to try trolling with Suddendeath hook behind a bottom bouncer with a worm on it. Check out the Rapala ad on Wired to Fish and see this new Hook with a swivel right where the line tie eye should be. Maybe, if you can find them in the USA try some Berkley MaxScent Flatworms on a dropshot. They're like leeches up here in Canada, darn hard to find but very effective. The built in scent is fantastic.They're also a lot cleaner than worms.
The hook I wanted to mention was the VMC Spindrift hook. Pretty easy set up and I think would work pretty well. Just remember to put a swivel in the line where your mainline joins the flourocarbon leader. Can be rigged up with a spinner type set up or pulled behind a bottom bouncer. It will be right down in the face of your finned friends that you want to invite to dinner. Slow troll 1mph.
Quote from: smitty55 on August 21, 2021, 11:55:51 PM
I've always been curious about leeches
Smitty, most of the times when I have been fishing at Kipawa with my SIL and he exclusively uses worms and I leeches, We have identical catch count. Then there are other times where I out fish him with leeches. I don’t recall a time when he has done better with crawlers. The leeches creep him out, so he won’t use them.
The other benefit, like has been mentioned already is the mess that is made when using crawlers. Breaking them in half makes the most mess. The leeches are clean. In the fall when all I can get is crawlers, I keep a wet towel in the boat to clean up after using them.
Pronature had some leeches last week. Still plenty of worms. Picked them up on the 16th.
Quote from: plowjock on August 22, 2021, 09:52:08 AM
. I know how messy they can be but we solved that issue.
What are you doing to minimize the mess?
I always buy a frabill (there are other makes) worm holder with bedding, so I will pick them out of the mud and put in the container so only mess is the damp paper instead of the mud in the boat.
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/frabill-crawler-crib-0784201p.html#srp
I would highly recommend the frabill bedding even if can't get the container. The last bedding I got was like mud and was terrible. I am going today to buy frabill bedding
I strictly use leeches until they run out then switch to worms. Half a worm on a drop shot works great.
Here's how we solved the mess worms can make.
We put about one inch of water in an empty plastic coffee can-Folgers. We deposit half a dozen leeches in said coffee can.
The water washes the grime off of them so when you reach in to grab one, they come out clean.
Just change the water every time you put new worms in the can.
For those coming from the Ottawa route, there's a new bait provider on 17 East called Backwoods Outdoors.
He sells bait, canoes/kayaks, dock systems, gunsmithing etc.
His website says 1 pound of leeches for $50.
Thanks Luc for the headsup, actually looks like there location would be ok for the US guys coming through Toronto and then up Hwy 11. A little detour at Corbeil but if they really want leeches and that is the only place.
Something else that helps with worm mess that I learned from my father in law, moss. He collects a bunch of moss in a bag and takes it with us. We keep a couple smaller bait boxes/coolers in the boat. Moss in the boxes with a cooler pack. Before going out transfer worms from the dirt/mud into the smaller bait boxes with moss. They aren’t completely clean, but pretty close. Might have to change out the moss once during the week if it gets too wet from condensation or rain but he’s been doing it for years and I like it.
I appreciate all the tips on using worms in a cleaner fashion. They can make a real mess in the boat. I think I am going to try the coffee can with water trick, maybe with some moss added ???. I use frabil bedding now and have a frabil Styrofoam box that they stay in at camp.
I use the worm bedding as well. Much better in the boat. I usually do the entire flat when we arrive. It does take some time to rinse them and transfer them to the worm hotel LOL! but it's worth it.
I would like to find a larger hotel for them because I think the frabil styrofoam box is a little small for a flat of worms.
In the boat we use a small cooler with a couple frozen bottles covered by a layer of cardboard then some bedding and the worms we are going to use for the day. I just
rotate out the frozen bottle on each trip so the bait stays cool.