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Fishing Forum

portaging leeches

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Date/Time: 05/25/2013 03:59AM

Subject: portaging leeches

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Previous Messages:
Author	Message Text
Jeffrey651	04/25/2012 04:59PM Thanks TGO for keeping us posted! I'll be stopping by for leeches and such on 6/12 on the way to EP23.
The Great Outdoors	04/24/2012 02:33PM quote Jeffrey651: "TG0 - Good to know. Are you going to have any stock of Bait/Leech Kings this year or are you out?" Jeffrey651, I just received a call today from a potential mfg of the Bait Kings that is very interested in making them. They were meeting with the mold owners this week, so I should know more at a later time. It does sound good, but they're only words until I have them in my shop!!!
BWVet	04/23/2012 07:07PM I have done this a 100 times without fail. Keep your leeches in an oxygen filled plastic bag. Keep cool (in a cooler with a little ice or very cold water)the night before you leave. Double bag with garbage bag. When you arrive to camp transfer to leech locker.
The Great Outdoors	04/23/2012 05:39PM quote Jeffrey651: "TG0 - Good to know. Are you going to have any stock of Bait/Leech Kings this year or are you out?" Sure hope so, but aren't betting on it. We sold every one by early August last year, should have tripled the order. I'm contacting the mold guys tomorrow to see if there has been any luck finding someone to make them.
mc2mens	04/23/2012 04:09PM quote schweady: "A Leech King will hold a lot. Have your bait provider fill the oxygen bag while it's inside for spill-free portaging. (Thanks, TGO.) If you want something a bit smaller and cheaper, there's this vented screw-top jar I found at Cabela's. (ignore the Gulp Alive jar, top) Then, make sure there's a Frabill Leech Bag in each canoe during your outings. " What he said.
nunwithgun	04/23/2012 01:13PM quote wannabeoutthere: "quote schweady: "quote wannabeoutthere: "How big is the leech king in qts or liters?" I just happened to have an empty gin bottle from this weekend to use as a measure :) and found that a Leech King will hold just a bit more than 1.75 liters. " Thanks Schweady! Would yo be willing to measure it again with an empty bottle of Jameson next weekend just to verify your results?" Better make sure its the same with the Jim Beam bottle too!
wannabeoutthere	04/22/2012 11:10PM quote schweady: "quote wannabeoutthere: "How big is the leech king in qts or liters?" I just happened to have an empty gin bottle from this weekend to use as a measure :) and found that a Leech King will hold just a bit more than 1.75 liters. " Thanks Schweady! Would yo be willing to measure it again with an empty bottle of Jameson next weekend just to verify your results?
fadersup	04/22/2012 10:20PM Gatorade bottle works great for me. Change the water once a day and keep it as cool as you can. If you store the bottle upside down in your canoe the little suckers will stick to the lid for easy removal every time.
schweady	04/22/2012 09:02PM quote wannabeoutthere: "How big is the leech king in qts or liters?" I just happened to have an empty gin bottle from this weekend to use as a measure :) and found that a Leech King will hold just a bit more than 1.75 liters.
wannabeoutthere	04/21/2012 09:09AM How big is the leech king in qts or liters?
Savage Voyageur	04/21/2012 08:38AM I take a Bait King which is made by the same people as the Leech King maker but is twice the size. We bring about 3 lbs of leeches so need space. We also take the small leech bag for each canoe. We leave the big Bait King back at camp and just take what we need for the day in the leech bags.
Jeffrey651	04/20/2012 04:47PM TG0 - Good to know. Are you going to have any stock of Bait/Leech Kings this year or are you out?
The Great Outdoors	04/19/2012 07:47PM Cannon Tackle will only have whatever they got last year. The guys with the mold (KassWinns) are looking for another manufacturer. The outfit that produced the Bait Kings last year, backed out of the project this year.
Jeffrey651	04/19/2012 07:32PM In doing my research I found that folks seem to prefer the Bait King and Leech King for hauling leeches into the BWCA. They screw apart so you don't risk accidentally having the carrier separate and dump the cargo. They're not easy to come by, but Cannon Tackle Supply is the wholesale source at this time. I ordered mine through Joe's Sporting Goods. See my earlier post in this thread.
schweady	04/19/2012 02:28PM quote wannabeoutthere: "quote Bonvicken: "I'm a leech newb, too, and was wondering about the Frabill Leech Tote Will this hold enough leeches for my son and me for a week? I checked one out in the store, seems like they snap together pretty solidly...." I have not had good luck with this product. The top eventually comes loose. I prefer the one nofish uses. I am thinking of bringing an igloo water jug this year. Any thoughts on that from the experts?" I will agree. Some say it is improved, but... On a 2010 trip, one of our guys found one of these left behind by a previous group. (Maybe this was the model with the black swing arm for locking things together, I don't recall.) He happily transferred his pound of leeches into it, since he had just brought them in a styrofoam box. The next day, the container lay opened and the leeches all gone. No wonder the other group left it, eh.
wannabeoutthere	04/19/2012 12:51PM quote Bonvicken: "I'm a leech newb, too, and was wondering about the Frabill Leech Tote Will this hold enough leeches for my son and me for a week? I checked one out in the store, seems like they snap together pretty solidly...." I have not had good luck with this product. The top eventually comes loose. I prefer the one nofish uses. I am thinking of bringing an igloo water jug this year. Any thoughts on that from the experts?
nunwithgun	04/19/2012 09:11AM thanks
Bonvicken	04/18/2012 08:40PM I'm a leech newb, too, and was wondering about the Frabill Leech Tote Will this hold enough leeches for my son and me for a week? I checked one out in the store, seems like they snap together pretty solidly....
PlumberDave	04/18/2012 03:26PM You can use fat and sassy for the pack in,it works great. Then you can transfer to a container of some kind. I just leave them in the bedding, keep them in the shade and add a little fresh water.
WhiteWolf	04/18/2012 12:54PM Bloody-- helps that the make them with zippers now!!!! No more "Guys,,, there's tons of leeches swimming next to shore",,, oh wait.
bloody stump	04/18/2012 12:43PM We usually bring a pound of leeches for 4 guys. We typically seperate the leeches in half and put them in 2 different screw top water bottles (that are labeled BAIT....sometimes that isn't enough to keep the guy up way too late from taking a pull off the leech juice). We put them in the bottle at the parking spot so only in the bottle for the days travel (typically 7-8 hours). Once at camp, we put them in the velcro mesh bags....They work great until the velcro gets dirty, then you have to be very careful to ensure the velcro is closed all the way...have lost many leeches to a bag that was only 95% shut.... ..Nunwithgun...if you change the water a couple times a day and keep your leeches in the shade, no reason they won't last (it is when you are out in the canoe and the leeches are not in the shade that things will start going bad).
schweady	04/18/2012 10:57AM Jeffrey: Good to know the name of a supplier. Yes the Bait King is the exact same design, just longer. Lots of guys use those for keeping minnows alive between outings under their fish houses in the winter.
Jeffrey651	04/18/2012 09:47AM Heads up if anyone in the cities is interested, Joe's Sporting Goods has one Bait King available for $16.99. I had them custom order it and a Leech King for myself but deemed the Bait King a bit large for my needs. They also will custom order the Leech King from Cannon Tackle Supply if you're interested. Price for me was $14.99.
The Great Outdoors	04/04/2012 10:41PM quote PlumberDave: "Fat and Sassy for leeches. You carry less water and more leeches." True for the most part, but you can still have a problem if they heat up.
PlumberDave	04/04/2012 08:43PM Fat and Sassy for leeches. You carry less water and more leeches.
nofish	04/04/2012 04:06PM quote nunwithgun: "quote nofish: " This is what I use and it works great. Its insulated so it keeps them colder longer. It also has a good screw on lid so it doesn't come off if bumped around. I usually tie a short rope to it and let it drag in the water as I'm fishing. It rides in the canoe with traveling. At camp I put it in the water near shore with a rock on top of it to keep it submerged. I think I paid maybe $5-10 for it at Joe's Sporting Goods in St. Paul." That's a winner. Thanks. " I think I've done up to half pound in this container. If i remember it was a little tight but it worked just fine and the leeches lasted longer than my trip did.
Arkansas Man	04/04/2012 01:41PM Sorry, I was referring to what we do with a pound or more instead of just a few dozen. I once tried carrying them in, in the plastic bag alone... not a good idea! The gallon jug allows us many options if you want to leave them in the jug, just keep changing the water to keep fresh water in it, and keep it in the shade and they are good. We usually use the Leech tamer mesh bags fishing and just drag them by the side of the canoe when paddling and fishing. Then just tie it out at camp and leave it until the next day. Bruce
nunwithgun	04/04/2012 12:21PM quote nofish: " This is what I use and it works great. Its insulated so it keeps them colder longer. It also has a good screw on lid so it doesn't come off if bumped around. I usually tie a short rope to it and let it drag in the water as I'm fishing. It rides in the canoe with traveling. At camp I put it in the water near shore with a rock on top of it to keep it submerged. I think I paid maybe $5-10 for it at Joe's Sporting Goods in St. Paul." That's a winner. Thanks.
nofish	04/04/2012 11:50AM This is what I use and it works great. Its insulated so it keeps them colder longer. It also has a good screw on lid so it doesn't come off if bumped around. I usually tie a short rope to it and let it drag in the water as I'm fishing. It rides in the canoe with traveling. At camp I put it in the water near shore with a rock on top of it to keep it submerged. I think I paid maybe $5-10 for it at Joe's Sporting Goods in St. Paul.
nunwithgun	04/04/2012 09:12AM quote hunt339: "leeches can be stacked deep with little water that's why i always use a water jug, or small cooler. The bags do work well but i see no need to carry a bag with oxygen when they don't need it. The bag will take up space with oxygen added and you will still need something to put them in when you get where your going. leeches just need cold water, most important thing for them. " Yea. I just need to keep them alive for a few days. If they start dying on the fourth day I wont have a problem with that. I think I'll get the bag full of oxygen and just before I leave my entry point I'll throw them in a jug and just let them float next to the canoe for a few minutes here and there. I'll also get a leech bag to put them in when I get to camp. Seems like a lot of work but I hear its worth it. Thank you for the help.
nunwithgun	04/04/2012 09:10AM quote Arkansas Man: "to carry leeches in I have them put in a plastic bag with oxygen then place them in a gallon jug and put it in a pack or just carry it by hand in a dip net. Once at camp I put them in a leech tamer mesh bag and use them as needed. Bruce" I hate the idea of using a huge gallon jug just for a few dozen leaches. But, it sounds like i have no choice if i want to bring leeches. Thanks.
nunwithgun	04/04/2012 09:08AM quote schweady: "The Frabill Leech Bag has a velcro closure mouth with a foam float incorporated (the white color barely visible under my fingers). The mesh is a strong but flexible rubberized material. Yes, put on a stringer and float it next to you with the leeches you need that outing. Both of the rigid containers have holes/screen material to allow for water exchange when storing your bait at camp overnight. The Frabill bag would not stand up to snappers, fishers, and otters, etc. (Neither does the cheap Frabill two-piece Leech Tote with the black hoop that hold the halves in place although some folk have had okay luck with newer models, saying that the locking mechanism has improved over the years.) " Thanks for the clarification.
hunt339	04/04/2012 08:18AM leeches can be stacked deep with little water that's why i always use a water jug, or small cooler. The bags do work well but i see no need to carry a bag with oxygen when they don't need it. The bag will take up space with oxygen added and you will still need something to put them in when you get where your going. leeches just need cold water, most important thing for them.
Arkansas Man	04/03/2012 10:00PM to carry leeches in I have them put in a plastic bag with oxygen then place them in a gallon jug and put it in a pack or just carry it by hand in a dip net. Once at camp I put them in a leech tamer mesh bag and use them as needed. Bruce
ron1	04/03/2012 09:35PM Hey! Don't diss my cheap Frabill two piece! It works just fine as long as you remember to re-bungi it every time you close it. :-)
schweady	04/03/2012 07:22PM The Frabill Leech Bag has a velcro closure mouth with a foam float incorporated (the white color barely visible under my fingers). The mesh is a strong but flexible rubberized material. Yes, put on a stringer and float it next to you with the leeches you need that outing. Both of the rigid containers have holes/screen material to allow for water exchange when storing your bait at camp overnight. The Frabill bag would not stand up to snappers, fishers, and otters, etc. (Neither does the cheap Frabill two-piece Leech Tote with the black hoop for holding the halves in place -- although some folk have had okay luck with newer models, saying that the locking mechanism has improved over the years.)
nunwithgun	04/03/2012 04:04PM quote nunwithgun: "quote schweady: "A Leech King will hold a lot. Have your bait provider fill the oxygen bag while it's inside for spill-free portaging. (Thanks, TGO.) whats that leech bag? do you just throw your leeches in that thing and throw them overboard? And that screw top jar, is that just to let the leeches breath? If you want something a bit smaller and cheaper, there's this vented screw-top jar I found at Cabela's. (ignore the Gulp Alive jar, top) Then, make sure there's a Frabill Leech Bag in each canoe during your outings. "" whats that leech bag? do you just throw your leeches in that thing and throw them overboard? And that screw top jar, is that just to let the leeches breath?
nunwithgun	04/03/2012 04:01PM quote schweady: "A Leech King will hold a lot. Have your bait provider fill the oxygen bag while it's inside for spill-free portaging. (Thanks, TGO.) whats that leech bag? do you just throw your leeches in that thing and throw them overboard? And that screw top jar, is that just to let the leeches breath? If you want something a bit smaller and cheaper, there's this vented screw-top jar I found at Cabela's. (ignore the Gulp Alive jar, top) Then, make sure there's a Frabill Leech Bag in each canoe during your outings. "
nunwithgun	04/03/2012 03:56PM quote Instigator: "For our base camp trips we always transfer the leeches from purchase bag to nalgene with fresh water and ice cubes. Bottle is wrapped in 1/2 inch foam. Once in and have camp set transfer them to leech lockers for the duration. Keep just fine if you make sure they get fresh water, and going straight with the leech locker would work if you're planning to use them on way in and throughout. " Thanks, I plan on traveling pretty far. I dont have a leech locker and i want to keep things on the free side of things. Thats why i just wanted to use the 20 oz bottle in the first place but everyone seems to think thats a bad idea. Sounds more and more like i have to buy something ment for leeches.
nunwithgun	04/03/2012 03:54PM quote hunt339: "I would use a water jug. Add some leach bedding and water. a few ice cubes to start the trip. keep in shade, change out water if it starts to get warm." Why a water jug? More room for leeches? If so i think ill use this idea. Ill keep them cool by putting the jug in the water. Thanks
schweady	04/03/2012 03:20PM A Leech King will hold a lot. Have your bait provider fill the oxygen bag while it's inside for spill-free portaging. (Thanks, TGO.) If you want something a bit smaller and cheaper, there's this vented screw-top jar I found at Cabela's. (ignore the Gulp Alive jar, top) Then, make sure there's a Frabill Leech Bag in each canoe during your outings.
Instigator	04/03/2012 02:19PM For our base camp trips we always transfer the leeches from purchase bag to nalgene with fresh water and ice cubes. Bottle is wrapped in 1/2 inch foam. Once in and have camp set transfer them to leech lockers for the duration. Keep just fine if you make sure they get fresh water, and going straight with the leech locker would work if you're planning to use them on way in and throughout.
hunt339	04/03/2012 12:53PM I would use a water jug. Add some leach bedding and water. a few ice cubes to start the trip. keep in shade, change out water if it starts to get warm.
nunwithgun	04/03/2012 12:46PM I'm headed off on a solo trip next month. I want to keep it light, but I was advised to take leeches for fishing. Will putting them in a 20 oz plastic bottle filled with water keep them alive for 5 days?

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