Heading out in about three weeks. I was planning on using all artificial baits but now I am second guessing myself. How successful are leeches in the spring? Should I invest in some leeches to jig with rather than curly tails?.....or in addition to? If so, what is the best method of transporting them over a portage and keeping them fresh for 5 or so days?

I think you could pert near keep leeches alive for four or five days in a soggy paper sack. Those suckers are tough. I keep them in small, round, plastic containers with screw on lids that I bought in Canada. I take two, one for the canoe and one for camp. Yes, take some. They are the BEST!

If you can get leeches, get them! It won't be too early to use them. Just keep them out of the sun and give them new water about 3 times a day. Or you can always use some type of leech locker and keep them in the water.

quote dpreiner21: "If you can get leeches, get them! It won't be too early to use them. Just keep them out of the sun and give them new water about 3 times a day. Or you can always use some type of leech locker and keep them in the water."

+1 and search "bait king" or leech king. The best leach carrier IMO.

Take them.
Leeches = more fish.

I agree. I'd rather leave my canoe at home than the leeches..

(actually, zulus and poppers will also catch a lot of fish. And trolling deep taildancers works great for lake trout. But a leech is a sure bet. And it is more relaxing because the leech and slip bobber do the work)

I'm with everyone else. Get a leech king with the screw on lid and they are simple to take care of and catch walleyes. Check with The Great Outdoors bait shop in Ely, Jim always had the leech kings and the knowledge on how to fish leeches.

An old thermos works great and you probably already have one laying around.

Thanks for all the advise. I just bought one of these. Worm and Leech Locker

I plan on using a slip bobber tipped with a leech.

How effective is tipping a jig with a leech? Do you add the leech in addition to a curly tail or in replace of a curly tail? I normally fish for bass and trout. I don't get much walleye fishing done.

Just remember you need to dump the water out, well away from the lake, before you portage into the next lake then fill the containor up on the other side to be legal. A leech on a jig surely means walleye in the frying pan. FRED

We took 2 lbs of leeches into the bw last year, and catch rate was near identical between artificial and live bait. The fish were hungry they will literally eat anything, but we agreed as a group if they are available we will bring them.. maybe not so many. but the best container we had was one of the maybe half gallon gatoraid bottles with knife holes in them. the rim is a perfect to tie paracord around the top and it will bob along the back of the canoe just fine. worked great, and will plan on that for sure.