As I suspected leeches are hard to come by now, talking to some of the bait shops in Ely they say crawlers are just as good as leeches. Just wondering about your guys thoughts on that statement? Is that accurate? Or is that yarn being spun by people that are out of leeches and are trying to move their crawlers?

Reason I am asking is that I could probably scrounge up some here in Milwaukee before I leave on Friday but it would be a bit of a hassle, and then there is the hassle of keeping them alive until and during our travels.

Thanks Guys

I've done last 3 trips taking both crawlers and leeches.

My two cents worth, leeches usually outproduce the crawlers, but not to the extent I'd hesitate to use crawlers. **Full disclosure - on one of the trips, we had leeches in a regular minnow bucket, and 80% of them escaped, as the holes in the minnow bucket are just a little bigger than those in a leech locker, and big enough for those suckers to get out. Forced to use crawlers the majority of the time, still has a successful trip.

Find the fish, get the right presentation in front of them, and they'll bite.

I think they are equals on BW canadian shield lakes, but if the lake you are fishing has an abundance of little perch, those perch quickly make you wish you had leeches.

Just take some crawlers and fake leeches, you should be fine.

quote QueticoMike: "Just take some crawlers and fake leeches, you should be fine."

+1

I wont go without leeches. With that said I don't believe I have ever brought crawlers......

I won't go without lures :)

I don't go without crawlers .:)

A week ago, it didn't matter between the two of them. Picked up eyes in 18 ft of water using crawler harnesses. Bright colors did the trick. Hope this helps.

quote Bigbriwi: "As I suspected leeches are hard to come by now, talking to some of the bait shops in Ely they say crawlers are just as good as leeches. Just wondering about your guys thoughts on that statement? Is that accurate? Or is that yarn being spun by people that are out of leeches and are trying to move their crawlers?

Reason I am asking is that I could probably scrounge up some here in Milwaukee before I leave on Friday but it would be a bit of a hassle, and then there is the hassle of keeping them alive until and during our travels.

Thanks Guys "

I doubt that you will find any leeches in Wisconsin, as most of them come from Minnesota and they are in very short (if any) supply at this time.
Also, they are illegal to bring into Minnesota as you cannot import bait from other states.

Still fairly easy to come by in the southern part of the state, I called 3 places and they all had them.

quote overthehill: " I don't go without crawlers .:)"

I'm with you. They both work great but if I had to choose between the 2 and little fish were not going to be an issue as emptynest stated I'd use the crawlers just because that's what I have confidence in.

What do you guys use to transport your crawlers in? I can't imagine the styrofoam or plastic worm containers you get at a bait shop would hold up.

quote walleyevision: "What do you guys use to transport your crawlers in? I can't imagine the styrofoam or plastic worm containers you get at a bait shop would hold up."

Bait Canteen. Particle board box. Keeps them nicely.

How do you guys keep the crawlers at camp? Do you have to worry about critters getting to them? Not to worried about them overheating this trip.

Thanks,
Brian

quote Bigbriwi: "Still fairly easy to come by in the southern part of the state, I called 3 places and they all had them.
"

I find that very hard to believe.
Better ask them if they're Ribbon Leeches, or Horse Leeches (what we call Blood Suckers in Minnesota)
They sell many of the Horse Leeches in Wisconsin for catfish.
I've never seen leeches this hard to come by, and since Wisconsin get's their leeches from Minnesota, so.........??????

quote The Great Outdoors: "

quote Bigbriwi: "Still fairly easy to come by in the southern part of the state, I called 3 places and they all had them.
"

I find that very hard to believe.
Better ask them if they're Ribbon Leeches, or Horse Leeches (what we call Blood Suckers in Minnesota)
They sell many of the Horse Leeches in Wisconsin for catfish.
I've never seen leeches this hard to come by, and since Wisconsin get's their leeches from Minnesota, so.........??????"

Have no idea what the difference is between a horse leech or a ribbon leech. They are the same leeches I bought last year for my BWCA and I slammed em'

quote Bigbriwi: "

quote The Great Outdoors: "

quote Bigbriwi: "Still fairly easy to come by in the southern part of the state, I called 3 places and they all had them.
"

I find that very hard to believe.
Better ask them if they're Ribbon Leeches, or Horse Leeches (what we call Blood Suckers in Minnesota)
They sell many of the Horse Leeches in Wisconsin for catfish.
I've never seen leeches this hard to come by, and since Wisconsin get's their leeches from Minnesota, so.........??????"

Don't know what to tell you, not sure what you think my motivation would be to lie about it. If you want to call yourself let me know and I'll let you know who I contacted so you can do a little fact checking for yourself.

Have no idea what the difference is between a horse leech or a ribbon leech. They are the same leeches I bought last year for my BWCA and I slammed em'"

I think he was just trying to help you out. A simply "thanks" probably would have been sufficient.

quote Be kind: "

quote Bigbriwi: "

quote The Great Outdoors: "

quote Bigbriwi: "Still fairly easy to come by in the southern part of the state, I called 3 places and they all had them.
"

I find that very hard to believe.
Better ask them if they're Ribbon Leeches, or Horse Leeches (what we call Blood Suckers in Minnesota)
They sell many of the Horse Leeches in Wisconsin for catfish.
I've never seen leeches this hard to come by, and since Wisconsin get's their leeches from Minnesota, so.........??????"

Don't know what to tell you, not sure what you think my motivation would be to lie about it. If you want to call yourself let me know and I'll let you know who I contacted so you can do a little fact checking for yourself.


Have no idea what the difference is between a horse leech or a ribbon leech. They are the same leeches I bought last year for my BWCA and I slammed em'"

I think he was just trying to help you out. A simply "thanks" probably would have been sufficient."

Thanks

quote Bigbriwi: "How do you guys keep the crawlers at camp? Do you have to worry about critters getting to them? Not to worried about them overheating this trip.


Thanks,
Brian"

Bait canteen. More or less a box of 'pressd sawdust board". You saturate all sides and keep in shade. Evaporator Cooling. Works well for me with a little babysitting. Keep damp and pic

quote Bigbriwi: "

quote Be kind: "

quote Bigbriwi: "

quote The Great Outdoors: "

quote Bigbriwi: "Still fairly easy to come by in the southern part of the state, I called 3 places and they all had them.
"

I find that very hard to believe.
Better ask them if they're Ribbon Leeches, or Horse Leeches (what we call Blood Suckers in Minnesota)
They sell many of the Horse Leeches in Wisconsin for catfish.
I've never seen leeches this hard to come by, and since Wisconsin get's their leeches from Minnesota, so.........??????"

Don't know what to tell you, not sure what you think my motivation would be to lie about it. If you want to call yourself let me know and I'll let you know who I contacted so you can do a little fact checking for yourself.
Have no idea what the difference is between a horse leech or a ribbon leech. They are the same leeches I bought last year for my BWCA and I slammed em'"

I think he was just trying to help you out. A simply "thanks" probably would have been sufficient."

Thanks"

I wasn't suggesting you were lying, and apologize if you thought I did.
Just trying to explain that there are basically no more leeches available, and letting you know that the shops you called may only have Horse Leeches (aka, blood suckers like you find in the lakes) Ribbon Leeches are the typical bait shop leech.
When you called, did you ask the shops what type they were, or actually see and touch them??
With leeches being at almost zero availability, having some in southern Wisconsin does not seem possible unless they tanked some earlier in the year, but doubt they did.

I just bought some at Thorne Bro Bait shop here in the Twin Cities. They have plenty more for now if anyone is interested.

I picked up my half pound last night, they are a bit small but they should do. Might still bring some crawlers to try also.

Of course bait shops will tell you crawler bite is better than leeches...that is what they can get you...lol. I used leeches and crawlers a week and half ago and the leeches out fished the crawlers 3-1. Use what you have you cannot go wrong with live bait.

quote Richwon4: "Of course bait shops will tell you crawler bite is better than leeches...that is what they can get you...lol. I used leeches and crawlers a week and half ago and the leeches out fished the crawlers 3-1. Use what you have you cannot go wrong with live bait. "

Here's my experience, with an important qualifier at the end.

In an August trip a few weeks ago, fishing 18-22 feet deep, fishing straight down with bare jig heads tipped with either a piece of a crawler (usually only 1/3), or a leech, it made no difference. We caught hundreds of walleye of all sizes, and a lot of bonus smallmouth. My partner and I fished side by side, one with leech, one with crawler. Then we'd reverse. And periodically I would change up bait about every 4 or five fish. NO DIFFERENCE in numbers or size.

Having said that, I find that for myself probably my biggest fishing error is getting close-minded. Despite the above experience, I DO think there are cases where a leech (or crawler) might be better. If I stubbornly and close-mindedly ignore that possibility, it will at times cost me fish. Example: I can easily imagine a scenario where conditions dictate use of a slip bobber, and the liveliness of a leech might be a big benefit vs the crawler just hanging there.

In the end, the fish have the final say. Offer them possibilities, assess the results for that moment in time, and respond accordingly.

That's my two cents worth.