A group of us will be heading in for a trip in mid-June. While I am getting some trip experience under my belt, I am always seeking sound and savvy veteran advice.

In this case, I have a bait question: I have always bought live bait to take in with us, which is somewhat expensive and also an (albeit small) burden at times to lug along. On the last couple trips, we decided to use some fake baits to see if we could have some luck with them. It seemed as though we actually had equal or better luck using fake baits vs live baits.

With that being said, is this the norm or an exception? To be honest, I'd rather pack in a bunch of power bait in my tackle box rather than lug a container of live leaches or minnows around, but wanted to get some advice first before I commit completely to artificial baits.

Thoughts/Advice would be greatly appreciated!
Darin

This is a tough question and depends on a number of things. If walleyes are your main target, then leeches can certainly help, but aren't absolutely necessary. For pike, lakers and smallmouth, I wouldn't bother. June is a very good month for all species and walleye can be caught fairly easily with artificials this time of year. If the bite is off because of a cold front or the dog days of summer, leeches can be a life saver for walleye as well as bass, although bass can almost always be caught on artificials.

Personally, I don't ever bring live bait anymore, as I enjoy the challenge of artificials, and always catch a ton of fish. Caring for and carrying live bait takes away more joy than it produces, at least for me. Plenty of walleyes can be caught with crankbaits and 1/8-1/4 oz jigs. Most people fish too fast and over the top of walleye so slow down. It definitely takes more experience to fish artificials, but it is well worth the effort.

For the other three species, I feel confident in saying that I would always prefer artificials, especially during the month of June.

I’ve never had artificial baits outfish live baits before. I say bring a pound of Leeches. The Walleye just love them. This June we are also going to bring in a load of crawlers.

I fish live bait. Not a problem lugging it around. A little sick hard plastic cooler for the leeches. Chang water often. No problem. Worms just a good mix and keep cool. Minnows a little harder. Hey I'm fishing...I want all the bait.
On the other hand I'm going to try more search baits this year..

You can never go wrong with live bait. This cannot be said about artificial unless you're one of the many that fish for that Scaled Rat that some refer to as the Smallmouth Bass. No skill is involved, which is why the poor fishermen target those "things!" :)

Yep on live bait

Yep on live bait

"If walleyes are your main target, then leeches can certainly help, but aren't absolutely necessary. For pike, lakers and smallmouth, I wouldn't bother."

^^this^^

I seem to always hit the mayfly hatch in June and leeches have saved many trips in the Walleye Department.

Don't bother with minnows. Like everyone above said, if you're going to fish walleye bring leeches! Pack them in a old nalgene bottle (not too many together or they'll die) or double bait bag tied off (so no leaks) stored in a leech locker until you get to camp. I usually just throw them in my pack with no issues. Good luck!

DJ

I don't use live bait. It's too much of a hassle considering how well plastics work. Plastics all the way...

I've used and been successful with live bait and artificial as well. A lot can be said for how live bait is used. Leeches under a slip cork or on a bait rig can be unbeatable. Also they are a very nice option if you want to fish off the campsite at any given time (After a BWCA dinner, I sometimes love to throw out a slip cork, sip some whiskey, and wait for the prime-time bite!). As someone mentioned earlier, change water often, keep them as cool as possible and out of the sunlight.

Minnows are a bit more challenging to keep alive and portage, although it can be done successfully if one is conscientious during the trip in.

strictly live leeches for me, My method for leeches is to go to Goodwill and by two identical Igloo 1 gallon water jugs (they always seem to have them) take the lid off the first one and throw the jug away then take that lid and drill as many 1/8 or smaller holes in the lid as you can. Next extend the spout on both lids and drill a 1/4 inch hole perpendicular through the spouts, run a length of cordage through both spouts and tie it off to the handle of the jug. When portaging put the solid lid on and stuff it in a pack, when you get to the other side switch lids and let the leeches drag for a while in fresh water.

Every plastic bait ever made tries to imitate a live bait, no live bait ever tries to imitate a piece of plastic, you ever wonder why????

I fish for eyes and LT and never take live bait. I rarely use live bait at home any more.

nooneuno: "strictly live leeches for me, My method for leeches is to go to Goodwill and by two identical Igloo 1 gallon water jugs (they always seem to have them) take the lid off the first one and throw the jug away then take that lid and drill as many 1/8 or smaller holes in the lid as you can. Next extend the spout on both lids and drill a 1/4 inch hole perpendicular through the spouts, run a length of cordage through both spouts and tie it off to the handle of the jug. When portaging put the solid lid on and stuff it in a pack, when you get to the other side switch lids and let the leeches drag for a while in fresh water.

quote>

^^ I really like this idea!

If I want to catch walleyes I always bring leeches. I transport them in my Leech King or Bait King container in a plastic bag when I travel. Dump them in container once I'm at camp and they last for the trip. I have never had poor fishing with leeches on the end of a 1/8 or 1/4 jig. You can Lindy rig them or slip bobber fish leeches so they are easy to fish. We catch quite a few smb when fishing with leeches. My artificial bait is fun but it is not as reliable for me when it comes to walleyes.

If they are not hitting on artificials, you'll be kicking yourself if you didn't bring leeches....and you'll never know if it was the artificials not working, or the fish not biting

Attempting to end the italics

Cc26: "If they are not hitting on artificials, you'll be kicking yourself if you didn't bring leeches....and you'll never know if it was the artificials not working, or the fish not biting"

True about not knowing why the fish aren't biting, but I have plenty more presentations available. I would try some Husky Jerks and Jointed Minnows trolled around structure, as well as some lipless cranks trolled and vertically jigged. In fact the only eyes we caught last year were on lipless cranks cast into 10ft of water and trolled divers around 15-20ft. Granted we didn't focus them very hard and that was only on a single day in June on a single lake, but at least it's food for thought. You don't need real or imitation plastics to catch walleyes or lakers. I got a laker on a firetiger lipless crank on Kekekabic casting from shore.

The winter BWJ has an article from a guy who has caught his biggest fish while trolling lipless cranks (his Storm Thunderblade seems to slay em). He loves lipless so much he and his friends did a thought experiment, if you could only bring 3 lures which ones would they be? And for all 3 he picked lipless cranks, and of course explained why and how to fish them for various species. The photos don't lie! I'll be using my lipless even more this year.

We always bring in a pound of leeches. Mama likes to fish from shore after supper under a slip bobber. Hard to fish that way with artificial, but during the day, depending on the weather and fishes attitudes I may switch to some sort of Berkley Gulp behind my hand tied Lindy Spinner rigs. If it is windy out artificial is easier to fish because I don't have to continue to re-bait, if the fish are short biting use it for the same reason. We usually slow troll the good shore lines looking for the aggressive fish and then fish those areas thoroughly when we find them.

So I use both. Leeches for live bait. Have and old yellow leech locker, the short one, that I bring them with. Just give them a drink here and there when traveling.

I always take live bait. Early in the morning and at dusk, I use lures for reach and because the fish are active, but when the Sun is up, live bait can ratchet open clamped jaws.

nooneuno: "strictly live leeches for me, My method for leeches is to go to Goodwill and by two identical Igloo 1 gallon water jugs (they always seem to have them) take the lid off the first one and throw the jug away then take that lid and drill as many 1/8 or smaller holes in the lid as you can. Next extend the spout on both lids and drill a 1/4 inch hole perpendicular through the spouts, run a length of cordage through both spouts and tie it off to the handle of the jug. When portaging put the solid lid on and stuff it in a pack, when you get to the other side switch lids and let the leeches drag for a while in fresh water.


Every plastic bait ever made tries to imitate a live bait, no live bait ever tries to imitate a piece of plastic, you ever wonder why????"

This is a nifty system. Please don't take this the wrong way, but isn't that illegal in Minnesota? Unless the lakes you're portaging are connected by rivers?

thegildedgopher: "

nooneuno: "strictly live leeches for me, My method for leeches is to go to Goodwill and by two identical Igloo 1 gallon water jugs (they always seem to have them) take the lid off the first one and throw the jug away then take that lid and drill as many 1/8 or smaller holes in the lid as you can. Next extend the spout on both lids and drill a 1/4 inch hole perpendicular through the spouts, run a length of cordage through both spouts and tie it off to the handle of the jug. When portaging put the solid lid on and stuff it in a pack, when you get to the other side switch lids and let the leeches drag for a while in fresh water.



Every plastic bait ever made tries to imitate a live bait, no live bait ever tries to imitate a piece of plastic, you ever wonder why????"

This is a nifty system. Please don't take this the wrong way, but isn't that illegal in Minnesota? Unless the lakes you're portaging are connected by rivers?"

Not if you dump out the water before entering the next lake.

Maybe I missed it, but what's illegal? Bringing leeches from lake to lake? Or making your own container for them?

Probably no right or wrong answer, but I've probably caught 50% of my fish off of artificials and 50% off of leeches over the last 5 years. Haven't had much success with crawlers.

We also like to fish from shore at camp. Nothing like throwing out a bobber, hook and a leech, sitting in a camp chair, sipping bourbon and waiting for the bobber to disappear.

flynn: "Maybe I missed it, but what's illegal? Bringing leeches from lake to lake? Or making your own container for them?"

Minnesota law now requires that all water be emptied from livewells or bait containers before entering another Lake. Technically speaking it would mean minnows and
leeches would have to be drained of any water prior to portaging into a new lake or one would have to all your bait in in a sealed container and only use it on one Lake. Not a very well thought out law when it comes to portaging and I don't know how it would be enforceable.

nooneuno: "

flynn: "Maybe I missed it, but what's illegal? Bringing leeches from lake to lake? Or making your own container for them?"

Minnesota law now requires that all water be emptied from livewells or bait containers before entering another Lake. Technically speaking it would mean minerals in leeches would have to be drained of any water prior to portaging into a new lake or one would have to all your bait in in a sealed container and only use it on one Lake. Not a very well thought out law when it comes to portaging and I don't know how it would be enforceable.
"

Interesting, hadn't heard that yet. I don't use live bait and haven't fished in about 10 years (until last year) so it would make sense that I hadn't heard. Definitely hard to enforce but hard to comply with for portaging. You basically gotta suffocate minnows to comply? Then run them across the portage and get more water in the container? Yeah.... that's a tough one. Glad for it not to be a problem for me though!

I suppose it depends on all sorts of factors, but in general, mid-June is prime time for most species up there. You can catch the big four on a variety of artificials.

I'd leave the live bait at home unless you really like using it. It's more fuss than it's worth that time of year, in my opinion. Just my .02.

For anything other than Walleyes artificials will out produce live bait everytime in June for me. Walleyes are the exception, when they are active I hammer them on artificials, when they are neutral, which is a lot of the time, then I go to leeches .

Basspro69: "For anything other than Walleyes artificials will out produce live bait everytime in June for me. Walleyes are the exception, when they are active I hammer them on artificials, when they are neutral, which is a lot of the time, then I go to leeches ."

Basspro is spot on. I have been on Basswood the past 11 Junes. A few jerk baits, shad raps, swimbaits, Gulp minnows and twistertails will handle walleyes under most conditions. Live leeches to use with slip bobber while being in a near vegetative state is nice though! If one cannot catch all the smallies or northern one wants with easy to haul artificials in June, one needs to read up on Quetico Mike and watch more Lindner videos on YouTube.

Soft plastic lures used with the right weight jig and hook size will catch anything in a body of water. I mean ANYTHING that bite lures.
example:

This includes any panfish, bass, pickerel, perch and even catfish. The photo to the left is a Slider Worm and 1/32 oz ball head jig


This fish was caught using a Kut Tail Worm and light jig.

Crappie Magnet grubs catch everthing.

Beetle Spin and grub has been catching fish for decades.

Power Bait Ribbon Tail grub


My preference is to use a light action rod 5' 6"- 6', 8# test braid line and cast everywhere and at different depths. The lure is your 'fish finder' and once one is caught, there's a good chance others are nearby to bite.