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missmolly
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05/22/2019 01:06PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
All this chatting about leeches has me remembering the occasional leech that wraps itself tightly around the shaft of my hook and then secretes a slime, a gelatinous cocoon. Does anyone know why a leech does that?
 
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SweetBerryWine
senior member (92)senior membersenior member
  
05/22/2019 02:13PM  
Leeches used to do this to me and it was because I was double hooking them. Now, I only hook the leach once, 1/4" below the sucker. My leech balling-up problem has halted in its entirety.
 
missmolly
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05/22/2019 03:46PM  
SweetBerryWine: "Leeches used to do this to me and it was because I was double hooking them. Now, I only hook the leach once, 1/4" below the sucker. My leech balling-up problem has halted in its entirety. "


Hmmm. I single hook them and it still happens to me, maybe one in a hundred.
 
Kawishiwashy
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05/22/2019 03:48PM  
OMG, happens to me all the time and usually just out of the blue. I imagine that the leech has just seen the world's largest walleye come within a fraction of a millimeter of ending its life and in self defense, rolls into a rock hard ball so tightly that its insides seep out onto its outsides. No other logical explanation for it.
 
Jackfish
Moderator
  
05/22/2019 06:25PM  
If you had a sharp hook stuck through you and were thrown into the lake as bait for something much larger than you, you would excrete something slimy and gelatinous, too. :)
 
05/22/2019 06:32PM  
SweetBerryWine: "Leeches used to do this to me and it was because I was double hooking them. Now, I only hook the leach once, 1/4" below the sucker. My leech balling-up problem has halted in its entirety. "

+1. You must be using the big ones with the yellow stripe! :)
 
Selfsuffi
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05/23/2019 09:28AM  
I don't know why but that does make me think. I grew up hooking through the sucker. I have a friend that hooks through the opposite tail end. I was taught that through the sucker will not tear off the hook as easy on a light tail bite. I have no idea if that is accurate or not. Where are you hooking your leech?
 
missmolly
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05/23/2019 10:43AM  
Selfsuffi: "I don't know why but that does make me think. I grew up hooking through the sucker. I have a friend that hooks through the opposite tail end. I was taught that through the sucker will not tear off the hook as easy on a light tail bite. I have no idea if that is accurate or not. Where are you hooking your leech?
"


Through the sucker.
 
WalleyeHunter24
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05/23/2019 10:59AM  
The other end of the Leech is the head, so piercing that part of the leeches body can lead to it's demise and swimming ability.
 
Savage Voyageur
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05/23/2019 11:06AM  
Jackfish: " If you had a sharp hook stuck through you and were thrown into the lake as bait for something much larger than you, you would excrete something slimy and gelatinous, too. :)"


Im too slow at the keyboard today, my exact thoughts.
 
CityFisher74
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05/23/2019 11:29AM  
Perhaps the leech is attracted to you?
 
The Great Outdoors
distinguished member(5592)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
05/23/2019 06:30PM  
missmolly: "
Selfsuffi: "I don't know why but that does make me think. I grew up hooking through the sucker. I have a friend that hooks through the opposite tail end. I was taught that through the sucker will not tear off the hook as easy on a light tail bite. I have no idea if that is accurate or not. Where are you hooking your leech?
"



Through the sucker. "

Hook it about 1/8th inch BELOW the sucker, as the sucker is very flimsy and the hook can easily pull out if hooked through the middle of it.
As far as the Leech balling on your hook, it will occasionally but all you need to do is hold the leech and hook barely in the water near the boat for about 30 seconds, and the Leech will usually straighten itself out & try to swim away.
 
Selfsuffi
distinguished member (276)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
05/24/2019 05:33AM  
The Great Outdoors: "
missmolly: "
Selfsuffi: "I don't know why but that does make me think. I grew up hooking through the sucker. I have a friend that hooks through the opposite tail end. I was taught that through the sucker will not tear off the hook as easy on a light tail bite. I have no idea if that is accurate or not. Where are you hooking your leech?"

Through the sucker. "

Hook it about 1/8th inch BELOW the sucker, as the sucker is very flimsy and the hook can easily pull out if hooked through the middle of it.

As far as the leech balling on your hook, it will occasionally, but all you need to do is hold the leech and hook barely in the water near the boat for about 30 seconds, and the leech will usually straighten itself out and try to swim away."

Thank you TGO!
 
missmolly
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05/24/2019 06:51AM  
Selfsuffi: "Thank you TGO!"

Yeah, thanks, Jim. How's retirement going?
 
inspector13
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05/24/2019 12:29PM  

Have you ever seen what happens when you pick up a Hagfish?

 
The Great Outdoors
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05/24/2019 05:20PM  
missmolly: "
Selfsuffi: "Thank you TGO!"

Yeah, thanks, Jim. How's retirement going? "

Absolutely fantastic missmolly, thanks for asking. With no particular place to go, and the rest of my life to get there allows me to be the "Ultimate Vegetable"!!! :)
 
missmolly
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05/24/2019 07:16PM  
The Great Outdoors: "
missmolly: "
Selfsuffi: "Thank you TGO!"

Yeah, thanks, Jim. How's retirement going? "

Absolutely fantastic missmolly, thanks for asking. With no particular place to go, and the rest of my life to get there allows me to be the "Ultimate Vegetable"!!! :)"


Woo-hoo! I'm retiring in increments. 17 years ago, I quit the 9-5, which was more like 7-9. A couple years ago, I quit road trips. In another 3.5 years, I hope to quit the last of it.
 
The Great Outdoors
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05/24/2019 10:29PM  
Wish you luck, and a long and happy retirement when you bail out of the job market!! :)
 
BearRaid
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05/26/2019 07:32PM  
missmolly: "
The Great Outdoors: "
missmolly: "
Selfsuffi: "Thank you TGO!"

Yeah, thanks, Jim. How's retirement going? "

Absolutely fantastic missmolly, thanks for asking. With no particular place to go, and the rest of my life to get there allows me to be the "Ultimate Vegetable"!!! :)"

Woo-hoo! I'm retiring in increments. 17 years ago, I quit the 9-5, which was more like 7-9. A couple years ago, I quit road trips. In another 3.5 years, I hope to quit the last of it. "

We are on the same schedule missmolly. I have 3 years 6 months and 2 days to go.(but who is counting :) ). Looking forward to more fishing time then!
 
missmolly
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05/27/2019 05:23PM  
Thanks, Jim.

The fish can coast for the next three years and change, Dave. Then I pity the fool fish that swims under our canoes!
 
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