Fishing Report for June 20, 2022
Michaud guide service LLC
218-507-0779
Walker MN
Fishing the east side of Leech this week has been a little tough at times but with mixed successful days. We had some very strong winds out of the west and northwest a couple of days this past week. Wind can be good but when you get strong winds up to 35 MPH it can make it tough to move around and fish.
The bite has definitely changed to more of a Leech bite. Fish have transitioned over deeper rocks and gravel bars. Anywhere between 15 to 25 feet of water. Underwater rock points around Pelican Island can be a great place to start. I pitched jigs tipped with leeches for my best success this past week although fish that were very aggressive wanted slip bobbers. I did try pitching jigs tipped with minnows and the clients stuck with leeches but over all leeches produced. When you mark fish and they don’t want to bite try the kitchen sink before you leave them. I tried to pitch a half crawler on a jig but that didn’t seem to work but at times especially during the mayfly hatch it can be extremely effective. My overall top colors are blue and white, patriot, gold and watermelon.
The Mayflies have not fully come yet but I think it should happen this week. I have started to notice bugs showing up on my graphs which means the crawler and spinner bite should be hot this next week.
Jim Ernster
Fishing Guide
ISD 181 Special Education Teacher
Leisure Outdoor Adventures
www.leisureoutdooradventures.com
218-851-1177
It was a great week on Leech Lake this past week with many days of anglers pulling in keeper fish to take home and also some big ones mixed as well. The lake has transitioned greatly since late May and it is showing with the walleyes being on the move. Throughout the lake you can find walleyes being caught along breaklines in 10-15 feet of water. It is important to look for transition areas, weed edges, or key features along the breaklines to hold these fish and if you are seeing bait fish are in the area. Crawlers and leeches on lindy rigs has definitely picked up over the last 5-7 days, but the spinner bite will start to turn on with water temps warming and the bug hatch approaching. There are still some walleyes being caught on Jigs and minnows and leeches especially on windy days in 6-10 feet of water.
Lake has transitioned greatly since late May and it is showing with the walleyes being on the move. Throughout the lake you can find walleyes being caught along breaklines in 10-15 feet of water. It is important to look for transition areas, weed edges, or key features along the breaklines to hold these fish and if you are seeing bait fish are in the area. Crawlers and leeches on lindy rigs has definitely picked up over the last 5-7 days, but the spinner bite will start to turn on with water temps warming and the bug hatch approaching. There are still some walleyes being caught on Jigs and minnows and leeches especially on windy days in 6-10 feet of water.
With the big winds this week we were not able to venture out as far, so not a whole lot to report from the Main Lake. When it isn’t blowing too hard, the main lake rock reefs were kicking out nice Leech Lake walleyes in 14-18 feet of water. Pulling lindy rigs with crawlers or leeches as well as slow death at .5-.8 mph was the best. Speed is the key when dialing in these fish. Our Leech Lake fishing guides found a nice mix of eaters and bigger fish. Still many of the same places as last week were producing in North Bar, Submarine and Annex etc. If you see fish and they aren’t interested in live bait rigs, try dropping a slip bobber with a leech or a crawler, suspend it about 2-3 feet off the bottom. Additionally, don’t forget to look for secondary reefs and humps that are nearby or if the fish are not on the edges of those reefs look to the mud basins where the bug hatches are taking place and drive until you graph fish.
On the west end of the lake in Walker Bay and Agency Bays, shoreline breaks that had wind blowing in were the best; 10-15ft of water is where we keyed in on. Pulling lindy rigs with chubs, leeches, or crawlers all worked to put a nice mix of walleyes and even some nice pike in the boat. Other areas to key in on would be under water points and bars that run out into the bays and have deep water right next to them the bigger fish like to suspend and then come in and feed during these times.
