Leeches on crawler harness?

[EYEseek]

Will a leech work on a double hooked harness or should i just tie on a single hooked snell

[paceman]

I think you would get better action from a single hook. I have a feeling the leech will wrap around the harness and ball up. Sometimes those slimy walleye catchers are tough enough to hook on just a single hook, Hooking onto multiple hooks could be really frutrating.

[rattleL]

ive done it before just hook them with the first hook and let the second hook hang back thier.

[fishwater]

My buddy mentioned that he watched a show where they hooked a leech on each hook of the harness and rolled with it that way. I haven't tried it yet, but I think it sounds like a decent idea.

[captainstevo]

I tried a crawler harness for one leech when I was getting bit short and that was the last time I will do that. I have never seen such a tightly balled leech around my line and both hooks. The extra line gives them something to wrap up around and they sure do. My experience was just use a single hook and let some line out on a strike, Patience

[Jim Uran]

My buddy mentioned that he watched a show where they hooked a leech on each hook of the harness and rolled with it that way. I haven't tried it yet, but I think it sounds like a decent idea.

Illegal in Mn, check the regs...

Stick with one hook, #6's or even #8's work just fine. You don't need to big a hook for a leech.

[fivebucks]

I don't think a crawler harness is illegal. If it is just 2 hooks with no float, spinner, or something to make it a "lure" then it would be illegal. Most package crawler "lindy rigs" have enough on them to be a lure IMO. I still would not use a harness for a leech simply because the leech would not move natural.

[fatfinger]

i think he meant that fishing multiple bait on one line is illegal, i.e. 2 minnows, 2 leeches, 2 worms, etc.besides the fishies usually take in leeches faster than rolling worms in there mouths seemingly forever.

[JohnMickish]

Fishing two baits on one lure is legal, fishing two lures is illegal. A worm harness is considered one lure, thus it is legal. People use multible waxies on a lure in the winter, right?

Fishing with two leeches on a cralwer harness can be deadly at times, as well as two minnows and two half crawlers.

Give it a shot, you might be surprized in the right conditions, but those conditions will probably be when fish are very active and agressive.

From the DNR HSOforum under angling methods used:

Anglers may use only one hook. An artificial lure is considered one hook.

A treble hook, when not part of an artificial lure, is considered three hooks

and is not legal.

There is no mention of how many baits you can have on the artificial lure. Page 9 of the fishing regs book.

[fatfinger]

thanks for the clarification.i was told that long ago & always thought it was illegal.

[JohnMickish]

I personally like to use two minnows, it looks like a small pack and can be deadly when targeting LARGE walleys.

[captainstevo]

I would be careful and talk to someone about the 2 baits on a crawler harness. I am not saying it is illegal but I pushed the limit without asking first and was informed by a very nice Conservation officer that I was a bit over the line. I fly fish a lot and use a dropper rig, one floating fly with another sinking fly tied to it is one example. I had an ice rod with a small fly and a wax work on it with another plain hook below it and a wax worm on that. Lucky it was my only rod down and the CO informed me that was I was doing was over the limit and he watched me re-rig my line so that it was legal.

I would wonder if it would be a similar idea in a crawler harness. Also any time there are 2 hooks on a single line they have to be part of the same lure, Again I am not saying one way or the other on the legality but IMO it is on the line and a quick check with someone official would not be a total waste of time.

[FishLocker]

Trick on 2 hook crawler harness. Hook the back hook with your first leech and use 2 fingertips and thumb at the top of that hook to cover the rest of your rig. The leech may ball up but only on the last hook. Then do the front hook holding the line and spinner through your palm and the first leech hanging down and out of the way so if he balls up it is only around the hook. No problem casting it out when they are balled up as they generally both straighten out once in the water.

I also use one leech and leave the second hook trail like a loose stinger when they short strike. If you use both hooks into a single leech you will end up with a real mess.

[james_walleye]

I believe what is being talked about is legal as long as the harness is being used as a spinner rig. If its just 2 plain hooks you've crossed the line. If you have the spinner in front it is now considered 1 lure. Someone correct me if im wrong but this is how i understand it.

[Jim Uran]

That's what I'm talkin about JamesWalleye... A spinner makes it a "rig" so to speak.