Transporting leeches

[KG243]

I am taking a group of boy scout up to the BWCA and want to get some leeches to bring in as we are not going far what is the best way to keep them alive in this situation? Thanks!

[motley man]

Put small containers in a small cooler inside of something that will not crush or just buy gulp leeches. Leeches can't take alot of heat so the gulp is maybe the way to go.

[PerchJerker]

In the past we used a hard plastic "minnow bucket" made especially for leeches --- I can't remember what it was called but we put either a 1/2 or a pound of leeches in it. When moving fast we set it in the canoe, but when going slow or when tied up we tossed it out in the lake so they could get fresh water. It worked great, they lasted all week and it was very easy to do --- easy to portage also.

[tweedlap]

Jerker,

I think those things were call Leech Lockers.

tweed

[Tom7227]

Use and old thermos. Worked for me for a trip, except I didn't check to make sure they were all out and it was a bit rank three days later when I was getting ready to go home.

[tv4fish]

I agree on the thermos idea - one that has a large screw-on cap (maybe about 1/2 gal. size). Put the leeches in there, fill about 3/4 full of water, then add ice cubes to the top. They will keep for a long time.

[herefish101]

just keep em cold until you hit water, then put them in a leech locker and in the water. I always bring a medium sized cooler in with me so i'v always just put them in the cooler. If your not bringing a cooler then the thermos idea that would work great. good luck.

[Shack]

Just a reminder! If you are fishing a listed infested "state" waters like Mille Lacs, you can not take your leeches home in any water, even if you are using water from home. If fishing a lake like Mille Lacs just bring enough to use during you fishing and dispose of the rest at the launch unless you put in a zip lock and they stay alive till you get home.

IMO a cooler is best. That or something to float in the live well. The two halved leech locker with the black arm that held it together was a bomb IMO. It would split when trolling.

[eyebjim]

Just a reminder! If you are fishing a listed infested "state" waters like Mille Lacs, you can not take your leeches home in any water, even if you are using water from home. If fishing a lake like Mille Lacs just bring enough to use during you fishing and dispose of the rest at the launch unless you put in a zip lock and they stay alive till you get home.

IMO a cooler is best. That or something to float in the live well. The two halved leech locker with the black arm that held it together was a bomb IMO. It would split when trolling.

Thats not true Shack. This is from the regs book.

transport infested water (including in livewells and bait containers)

(pages 16 & 17) Note: To keep unused bait at spiny water flea- or zebra

mussel-infested waters, drain and replace with tap or spring water;

[Shack]

Its true if you don not have back up water, but Yep you are right. Have back up, non lake water to transfer them to back at the launch or resort.

[WollMan]

In the past we used a hard plastic "minnow bucket" made especially for leeches --- I can't remember what it was called but we put either a 1/2 or a pound of leeches in it. When moving fast we set it in the canoe, but when going slow or when tied up we tossed it out in the lake so they could get fresh water. It worked great, they lasted all week and it was very easy to do --- easy to portage also.

That is what I do when I take leeches to the BWCA. Just tie to canoe and pull it along. At night i will get it out a little deeper, put a rock or something in the leech keeper and get them down to come cooler water. As long as they stay in fresh water and out of the sun, they will last a long time.

[Gordie]

All I tell you is dont transport them all in one canoe as I learned from some guys years ago when they were searching for 3lbs of leaches that they had in a canoe that over turned just after the first portage they had made.

This guy comes walking down the path of the portage looking into the water and asks "did you guy see some leeches float by" we said no and he goes darn up here for a wee with 8 guys and no bait "dont ever haul all your bait in the same boat"

felt bad for those guys and all we heard was the rest of the guy chewing the two out that lost them.

[BoxMN]

Bring some Gulp leeches too, for when you run out of real ones. Wish we would have last time I went, but that was many moons ago...

[Down Deep]

I have a leech container that has threads. I got it at Cabelas a couple years ago.

Cabelas also has a floating bait container that would work once you were in camp. You could use small containers during each day. If you aren't going far or doing much portaging, bring a small cooler and put the leeches on ice.

[matthothand]

The most important part is keep them cool.

[Ed Carlson]

Or, use very damp nightcrawler bedding, no water, just place in cooler. Just like the old Frabill Leech bedding.

FYI: The old Frabill formula Leech Bedding will be available again soon from another private bait distributor. Not sure if it will be this season or not, yet it will return to bait shops in ND, SD, MN, IO.

[Wanderer]

IMO a cooler is best. That or something to float in the live well. The two halved leech locker with the black arm that held it together was a bomb IMO. It would split when trolling.

Couldn't agree more with this statement.

I have one of the two halved leech lockers right now and it sometimes comes apart in my live well. There is no way I would hang it over the side of the boat even at anchor. If you can find a screw together type like mentioned earlier, it might be better.

When I did week trips into the BW, we did use 1 gallon water coolers and put 1 pound of leeches in each and one per boat. Just change the water regularly. With those you don't have to worry about if they're right side up or upside down when packing or portaging. No leaks.

[jigginjim]

When I would take scout to the BWCA. I put 3/4 lb of leeches in the large peanutbutter jar. The jar would go in pack that would not get to bounced around. Many times I would wrap the leech jar in my sleeping back pack, where they would stay kool. Since we were paddling from camp site to camp site, it seemed better then trying to keep water from spilling out, or dragging behind the canoe. Didn't loose many leeches, we had leeches for 8 of the 10 days

We would paddle to a new site, after setting up, then the guys could fish. I would not pack gulp inside a pack if it leaks a little you will have one smelly pack.

Alot less hassle, if you have the rods out fishing as you go. 1. The fishing could hold up your paddling distance. 2. If you portage, then it is another item to worry about not getting broke. 3. Most guys would like to earn the 50 miler award, while there, that means 5miles per day, for 10 days including portages. I your only going in to fish then don't worry about how you get leeches in.

[vman11]

A cheap alternative that I tried last year was to take a 32oz Powerade bottle and drill a bunch of 1/4 holes on the top third of the bottle.

Further, drill a hole in the cover, lace a string through the hole and tie a knot at that end and attach a clip to the other This will serve as your homeade leech locker. During portage, drain most of the water so you don't get leech juice all over your equipment. Leeches are pretty hardy IMO and shouldn't get too stressed in low water during a portage.

I didn't have a problem loosing any of our 1/2lb of leeches due to faulty equipment, just missed opportunities on my hook.

[analyzer]

We take leeches to the BWCA every year. We just leave them in the plastic minnow bag we get from the bait store, with oxygen in it, and stick it in the cooler, and they keep fine. We don't do a bunch of portaging though, so we don't have to pack light. But even when we did a portaging trip, we felt it was worth while to give the leeches their own little cooler that had a carry strap.

The thermos idea is great!

**************

We ran out of leeches our last trip up, because the fishing was very good, here's an idea for catching minnows. If you're lucky enough to find some minnows in shallow water next to shore (which we had right at the campsite), then follow these easy instructions.

Tip the canoe on it's side, with the rear half of the canoe partially submerged in the water next to where the minnows congregate. You now have a canoe resting on it's side, with 6-8 inches of water inside. Take some flour, or pancake mix, and sprinkle in the water inside the canoe. Wait a few minutes for the minnows to enter the canoe. Someone standing on the back side of the canoe, where the minnows can't see them, grabs the side of the canoe and quickly tips it up right. You now have a dozen or two of minnows stuck inside the canoe, and merely have to bail the water out. It's a little time consuming, but kids in the afternoon are always looking for something to do anyway.

Frogs make decent bait too.

[analyzer]

They also sell minnow traps at GM for about $13 bucks.

We used to bring night crawlers every year, but the first time you leave them out in the sun, they're toast. We far prefer Leeches. Unfortunately, as you get later in the summer (August), they can be harder to find at the bait stores, and the bigger ones seem to die off pretty fast. But when we go in July, we just change their water once a day, and they keep real well.

If you're portaging and packing light with no cooler, take some steaks, and roll them up in your sleeping bags. They'll keep fine for a day that way, with the bag as an insulator. We always eat steak the first night in.