Leeches swimming near surface?

[Huey]

Does it mean anything when see leeches swimming near the surface during the day?

I was on Lake Bemidji Sunday morning and saw leeches swimming near the surface at almost every spot I fished. I thought was a saying about this happening. For what is worth, fishing was slow... of course it was blazing hot and humid.

[magnum mike]

Were they actual leeches or big gooey bloodsuckers?

[leech~~]

Were they actual leeches or big gooey bloodsuckers?

That is what I was going to ask. Every year we would see the great big ones swimming in Pelican up in Brainard and no fish seemed to touch them?

[mrklean]

ha i have caught a few of those before and tried to use them as bait and yeah nothing would touch them

[CAMAN]

Those were most likely horse leeches, and fish won't touch 'em!

[mainbutter]

weird.. any idea why?

[RebelSS]

Yes...horsies prey on rotting , decaying flesh (fish, animals, etc.) and they STINK!!! Pick one up and see what I mean... so I 'spose they're not too "tasty" to fish. Not sure, I haven't asked one. Maybe kitty kats would like them...?

[CAMAN]

Yeah, the taste/smell is my guess also.

[Huey]

They looked like jumbo leeches. The horse leech explanation makes sense. It was weird that they would swim so exposed to fish, birds, and curious fisherman.

[nater]

I've seen the same thing on Plantagenete two years ago muskie fishing. They were everywhere and we had never seen it before. That's interesting.

[bucketmouth64]

Saw one in Blackduck and thought it was a huge leech. Good to know what they are now. I was also curious why a fish hasn't eaten it. Glad they attach to dead carcasses, I'd hate to have one latch on while swimming.

[genegodawa]

I've been accused of being dead from the neck up, so I better still be careful when swimming.

Don't see them too often during our week of fishing, but I did see a few some yrs ago and 2 yrs ago actually caught one on a Crank on Cass.

Big ole ugly brown one. Fish would not touch it-and either would I.