Trapping Leeches

[Shane Z]

Just thinkin about getting into trapping leeches this year. I was wondering who has trapped And what type of trap you find most productive?

[pushbutton]

The trap that you get to before they all get back out Tried it last year for the first time and a coffee can treated me just fine for more leeches than I could use and give away. My would be to worry more about finding a pond with them and more importantly how to keep them alive after. Good Luck!

[Archerysniper]

The guy I know use's burlap bags tied shut but you have to get their early before they all swim back out,can't remember what he baited with.

[bogwalker]

Metal leech trapping envelope (google) and beef liver.

[magnum mike]

The can trick works and if you crumple a black garbage bag in the can with the bait, they tend to stay in the trap a bit longer. Liver works but if you can add some bones, that gave the best results for me.

[laportian]

Most of the commercial guys use "tins", which are actually aluminum press plates from printing places. They are bent into W's and kidney chunks are placed in each fold then are either paper clipped or rubber banded together so it is fairly snug. I have trapped on and off throughout the years. I made about a thousand traps last year but never found a pond that I could move in on near me. I will take some pics of my traps and post them this evening after work so you can see what I'm talking about.

[brian6715]

Do leech ponds range throughout the state or are they only in the northern part of MN?

[Hawg]

I've used both cans and folded aluminum, I personally like the cans better. Any meat or bloody food works, chichen liver is my favorite.

[magnum mike]

I was once told that almost any pond with catails will hold leeches.

[chubsdemps]

i have just used bloody bones they hold on to chubs

[Shane Z]

Thanks for all the advice everyone! As I was duck hunting his fall, I pulled a few nice leeches up that we're attached to my decoy weights. I'll post pictures as soon as I get a few different traps made and test them out!

[JakeJ_Mn]

I always use coffee cans. They are harder to find nowdays. I drill 1/4 and 3/16 holes all the way around in rows - usually 5 or 6 rows of holes. I drill a hole in the center bottom for a small eye bolt to tie my duck cord. Throw in some chicken liver that has sat out awhile. I put in a rock big enough to sink the can, tape the lid on and toss them out. I usually put mine out at dusk and pick them up at daybreak. I use mostly large, so after I sort I put the small ones back

Hawk makes a nice trap. I know people who use folded ones also. Check out jewel outdoors on y tub.

[Tom7227]

[leech~~]

The guy I know use's burlap bags tied shut but you have to get their early before they all swim back out,can't remember what he baited with.

Same here. Up where I go deer hunting the guys would use an old beaver carcasses frozen from traping season. Throw a rock in the burlap sack and lob it out in the swamp with a rope on it.

[Tracker55]

Not to sound totally ignorant, but when you're trapping leeches, how do you tell leeches from blood suckers?

[yonk]

Not to sound totally ignorant, but when you're trapping leeches, how do you tell leeches from blood suckers?

ribbon leeches vary from tan to black with and without spots -- good bait leeches all share one characteristic; they wiggle and squirm in your hand. You can also separate ribbon leeches from similar looking horse leeches, by texture. Bait leeches are firmer. The other common leech, the horse leech, has an orange underbelly and red dots on the back and much softer and not near as frim as the ribbon leach. It can and will get 2 - 3 times the size of the ribbon leach. So it's easy to spot too.

My leech trap is a 4" or 6" PVC pipe cut at 16" with a screen made into a cone inserted in one end, similar to the cone on a minnow trap. On the other end is a cap that has inside cut out and replaced with a screen. Leech motel works great and it stands up to time and abuse. Just have to remember to clean it or the leeches will not come.

[leech~~]

Not to sound totally ignorant, but when you're trapping leeches, how do you tell leeches from blood suckers?

Use the old trapper trick! You have to line them up down your arm and wait!