Leeches

[srj]

Are leeches still available in Fort Frances or Dryden? Heading for Sioux Lookout the 30th and they might be hard to find there.

[Badgerfish25]

You can still get leeches at the Can-Op gas station/bait shop in Fort Francis on the main drag. Just got back from Hudson and the Lost Lake area and hammered the eyes' on a slip bobber and orange hook tipped with a leech. Lots of suspended fish on that rig. Best of luck!

[srj]

Thanks for the reply. We will be in the same area this Friday. Is the Can-Op on the west side of town and were the leeches kind of small or????

[Badgerfish25]

Yeah, the Can-Op is on the west side, right across from the riverfront. Leeches were a decent size, we did get a bit of a mixed bag but the fish didn't care. Best of Luck!

[snagger]

I'm heading up to Lac Seul on Aug 13 for 7 days. We fish the Lost Lake area from Pelican Rapids to Webster Bay. What areas produced best for you? How deep did you generally fish? What was the biggest walleye?

[Badgerfish25]

Snagger-

We fished in primarily 3 spots on Lost Lake. I'm shooting from the hip on my locations cuz' my map has gone MIA. Everything is west of the Lac Suel Resort right there on the point.

#1) there is an island with a large rock face right across from Hudson that we slip bobbered. (you can see house boats parked at the island south of it.) Depth was any where from 11' to 15'. Suspended fish galore. Biggest fish 26 1/2" 7# on Thursday 07/22.

#2) A smaller island to the west of #1 almost directly across from the saw mill. Drift with the wind. Biggest fish 33" 12# from two years ago. Orange jig w/ leech or crawler.

#3) Head west from #2 and go around the next point to the left. You'll be on the backside of the saw mill. There is a hump that the natives will fish and they fish it hard. We never got to it this year because they sit over it constantly. Lots of fish over the slot, mostly 23 to 25" that our resort owner, who is native, brought in 2 nites in a row.

[Badgerfish25]

We have stayed at the Lac Suel Resort for at least 6+ years. We are there usually the third weekend to the following Friday in July. Great time had by all.

[snagger]

Did you try spots other than Lost Lake? I heard Webster's Bay has been good. Pelican Rapids is generally good, but I heard the water is too high. Did you try the reef with the red marker east of Lost Island Resort?

[srj]

The Gas station/bait shop just across the Wabigoon River in Dryden still had leeches a few days ago. We are heading up tomorrow morning--I will post an update when we return. We usually fish out of Hudson at least once during our stay after fishing trout on Vermillion. Makes for a great day--lakers in the morning, walleyes in the afternoon. Hard to beat.

[snagger]

Badgerfish25,
I know the sawmill area. We've done well there in the past. Bigger fish were deeper....25-35', trolling spinner rigs. I think I can find your spots on a map. Did you stay at Lac Seul Resort? I stayed there the last two years on the opener. Good place to stay. Thanks for the info.

[snagger]

I heard that Big Vermillion has a strict slot limit for lakers now. I can't remember exactly, but I think 17" to 24" have to go back in the water. From my experience, that slot makes up for most of the catch. Let me know how you do on Lac Seul. Good luck.

[Badgerfish25]

Snagger-

We fished the river channel to the west of Lost Island resort and did very well. Many fish in the 17-18" range. Pelican falls is high and the water is moving fast. My dad picked up a 17 1/2" wally in there but we didn't venture beyond that. Taylor Island was really hot and heavy the week we were there, people staying at the same resort went there 2x and did well. 2 Boats and over 100 fish he said in one afternoon. But it's Canada, and anything bites.

[srj]

Bait and fish update--very nice leeches currently in Dryden. $30 a pound. The walleye bite is spectacular right now. The water is still cold--66--but the fish don't care. Jig and leech or jig and half crawler both worked equally well. It's been quite a few years since I have seen so many 16-18 inch fish in Lac Suel. Biggest was 28.5 with lots of fish in and over the slot. Sure hate leaving that place.
We did very well on the lakers, but as Snagger said the slot protects most of the fish. Out of 27 caught we only had 1 over 24.

[snagger]

Sounds like you had fun srj! What areas produced best for you on Lac Seul and what depth? I'm heading up next Friday for a week. Can't wait! Where did you get the leeches in Dryden?

[srj]

Snagger, it's the gas station/bait shop just across the Wabigoon River bridge near the mill.
We pretty much fished from Devils Elbow to north of Taylor. The majority of the fish are quite deep and tightly schooled. We found a few fish scattered on top of things, but mostly 26-34 feet. Also caught some tossing cranks in the current areas but we were mainly targeting smallies and the pike seemed to have the smallies relocated.
Best of luck.