leeches

[Tincup]

I live in a newer development. I have a pond in my backyard, and I thought I would check to see if there was an bait in there. I have been able to trap decent fatheads, so I thought I would try for some leeches. I only can get the medicine leeches (the ones with the spots down the back). Has anyone used those for bait, or should I just forget out them? Why can't I get the ribbon leeches or are there non in there? I am just using beef liver for bait. Any help would be appreciated.

[crazyice]

If you aren't catching any, there probably aren't any in there. With what you are using for bait you should catch them if they are in there. I would think that the ones you have caught should work just fine for bait as well.

[RobertELee]

You have to find a winterkill lake or pond with no game fish. Shallow water bodies that freeze all the way to the bottom or are so oxygen-starved under the ice that all fish die. It sounds like your pond is just a little too "good" for ribbon leeches.

[RobertELee]

Quote:

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I would think that the ones you have caught should work just fine for bait as well.

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Actually I have read that in side by side tests a fish will eat up a ribbon leech and spit out any blood sucking leech.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

If there are minnows inb your pond I suspect that they ate all of the ribbon leeches, especially the young.

I have tried the spotted leeches but have not caught many walleyes with them. They might work great for panfish though because they are usually smaller leeches.

Cliff

[wayne123]

I was always told that fish did not eat the blood suckers. I just believed what I was told and have never tried them.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I have never had any luck when I tried a bloodsucker for bait.

The spotted leeches are leeches so they probably would work as bait.

Cliff