Those of you that know me have heard me promote mid December- mid January as good, consistent walleye fishing here on Leech Lake. This year was no exception. We are still catching some very nice walleyes, though your personal daily catch rate can often be counted on one hand instead of two as the winter progresses. We are still seeing productive “happy hour” bites from 4:00-6:00 pm with a night bite always a possibility.
Personally, I don’t fish deeper than 30 f.o.w., as I feel that it is both unnecessary, and potentially harmful to released fish. I have been keying in on 8-25 f.o.w. for 15″-20″ eating sized fish and 6-12 f.o.w. for bigger fish. Fishing in less than 10′ is my favorite by far for big fish, but it certainly can be feast-or-famine.
Smaller spoons have been best for me, but some days a live minnow under a dead-stick or bobber has supplemented our catches.
Leech lake walleyes don’t handle fishing pressure like some other bigger bodies of water in my opinion. February can be a tough month for any real numbers of walleyes, but as many know, the average size of the fish can make up for fewer encounters now. A multi-species approach is usually best in February as perch and burbot (aka eel pout) fishing can be superb along with a decent chance at those favorite golden walleyes.
Cheers and hook-sets!
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Nice report Phil.