Leech Lake Walleye and Perch

I really wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into for most recent excursion onto Minnesota’s Leech Lake. One thing was for certain; the accomodations of Walker MN and the good company would yield a great time. My hypothesis held true and our group caught fish as a bonus!

This past weekend, Kellie and I were joined by by Brad and Kelly Powell. This would be Kelly’s first ice fishing endeavor and hopes were high to make it a memorable one as well as make some sense as to why we men enjoy the sport in the first place. I can rest assured that the point was proven.

After a beauty sleep and beautification, we were greeted with beautiful weather and anxious fish around 9:30 AM when we arrived on Leech lake. Brad quickly began searching for straggling walleyes in shallow water as I set up Kelly and Kellie in the shack out deeper in anticipation of jumbo perch and tullibee for entertainment.

Shortly after Brad had caught the first 19" walleye, My ears were pleasently greeted to the shrills resonating from the portable.

My Kellie is no stranger to the LX5, so I figured what better way to teach Kelly P. than to hear it from another fisherwoman. After a short tutorial from Kellie, Kelly P. had made quick sense of the MarCum and was the source of the resonating shrills from the portable. Kelly was greeted with her first fish through the ice.

As the entertained lovely ladies made their way through a mess of jumbo perch, Brad I continued our search throughout the breakline structure looking for a few late straggling walleye emerging from the shallows.

Leech lake walleye have a very predictable daily schedule. Active fish are easily available at dawn and dusk. These active fish are taking advantage of the forage rich shallows of the lake. Day time walleye are available if you’re willing to search the barron areas of deep water. In your search for these elusive daytime walleye, you may encounter a sigh of relief in a school of roaming jumbo perch. Kellie and Kelly, stationed in the portable were able to catch many of these roaming fish throughout the day. Pictured right is my Kellie holding a jumbo for the day. And yes gentlemen that is a newly acquired ring on her finger. The Future Mrs. Grow is quite the ice fisherwoman!

Afternoon had our crew sipping a few adult libations and acquiring a jumbo perch occasionally and just as the onset boredom set in, the portable shook and shrieked with excitement. "Matt!….. Matt!" bellowed from the shack. Just as I approached the zipper I heard Kellie calmly reassuring "Keep the line tight,…..OK, now pull". My eyes glistened a bit as Kellie pulled Kelly’s 32" Pike from the hole. It was just enough entertainment to keep the anticipation rolling as we prepared for the infamous dusk bite.

I headed back to my section of holes I was working and iced many small walleyes from 8-12 inches, and just as I saw a hovering feeding walleye come through suspended 15′ off the bottom, "Matt!" echoed from the portable. I approached and was pleased to see Kelly P. had just caught her first walleye. How many people can claim a 27" walleye as their first? After the "oohs" and "ahhs" subsided the nightlife of Walker called us in.

Truck travel is currently not a good option for transportation accross Leech Lake. This fact was reinforced as I encountered pockets of slush covered by deep drifts. After a few grueling minutes through the slush, I was certain a snowmobile would be in order for the next excursion as I go in search of Leech’s Monster perch.Leech is a great opportunity to transition into the near perch season. Walleye are still available and the perch nearby are a surefire bonus.