Thread: leeches

A very good question. I’m convinced that the nifty little black jigs we send down after many species of panfish are imitating a leech or some other insect. I would guess that here in the south we would have to order them online as I can’t remember ever seeing them for sale in any bait shop.

Originally Posted by skeetbum

I would guess that here in the south we would have to order them online as I can’t remember ever seeing them for sale in any bait shop.

They're definitely a "northern thing". Like maggots, you can buy leeches in the north. Bait shops in the south mostly carry worms and crickets.

My dad used to use live leaches for catfish bait here in the south . Sometimes he’d give them a drenching in Mennen’s shave lotion to make them wiggle more . 50+ years ago . So , you could buy them back then .
I started using tiny black hair jigs after finding a couple small leaches on the bottom of my canoe when I pulled it up on shore of a local water reservoir .

I used them years ago. They worked great, Today i use plastics in black for most of my pan fish.

Live medium to large Leeches on a live bait rig are deadly for Walleyes and Small Mouth bass. The panfish fishermen use small leaches with good results.
Next summer I am going to try artificial leaches with a spinner rig for Walleyes.

Ive gone to 100% utilization of Gulp Alive products for sunfish. For decades I used red wrigglers and for the past 5 years I used Live Maggots (thanks to Death Before Disco’s recommendation). I use the Gulp Alive 1” Minnow most of the time, in various colors. I have also used the Gulp Alive Maggots. ALL of the Gulp Alive products use the same technology. They only differ in shape and color. So it matters little which one you use as long as it is sized to the specie.

The Gulp Alive products are the ones suspended in LIQUID in jars or buckets. These are far superior to the ones labeled “Gulp” and are in typical plastic packages (no liquid).

This past week I fished in a power plant lake with a friend and we caught bass, bluegill, channel cat, and a flathead ALL on Gulp Alive. Amazingly, my friend caught the 18 pound flathead on a 1” Gulp Alive Minnow using a St. Croix Legend Elite Ultra Light rod with 4 pound Stren mono while fishing for bluegill. He did everything right and we landed him. Quite a thrill !

My friend and I also often catch bass and catfish when fishing for bluegill with the 1” Gulp Alive Minnow. We use a drop shot type rig with just enough weight to contact the bottom. The #6 hook is tied directly on the line about a foot above the weight. Just slowly bump it along the bottom. Our record total catch for the two of us combined for 1 day was 652 bluegill. We both used Gulp Alive 1” Minnow.

We use them year around. Texas. I have no doubt that they would work in Florida. Or anywhere.

Originally Posted by RM Fishin

Who uses Berkley or Gulp leeches... What states and what months. My friend outfished me all summer in upstate NY lakes last year and I am going to have plenty on hand when I go north. Was shocked that his berkley beat my live wax worms easily all summer. Should the leeches work fresh water here in west central florida?