Leeches vs. Crawlers ?

[Randy Kidd]

In my 40 plus years of fishing I have yet to try using leeches for Walleyes, Seems silly I know, just never saw any in the bait stores that I frequent. Anybody else use them? Are they any better than a good ol' Michigan crawler on a harness? what tips do you have for using them? Does anybody know a bait store near Sterling that has them.. Or even a bait store in either Livingston county or Wayne county that I can pick them up maybe a day before?

[Jethro]

I know what you mean
It seems that leaches are more of an inland lake bait.
Personally, crawlers are heck of a lot easier to get yourself.
and with all the little thieves in Erie, crawlers can go pretty quick.

[shametamer]

the bait shop on belleville rd on belleville lake sells leeches.sorry,the name escapes me...

[chamookman]

Randy - I ussualy prefer Leeches over Crawlers most of the Year. One Leech will outlast 4 or5 Crawlers, they're tough little critters. If You're having problems with trash and small fish pecking the real thing, try Berkley Gulp or Powerbait crawlers - Saves alot of bait changing. Good Luck - Bob WC#253.

[Randy Kidd]

I have tried plastics and I just can't seem to get em to work, There have been days when we were getting eatin alive by the trash fish, but also walleye, that I have switched to powerbaits on the harnesses and didn't catch a thing. When Gulp came around I tried those without luck. I tried rigging them normally and "wacky" style. as soon as I would switch back to real meat I would start catching fish. Kinda hard sitting in a boat and getting the business from guys who are catching fish with meat, while you are running an expierment dragging plastics through the water and not catching a thing. I know some guys swear by them (the reason I tried them) but me, leave em for the bass. But I really would like to try leeches.

[Zofchak]

I'll take leaches over crawlers any day for walleye and bass. They stay on the hook better, live longer in the water and most of the time you can take them off the hook and put them back in their conainer to use again.
I nice fat, live leach on a thin wire circle hook and your ready to go. Most of the smaller fish will leave them alone, but big gills seem to love the little leaches.
You can also catch your own by panning mud from most silt bottom lakes or by filling a small can such as a coffee can with left over raw beef and burrying it in the silt. Many bait shops quit carrying them by late summer, they must be a little hard to find that time of year.