So school me on Leech Lake

[gophergunner]

My wife and I just moved to the Baxter area, which puts me an hour from Walker. Definitely have Leech Lake on my bucket list for next spring. It's a big lake, and I've never fished it.  Any suggestions on where to start?  This would probably be for shortly after the walleye opener.  Not looking for anyone to divulge their hotspots, just wondering where do I even begin when I get up there?  Any suggestions on good bait shops to hit in the Walker area would be greatly appreciated.  Most likely, I'll just do this as day trips as I'm only 60 miles away from Walker.

Thanks guys!

[HD]

Are you just looking for walleye's?
Cause I know a few spots for big gills and big crappie.

[glenn57]

i've only been on leech during hardwater seasons. several times back in the days of the tullibee blood baths, once up in what i believe is called minnesota bay and another time in the area called the narrows around goose island???

[Boar]

Glenn stop, yur not helping....

[glenn57]

Glenn stop, yur not helping....

more then you have!!!!!!!!!!

[Steve-o]

This... 



Sorry, I haven't fished Leech for over 30 years and I couldn't tell you where we were when we did.   

I'm no help - as usual. 

[gophergunner]

Are you just looking for walleye's?
Cause I know a few spots for big gills and big crappie.

I know how precious and guarded spots for big panfish are, and I'd never ask anyone to divulge their honey holes.  I'm just interested in general areas to start with for someone who's literally never been on the lake before.  I really don't want to have to run for an hour hard to get to a fishing spot.  At least not until I learn my way around the lake.  Any suggestions for where to even begin is all I'm looking for.  I'll hit a couple bait shops up there too and see if they can point me in the right direction. 

[Cooperman]

My wife and I just moved to the Baxter area, which puts me an hour from Walker. Definitely have Leech Lake on my bucket list for next spring. It's a big lake, and I've never fished it.  Any suggestions on where to start?  This would probably be for shortly after the walleye opener.  Not looking for anyone to divulge their hotspots, just wondering where do I even begin when I get up there?  Any suggestions on good bait shops to hit in the Walker area would be greatly appreciated.  Most likely, I'll just do this as day trips as I'm only 60 miles away from Walker.

Thanks guys!

Gopher,
I don’t fish leech much anymore, and by no means am I an expert, but I use to fish it quite a bit. At opener, and for a couple of weeks after you want to concentrate on the main lake, much more shallow, and warms up faster. Walker bay is very deep and takes longer to warm.
Some of the better early walleye spots are big and little hardwood, goose island. Pine point. Moving east, submarine island, stony point, annex, Pelican reef, Red rock. There is just so many good spots to fish. The key to fishing Leech is to try and fish the wind. If the wind is blowing into a point try and fish it. For crappies, the 3 north bays are good in the reeds. (Portage, sucker, steamboat). I like fishing Shingobee bay for sunfish and crappies. If the wind on the main lake is howling, Shingobee is pretty sheltered.
Stony point is one of my favorite spots. There is a nice boat landing in the campground area, and you only have to boat a couple hundred yards to catch fish. The only drawback is it can get very busy, so I would get there early. Another nice thing about Stony point, it’s centrally located in the middle of the main lake, so less travel time to a lot of good fishing.
Other places to launch are Whipolt,  Walker City Park, the wayside rest at Shingobee bay. And north of Walker at the entrance to Kabekona bay. And yes, ask at the bait shops. Also, you my be close enough to pick up some of the local radio station that have daily or weekly fishing reports.
Good luck, it’s a beautiful lake with a lot of variety.

[gophergunner]

Cooperman,  thanks for the great info.  For opener, I will probably be on the Whitefish Chain.  I know a spot that's supposed to be a steady springtime producer, and hope to hit that.  Second weekend will find me on Leech.  Thanks again for the suggestions.