Excellent bait for freshwater walleye and northern pike, leeches are readily available from bait shops. They should be hooked through the sucker in the tail. Leeches have suckers at both ends. But the tail sucker disk is larger than the head disk. There is a simple rule of thumb when using leeches. Don't fish them faster than they can naturally swim. The attraction is the swimming motion. If you're placing leeches in your live well, give them at least one hour to adjust to the new temperature. So they can stretch out and swim naturally.

Leeches are hardy and will last a long time. You can keep them fresh in a refrigerator for many days.

Step1

Use a rag or bunched-up paper towels to pull a leech from your bait container. If neither is handy, just rub some dirt or sand on your hands for more traction. Then dig into your bait bucket.

Step2

Use younger leeches as bait, as they are firmer and livelier. Older leeches are easy to spot because they have rings around their noses.

Step3

Use a lighter hook, such as a number 6, when fishing with leeches. If the fish aren't biting, use a number 8 or number 10 hook to drag your bait to the bottom of the water.

Step4

Hook the leech through the nose. Don't be upset if it latches on to your finger. It won't hurt you. Just pull it off and try again. If the leech curls up on the hook, discard it and use a different one.

Step5

Be patient and let the fish run a bit once you get a bite.

Step6

Store leeches in a covered, aerated container in a cool spring or in mineral water. Make sure the holes in the lid aren't too big, or the leeches will escape.