Leech Lake

Fishing Leech Lake

With record breaking Muskie fishing and excellent Walleye catches, Leech Lake is one of Minnesota’s premier sport fishing lakes. As the third largest lake in Minnesota with 112,000 acres of water, Leech Lake offers a variety of bay fishing, open water and many opportunities to catch fish right off your dock! You will also find Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Perch, Panfish and our ever famous Eelpout!

Much has been said in recent years regarding concerns over the quality of fishing on Leech. The lack of sizable catches has been directly linked to the tremendous amount of fish the Cormorant birds were consuming from the lake (reportedly 10,000 pounds of fish per day). Since control measures have been implemented (reducing the population of birds from a 2004 count of 10,000 to a current count around 1,000), the walleye population (along with stocking measures) has strengthened.

For more information on the fishing conditions on Leech please visit the DNR’s Leech Lake Walker Area Fisheries Update, posted in February 2007:

DNR’s Leech Lake Area Fisheries Update:

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/walker/LeechUpdate02062007.pdf

Wildlife Close to Home

Residents and visitors to Leech Lake enjoy the opportunity to observe nature in its undisturbed state. Bald eagles, hawks, blue herons, loons, mallards, pelicans, beavers, bear, deer, wolves, fox, and even a moose or two are not uncommon sights in the Northern Minnesota lakes area. Leech Lake has a high number of Bald Eagles which have grown accustomed to human presence and can often be seen scavenging alongside roads and in open fields. Deer abound, as well as songbirds and waterfowl. Bear, wolves and moose are a bit more rare, but the opportunity to watch these magnificent animals cross your yard or walk across the frozen lake is one of the privileges we enjoy in Leech Lake country.

Many lake front owners are taking advantage of natural landscape design, where plants native to Minnesota’s ecology are used to create enchanting and elegant yards, preserve shorelines and entice wildlife, birds, butterflies and frogs to spend time on your property.

Leech Lake Facts from the MN DNR

Size: 111,527 acres

Average Depth: less than 35 feet

Maximum Depth: 150 feet in Walker Bay

Average Clarity: 10 feet

Number of Public Landings: 10