Headed to Leech this weekend--seeking input on panfish

[Ihawkangler]

Second trip to Leech planned this weekend and am seeking some suggestions on panfish.  Staying at Brindley's and they only focus on perch.  I asked about gills and crappies last year and was told they don't ever catch them or fish for them.  Are there parts of Leech that I could try for panfish or are there some other lakes nearby that would be better?  I like catching perch, but I am a panfish guy at heart and would love to target some gills or crappies for an afternoon or two. 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. 

[MN Bassfisher]

I haven't fished in that area or on Leech before so I can't provide much help but hopefully someone can point you in the right direction! Perhaps go onto MN DNR site, pull up the Map (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/compass/index.html), look at nearby smaller lakes and their recent Lake Surverys to see if you can find one with a healthy population of Sunfish and/or Crappie. That's how I find a lot of my new lakes I try out.

[Ihawkangler]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[MN Bassfisher]

Thanks for the suggestion.

No problem. Good luck this weekend!

[Hawkeyewalleye]

Hello fellow hawkeye. I'll be up there this weekend as well, probably fishing off of the lighthouse in walker bay. Hope some people respond to this post, I'd like to hear some real-time reports. I'll be hunting walleyes as well as tip-ups with suckers for pike. The burbot heat up usually sometime in February on leech, so I'm hoping to hookup a couple at night.

[squ1rr31_]

Hello fellow hawkeye. I'll be up there this weekend as well, probably fishing off of the lighthouse in walker bay. Hope some people respond to this post, I'd like to hear some real-time reports. I'll be hunting walleyes as well as tip-ups with suckers for pike. The burbot heat up usually sometime in February on leech, so I'm hoping to hookup a couple at night.

I would steer clear of this area this weekend, its Eelpout Fest and that is the main entrance to the lake. The population of Walker will quadruple for the weekend and it will be like a freeway right there. I would go around up North in Walker Bay and get on at the North boat ramp on 371 head Northeast and if you have a GPS look for the reeds sticking out of the ice and look for around 10-15ft of water and punch a bunch of holes. I've caught perch, whitefish, pike, I'm sure if you get closer to the reeds you could probably catch some crappie or gills. Minnesota Lakefinder is a great tool for this area for smaller pothole lakes.