Leeches (Ribbon Leeches)
Ribbon leeches are the walleye belt's summer religion - undulating, indestructible on the hook, alive for weeks in a fridge jar, and out-fishing crawlers whenever water warms.
In Minnesota and the walleye belt, summer bait means leeches - the ribbon leech's hypnotic swimming undulation on a jig or slow-death rig does something to walleye and smallmouth that no rubber imitation matches. They're also the least demanding live bait ever kept: a jar of cool water in the fridge, water swapped weekly, and they stay lively for a month.
What it catches
Walleye first (jig-leech and lindy-rig canon), smallmouth enthusiastically, big panfish, the occasional startled trout.
Getting & keeping it
⚠️ Rules first: never release leftover leeches or dump bait-bucket water into any waterbody - it is illegal in many states and spreads aquatic invasives; bin unused leeches and drain containers on shore. Bait shops across walleye country sell them by the pound in season; otherwise home care is famously trivial - fridge jar, dechlorinated water, weekly change. They neither feed nor complain.
How to rig it
Hook once through the SUCKER (fat) end on a #4-#6 or jighead - the free end swims; slow presentations (lindy rigs, slow trolls, plain jigs) let the undulation preach.
When it shines
Water above ~15°C through summer - the season crawlers wash out; evening walleye bites, mid-summer smallmouth, slip-float work over rock piles.
Field tips
A cold leech from the cooler swims sluggishly - let the rig sit a minute and it wakes; 'jumbo' grades for walleye, 'large' for smallies; they ball up on the hook if hooked through the middle - sucker end only.
Common mistakes
Middle-hooking into a useless ball, fishing them fast (undulation needs slow), and expecting horror-movie bloodsuckers - ribbon leeches don't bite people; tell the kids.