A true multispecies wonderland, Leech Lake is one of the Angling Edge staff’s favorite fishing destinations. Whether you want to catch walleye, musky, bass, perch, crappie or big bluegills, this famous body of water offers outstanding fishing all season long.
Fall Fishing Magic on Minnesota’s Leech Lake
A Jewel in Central Minnesota
Spread across 112,000 acres, Leech Lake stands out as one of North America’s most diverse fishing destinations. Situated in central Minnesota, it offers everything from sprawling weed flats to rocky reefs, plus resorts and outdoor recreation 365 days a year. For many anglers—us included—fall is the season that truly makes this big water shine. Once the northern hunting opener thins out the crowds, boat ramps are quiet and the lake feels like your own private playground.
Empty Water, Endless Opportunity
On this crisp autumn outing, Jeremy Smith and Jeff Simpson, along with James and Al Lindner to sample Leech Lake’s late-season action. While James and Al eyed the plentiful walleye grounds, Jeremy and Jeff couldn’t resist the call of muskies. Minutes after sunrise, their decision paid off: a chunky Leech Lake musky smashed Jeff’s bait, setting the tone for the morning. 
Dawn Musky Mayhem
Early light in late fall can be electric, especially when ciscoes and lake whitefish push shallow. Those cold-water forage pods attract heavyweight predators that are feeding up before ice-up, and Leech brims with both bait species. Calm mornings often see the ciscoes riding high; when that happens, muskies cruise just beneath the surface, ready to ambush.
Jeremy’s first fish proved it: a thick autumn brute that hammered his lure at boatside. “This is why we love Leech,” he said, still shaking. “You’ve got the potential for giants every cast, and you usually have the whole lake to yourself.”
Reading the Water with Modern Electronics
Low-light muskies rarely show themselves on the surface, so the team leaned on side-imaging to track unseen follows. Jeremy pointed to the screen, revealing crisp white “fingerprints” of fish sliding in and out of the sonar beam.
- Those pale s-curves just off the centerline? Musky shadows.
- The short white dashes beneath the boat? Fish hovering in the water column.
By marking each pass, they created a milk-run of active fish to revisit when conditions aligned. “Success in musky fishing isn’t just boat-flipping,” Jeremy noted. “It’s how many you move—and electronics let you see follows you’d otherwise miss.”
The Multifaceted Leech Lake Fishery
Leech’s appeal goes far beyond muskies. Over the years the Lindners have filmed shows here for everything from slab crappies and bluegills to smallmouth bass and, of course, its famous walleyes. Vast cabbage beds, expansive sand flats, mid-lake humps, and current-swept narrows give each species room to thrive, and something is always biting.
Stalking Shallow Walleyes on Sunny Flats
While the musky window faded with the rising sun, Al and James slid over a stained-water flat in 6–10 feet, scanning for wandering walleye pods with Mega Live. Flat-calm, bluebird conditions can scatter fish, but dingier water offers crucial cover. By hovering a jig in front of two-and-three-fish packs, they coaxed perfect eater-sized walleyes into the net—proof that even in tough light, the right presentation and a bit of stain keep fish willing.
Why Jigs Rule on Leech
One reason Leech is beloved by walleye anglers: it’s a jig lake. From opener to freeze-up, fish here love a jig in its many forms—soft-plastic minnow, hair jig, even a jigging rap. Spring and fall see banner shallow bites, but summer fish slide only a little deeper, and the same tackle still scores. Every lake develops a “signature” presentation; on Leech, the jig wears the crown.
