DO WE NEED BAIT FOR A CANADIAN FLY IN FISHING TRIP?? Bait never hurts---some days it helps --the next day it won’t make any difference.

If there are kids in your group or novis fishermen, bait is HIGHLY recommended. Even for the experienced fishermen, it doesn't hurt to have the bait. Fishing is really good, but the live bait can make the fishing seem even faster and more furious. If you ask what we think, we will say that we recommend it, because we feel for a few extra bucks after you have spent this much on a trip, it is money that is well spent. If you feel different about this, it is entirely up to you. There are excellent lures that can do a great job, too.

HOW MUCH BAIT DO WE NEED?

We recommend 2 to 3 dozen per day per person.

For example, 4 people for 4 days (32-48 dozen would be a good starting point)

One thing to factor in is how many hours a day do you actually spend fishing? Do you like to cast for northern part of the day? If you do, then you can adjust for that, too.

MINNOWS:

The minnows come packed in Oxygen bags for the flight. At the lake, on your arrival, put the bags of minnows into the lake water while they are still in the bags. It helps the minnows to acclimate to the water temperature of the lake at a slow rate and prevents SHOCK.

Bring your own minnow buckets. You should have one bucket to each boat to take out your minnows out with you. If you fly commercially and don’t want to mess with packing minnow buckets, L&M will provide you with minnow buckets at the base to take out to the lakes with you. L&M has a large minnow tank out at the lake for you to store your minnows in at the end of the dock. Sink the container as deep in the water as you can and push it under the dock, in the shade away from the sunlight to keep them cooler. Always keep them in the water & shade.

Minnows will survive if water temperatures are good. Some of them will die. That is the way with minnows. Take extra salt with you. As minnows die, strain the water off of them and salt them down very good. Place them in the freezer after they are salted. After the live minnows are gone, finish up with the salted ones. They work excellent and this way you are not losing your money on dead minnows. You CANNOT bring minnows with you across the border unless you have them salted & frozen. (NO SMELT--even if you have those frozen. NOT ALLOWED) You must buy minnows in Canada.

LEECHES:

Leeches can be used for bass or walleye. Roughly 10-12 dozen leeches are in each pound on an average.

Leeches are more hardy than minnows. You can pack leeches in a styrofoam container and take them out in the boat with you each day.

Keep them in fresh water at all times and in a cooler out in the boat. At night change the water on the leeches and keep them in the refrigerator or in a cooler. If you buy a large amount, they will come in an oxygen bag filled with water. Just make sure to keep the water on the leeches fresh and keep them in a cool place (refrigerator or cooler). This will keep your leeches alive and healthy for a very long time. If you have a leech locker, bring it with you to take out in the boat with you. Do NOT leave the leeches sit out on the seat or floor of the boat in the sun. They cook and fry in the hot sun.

Placing the leeches in a minnow bucket is NOT a good idea. They can swim out through the “slots” in the bucket.

***Due to supply in big demand, we are usually not able to get any leeches by mid August. *** You CANNOT bring leeches across the border with you. You MUST buy your leeches in Canada.

CRAWLERS:

Crawlers are sold by the dozen in a container. They are very easy to handle during your trip.

Keep them in the refrigerator or in a cooler when you are out fishing. They can be used for walleye and for bass fishing. You can bring crawlers, so far, across the border, but they need to be packed in worm bedding or shredded newspapers. You could buy a FLAT of crawlers. Crawlers come 500 or 1000 worms to a flat.

You cannot bring them across the border packed in dirt.

****For all bait, the key is to keep it cool and in the shade!!****

This is allot of information for a simple little thing as your bait. But a few small precautions will help your bait to stay fresh and alive and your fishing with bait will be a huge success.