Waters · United States
Leech Lake fishing report
Updated Sunday, October 25, 2026 · refreshed automatically through the day
One of Minnesota's biggest lakes, a sprawl of shallow bays, rock reefs and the deep basin of Walker Bay. It is a classic walleye lake with a famous muskie fishery, and in winter the walleye and perch move onto the mid-lake flats and humps.
Today's report: good (62/100)
Walleye is the most promising species on Leech Lake today. Water temperature is around 39°F (3.7°C) and barometric pressure is stable.
Best time to fish today
- 12:00 PM–2:00 PM local time — score 57/100
- 6:00 PM–8:00 PM local time — score 64/100
- 9:00 PM–11:00 PM local time — score 57/100
3-day outlook by species
| Species | Sunday, Oct 25 | Monday, Oct 26 | Tuesday, Oct 27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 62 — good | 46 — fair | 70 — good |
| Muskellunge | 41 — fair | 37 — poor | 52 — fair |
| Northern Pike | 41 — fair | 37 — poor | 52 — fair |
Why this score
Cast & Scan uses a deterministic, published scoring model — no black box. The strongest influences on today's Leech Lake rating:
- pressure trend: helping (+1)
- light: helping (+1)
- cloud cover: helping (+1)
- season: helping (+1)
- solunar period: helping (+0.8)
- river flow: helping (+0.6)
Forecast computed Sun, 25 Oct 2026 17:45:35 GMT · data: Open-Meteo · refreshed automatically through the day · see our published accuracy
Winter fishing on Leech Lake
Leech Lake is a major ice-fishing lake for walleye and perch, with pike and eelpout (burbot) mixed in. Early in the season the fish sit on the edges of the shallow flats; by midwinter many move out to the mid-lake humps and deeper breaks, which the depth map on the scan shows. A lake this big freezes unevenly, and pressure ridges form every winter, so follow the resort-plowed roads and current ice reports.
Seasons, closed sections and permits are set by the state and change. Check the current regulations before a winter trip, and never trust shelf ice or a forecast for your safety.
Wondering how this stacks up against the apps you already know? Cast & Scan vs Fishbrain vs BassForecast — an honest comparison, including where they beat us.
Read before you go
- When pike bite: the pressure, light and temperature windows
- Barometric pressure and fishing, explained
More walleye waters
- Lake Erie (Western Basin) — Ohio, USA
- Lake St. Clair — Michigan, USA
- Au Gres River — Michigan, USA
- Burt Lake — Michigan, USA
- Devils Lake — North Dakota, USA
Nearby waters
- Lake Winnibigoshish — Minnesota, USA (21 mi away)
- Gull Lake — Minnesota, USA (53 mi away)
- Upper Red Lake — Minnesota, USA (69 mi away)
- Mille Lacs Lake — Minnesota, USA (73 mi away)
- St. Louis River — Minnesota, USA (99 mi away)
- Rainy River — Minnesota, USA (104 mi away)