Live-bait rigging leads the way on Leech

Do it with minnows, leeches or crawlers, but just do it

WALKER, Minn. – In classic Minnesota fashion, live-bait rigging has been the best technique so far at the Walmart FLW Walleye Tour tournament on Leech Lake.

Like trolling on Lake Erie, it’s the go-to tactic here. Every pro and co-angler in the field of 186 has employed some form of live-bait rigging through the first two days. But it’s one thing to know what to do and another thing to know where to do it.

Like at every other tournament with a protected slot, finding walleyes that measure over the minimum inch size is the key. Here that measurement is 26 inches. Only those who catch fish over that mark will survive to fish Saturday’s final round.

One pro who’s done that is Kevin Larkins, who’s in fourth place to start day three with 26 pounds, 3 ounces, which is 8 pounds, 7 ounces behind Tom Keenan’s leading weight of 34-10. Larkins is among a handful of pros who have a realistic shot at catching Keenan. To do that, the Greenwood, Neb., pro must rig up at least one more 26-inch-plus fish today.

Through the first two days, Larkins has weighed three fish over 26 inches. He brought two to the scale yesterday. He caught three and was able to upgrade one fish. On the first day he weighed just one, but caught another that measured 1/16 of an inch shy of the mark.

“Had I got that one, I’d be sitting a little better,” Larkins said this morning before takeoff. “It’s a great feeling to be in the top 10 with all these great fishermen. I made the top 10 at (Lake) Sharpe last year, but otherwise I’ve been working pretty hard and not getting there.”

A pivotal moment in Larkins’ career occurred last year at the FLW Walleye Tour tournament on Cass Lake, where live-bait rigging also was the winning tactic. Larkins made friends with Pete Harsh, reigning FLW Walleye Tour Angler of the Year and one of the best live-bait riggers in the business. Harsh offered to show Larkins the fine points of the technique, which works only in the early spring on the lakes he fishes in Nebraska.

“In all honesty, I was considering not fishing this year,” said Larkins, who’s been on the tour for five seasons. “Then Pete offered to be partners, and you can’t pass up an opportunity like that. At Cass Lake he said he would take me fishing and show me live-bait rigging. He’s really helped out a bunch.”

When he got to Leech for the prefish period, the first thing Larkins did was hop in a boat with Harsh and learn the lake. Now that crash course is paying dividends. While Harsh is struggling in 64th place, Larkins is clicking in fourth.

“I finally connected on some bigger fish Monday,” Larkins said of his prefish. “I didn’t mess with them on Tuesday. I went there Wednesday, and they were there. Big fish are the key in this deal. If you don’t get the big fish, you’re not going to be in the top 10.”

This is the highest rank Larkins has had going into the third day of a tournament. If he’s still in the top 10 today, he will get a chance to do tomorrow what his mentor already has done: win a tournament on Leech Lake.

Friday’s weather

Temperature at takeoff: 50 degrees

Sky: fair

Wind: SW at 4 mph

Barometric pressure: 29.95 inches and steady

Sunrise: 5:23 a.m.

Forecast: sun and clouds mixed; high of 72; winds SW at 5-10 mph