Who is Josh Bullivant?
If you’ve fished Leech Lake – or even thought about fishing it – you’ve probably heard the name Josh Bullivant. He’s the manager and head guide at Trapper’s Landing Lodge, located on the south shore of Leech Lake in Walker, MN.
Josh grew up hunting and fishing in central Minnesota, which led him to study Wildlife and Natural Resource Management. But instead of sitting behind a desk pushing papers, he took his love for the outdoors straight to the water – guiding trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) and fishing some of the best lakes in Minnesota.
Now, he runs Trapper’s Landing Lodge alongside his wife, Rachel, guiding anglers year-round and sharing the kind of fishy knowledge that only comes from living it every single day. Whether it’s hardwater walleye, mid-season crappie, or dialing in overlooked patterns, he’s always finding fish and helping others do the same.
Josh was kind enough to let us dig into his brain for some straight-up, no-nonsense fishing info – the kind of details that make a real difference on the ice. If you’re serious about catching more fish, pay attention.
Water Clarity and Location – What’s Working Right Now
> “I have been fishing very clear water conditions and having good success, especially during the daytime hours. It seems counterintuitive, but those ultra-clear lakes have good weed growth and good oxygen zones because of the lack of snowfall this season.”
> “Those fish hanging in the weeds are there for one reason, and that is to eat. I like to catch fish in these clear lakes as they tend to get overlooked in the wintertime.”
To capitalize, downsize your baits and go flat – bright colors and aggressive baits aren’t getting it done, but natural tones and subtle presentations are.
> “I always have my go-to locations that produce year in and year out, but I also use technology and lake maps to find similar spots that maybe get overlooked by other anglers. I always try 1-2 new spots each time I’m out fishing.”
Depth Ranges and Structure – Where to Find ‘Em
Leech Lake is a different beast – some guys catch everything in 10 feet, while others crush ‘em in 30+. The basic rule of thumb is to fish deeper rock transitions for numbers, but if you’re hunting big walleyes, go shallow, stay quiet, and be patient.
> “For walleyes in midwinter, it depends on your style of fishing. If you’re bringing your wheelhouse and truck up, you want to be in 16-25′, finding a rock/sand transition on one of the many rock reefs…[most recently] Rogers Point, Vipers Tooth, Huddles reef have been the most consistent bite for us.
Trapper’s frequently posts updates/reports on their Facebook page – they currently have 25″+ of ice so might want to pack an extension. Here’s a look at their current ice road system (as of 2/6/25) for the weekend:
If you’re bopping around in portables and want a shot at catching your new PB (personal best) walleye, get on top of rockpiles or weed edges in less than 12′ and keep quiet.
> “A trick for anglers – keep the lights to a minimum. I’ve had a lot of guys tell me they catch fish as soon as they go to sleep and turn off the lights.”
You never know when that next bite could be the walleye of a lifetime, like this Leech Lake giant (28″ long x 17.5” girth) iced by Briley Young. 🙌 Congrats man!
> “For crappies, I like to look to the northern bays like Boy, Portage, Sucker, and Headquarters. I use underwater cameras to find standing cabbage beds and fish those beds. If you wait out the bite as you get into the evening, you’ll start catching both walleye and crappie.”
> Perch action has been steady across the lake. Our end of the lake look in 20-25′ currently. Miller Bay, Huddles Reef and Rogers point areas.
> Tullibee action is picking up on the deep-water basins over by Rogers point and the Vipers tooth.
Baits & Presentations – What’s Changing Mid-Season?
Early ice is all about big, aggressive baits – but midwinter, fish get picky.
> “Early ice, I’m using larger profile baits and fishing a lot more aggressively to get that bite. Many times they are still in their late-fall feeding patterns and need something worked faster to trigger them.”
> “Mid-season, I tend to go towards a slower-falling lure or jigging spoon like a VMC Hatchet Spoon [couple of his favorite Leech Lake colors are Glow Voodoo Haze and Glow Juicy Lucy], Northland Coffin Spoon, or Northland Thumper Spoon tipped with a minnow head. The slower fall and flash can help trigger the bite.”
This walleye wanted a closer look at the marabou teaser tail on that “perch” color VMC Hatchet Spoon
> “I like to downsize my jigging spoons for walleye this time of year, but when you do that, they come with smaller hooks. Replacing them with a bigger treble will increase your hookup percentage.”
Line choice matters – Josh runs 8-lb fluorocarbon because Leech’s clear water demands stealth.
> “Another trick – replace the treble hook with a single larger hook. You can thread on the minnow head, and the action that creates really entices the fish.”
If you’re not getting bites, don’t be stubborn. Slow things down and mix in a deadstick.
> “I also always have a full minnow on a bobber rod [deadstick, tip-up, rattle reel, etc] somewhere nearby. I draw them in jigging, but they often prefer that slow-moving minnow over the jigging rod.”
> “With deadsticks, a good 3-4” minnow is key, and don’t be afraid to put that minnow sometimes up to 3′ off the bottom. The water is super clear, and a lot of fish are used to seeing baitfish higher up.”
Here’s a few awesome fish that made the rattle reels ding out of Trapper’s recently
All that being said, don’t be afraid to mix in a Rippin’ Rap or Jigging Rap…Josh said the last week they’ve had some folks doing well getting stubborn fish to eat reaction baits.
Fussy panfish require a different approach than you might think…
> “For crappies, I tend to do the opposite – I fish with Puppet Minnows or Jigging Raps when I locate schools. A lot of those fish are moving to the edges of the weeds, and that reaction bait gets a lot more bites than a small jig right now. …later in the season, I have to get them to chase more – play the cat-and-mouse game a little more frequently to trigger bites.”
Environmental Cues – How to Read the Water
Josh isn’t just staring at a flasher – he’s reading the lake like a book. And for walleyes, it’s all about baitfish movements.
> “For walleye, it comes down to where the young-of-the-year perch are hanging out. They start moving to those edges where the bugs and smaller crayfish are. Using a camera or forward-facing sonar to locate these baitfish schools and setting up on them is key to an evening bite.”
> “Most of the time, those young perch start moving out to the deeper edges of the structure around mid-January. That’s when you really start seeing the walleyes follow.”
Find the bait, find the fish. If you’re just hole-hopping randomly, you’re wasting time.
Overlooked Tactics – Easy Ways to Catch More Fish
Just because 50 wheelhouses are stacked on one spot doesn’t mean it’s the juice…
> “Get away from the crowds. It’s easy to be sucked into all the houses sitting on a spot, but if you use your maps and find similar locations that are accessible, you’ll find fish.”
Scout first, fish second – Josh spends more time looking with a camera than actually fishing.
> “I spend a lot of time scouting with an underwater camera before I ever wet a line. I want to know what kind of edges and structure I’m working with before I start fishing.”
Hit up the skinny water…
> “Don’t be afraid to fish shallow, especially for big crappie and walleye. If there are fish up shallow right now, they’re there for one reason – to eat.”
Final Take
Josh Bullivant isn’t just another resort guide – he’s a straight-up fish junkie who knows Leech Lake inside and out. Whether you’re looking for mid-season walleyes, slab crappies, or overlooked patterns, he’s already figuring it out.
If you’re planning a trip to Leech Lake, do yourself a favor – listen to what Josh is saying and fish smarter. And if you want a guide who actually lives and breathes this stuff, hit up Trapper’s Landing Lodge. He’s out there putting in the work!
