the best Smelt ice fishin in michigan

[koby]

last year i made my first attempt at smelt through the ice, and it was a blast...and very tasty too!!!

if any of you are looking to do it, i recommend Crystal lake in Benzie Co, around the end of February

the smelt i caught in there were amazing...most were over 6" and many were 8" or better...in fact, i filleted them if you can believe it

if anyones interested in the details, PM me and ill fill you in

Crystal is a huge lake and theres little pressure, and BTW i caught some of the most beautiful perch ive ever seen there as well

koby

[MSUICEMAN]

hey koby, can i get some details, i am going to try some new lakes this year and would like a little guidance.

thanks,
steve

[koby]

my memory is terrible

it was early to mid march as you can see by the original post

[salmonslammer]

Usully hit up Higgens the 1st part of March...Always seem to do well up there. Lots of fun for the kids!!! Last year they were hitting about 3' below the ice...Looked like little tarpon coming in and smaking the waxies!!!

[ih772]

Smelt fishing through the ice is a blast.

[RichP]

Fresh caught smelt....mmmmm....yummy....cooked up some from the market the other day....just not the same.

In my one attempt last season we got enough for a couple meals, but they were on the small side and not frequent enough. A far cry from the 1980s on Lake Charlevoix when we'd catch them as fast as we could reel up...

Never tried Crystal. PM sent...

[Can't Touch This]

Usually try Higgins, i am guessing all those lakes are pretty much the same though.

[swampbuck]

Usually try Higgins, i am guessing all those lakes are pretty much the same though.

I live at higgins lake and I doubt that there is another lake even close to the same.should have ice in about 1 1/2 months

[ih772]

I tried smelt fishing for the first time last year and it was on Higgins. It was a blast and I can't wait to get out there this winter.:woohoo1:

[SuperHunter18]

I tried for smelt last year on Higgins and we barely got any. I can see how this would be a blast! I just think we went too early in the year. I think we went late January or early February. Is the beginning of March the best time to go? We also tried doing it without a vex so that makes it even more difficult.

Any tips from the pros would be much appreciated! Hope to see some of you guys up there and maybe we could have a few pops out there!

[javelin]

My tip is go back WITH A VEX!!! It makes ALL the difference between catching 1 here and 1 there or filling a bucket.

[fishindude]

its all timing and when you can find giant schools of them in the shallows. if you hit it right 500 fish days aren't uncommon. A vexilar really helps keeping your bait in the "column" of fish" seeing how they move up and down with every passing truck, every hole being drilled, etc. As you can see the move up and down a lot!

[ReddHead]

I've got an Aqua-View and those things were everywhere in the water column in mid-January and February. The problem was getting them to bite and the next problem was reeling them up fast enough to get them out of the water. This year I'm taking a Brinkman Starlite underwater light that has 250,000 candle power. A guy had one when I was out there and the smelt were just under the ice. Then when they hit you could basically whip them out of the hole. I'm also going to make a smelt wheel this year. I can't wait.

[WalleyeTracker]

Green lake just south of Interlochen Mi is great for smelt also cedar lake in lelanau (sp) county is good for smelt and we got browns there too during the day

[Can't Touch This]

I live at higgins lake and I doubt that there is another lake even close to the same.should have ice in about 1 1/2 months

Yeah, but i hear lakes like Crystal and green lake are almost as good as Higgins. At Higgins, just go anywhere along the dropoff, i found 40 fow is best, glow in the dark hali's and waxies, with a latern and flasher, and you'll get your 300+ in a night.

[chamookman]

Do a search on lakes in the Atlanta area. There's a couple of lakes that offer Trout during the day, and Smelt at nite. Bob

[Ed Michrina]

Here is a link from our DNR website. I don't know how fresh the information is but It list the lakes that hold Smelt.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Smelt_17565_7.pdf

[flamety13]

hey whats up i fish there all the tiime do u know how to fish it in the day i never do good but anyways we will have to meet up there one night in febuary and we can go out i usally catch abot 80 8 inch smelt so i do good what do u use out there.private mail me and we can pass our secrets to each other

[USNAVYABH]

Well I have had great luck in Green lake I havent been there in 6 years Navy has me over seas and Brunswick Maine. but will be there the end of jan.
I use sweidish pimples with a couple tear drops tied 3 inches apart
I break a pin head minnow in thirds and place a chunk on the hook.
I am going to try some glow in the dark jigs and beads this year.

[martin1950]

Just a thought, Has anyone every tried a Sabiki rig on smelt? I caught alot of alewife and bloaters this spring with'm off the JOE piers. And since you can use multible hooks for smelt you don't have to cut the rigs in half to be legal.


Martin

[salmonslammer]

anyone every tried a Sabiki rig on smelt?

I've used one for a couple of years now....It's a saltwater rig that looks like little glass shrimp. It catches fish plain, but some days you have to tip em w/ some meat in order to get them to hit.

Buddy of mine has a white shrimp fly that he ties (on like a #20 hook) that he swears by.. I haven't done as well on the fly though..

[martin1950]

Thanks S-Slammer, at least someone has tried it. Thought I'd try a 3 hook rig on some specks here on Van Auken and use the long rigs over on Gull Lake alittle latter for smelt. Heard they did pretty well back in Feb/March.

Martin

[The Whale]

SIDE NOTE: To Javelin: as funny as your avatar is, you need to lose it A.S.A.P. !!! This is a family site. :bash:

[riverwild]

i fish both green lake and crystal alot for smelt its a blast i'd like to get into the white fish but can't figure out on crystal i fish railroad point and the bay on north side up by 22

[Buddwiser]

I'm also going to make a smelt wheel this year. I can't wait.
Any pictures of what those and a Sabiki rig look like?

[riverwild]

its a squid fishing jig i saw them on ebay with an inline little light i want to try for those smelt