Tackle and Technique for Smelt

[wildboar6768]

I am headed up to the Petosky area next Wednesday night for a five day adventure and I was looking for some advice on catching some smelt. We will be hitting Burt, Mullet, Crooked and maybe Black Lakes. However, while I'm up there I would like to try a new lake. Any suggestions?

[wildboar6768]

How about Walloon Lake? What size jig? Bait?

[fishnett]

It will be a bit of a drive, but higgins lake has some of the best smelt fishing around. About 5 pm they start and will go through the night. A haleys tipped with a wax worm works well. Its easy for one or two guys to fill a five gallon bucket in a few hours.

[RichP]

I grew up in Boyne City and we use to catch tons and tons of smelt right out there on Lake Charlevoix. I've heard some people say it's slowed in recent years but it might be worth it to call a local bait shop there and see how their doing, it's only 15 miles from Petoskey.

[RichP]

Oh, one more thing regarding Walloon Lake, I've never heard of people fishing for smelt there (please someone correct me if they know differently). The shanties I use to see out there people use to tell me they were going for Lake Trout. That lake is great in the summer for Smallmouth.

[EAGAL]

Lake Charlevoix great for smallmouth, northerns in the summer
i have never it fished thur the ice .also has eyes ,and browns.

[schaaed1]

Yes, Walloon does have smelt. Three weeks ago I was out there perch fishing and we were catching more smelt than perch (6"-8"). We were using a small tear drop and either perch minnows or wax worms (they were hitting on both).

We were in the bay off of Stolt Rd. We were fishing over the drop off in about 30 feet of water. We were right on the bottom, however, you could see them in your hole (clear water) and sometimes you could see them through 6" of very clear ice.

I believe there is a very good population of smelt in the lake and that is probably part of the reason the laker and brown fishery is so good.

If you need more directions let me know.