Smelt

[Ed Stringer]

Last night I took the long way home after fishing, saw a guy get 7 gals. of smelt in 3 dips. While I was out whippin the smelt were hangin around my light. Anderson's Pro Bait carrys the dip baskit I think the season ends on the 31st.

[Ed Michrina]

Yea this is the time the year I got them last spring. nice little ones.

[WALLEYEvision]

Thanks for the info Ed! I'm thinking about heading up to do some dipping tonight, and maybe cast a few twisters near the golf course on the way back home. Good luck!

[bolodunn]

IF YA'LL ARE DPPIN THIS WEEKEND IN THE EVENINGS "HOLLA" I'M DOWN!!!!!!
ya'll got my # i'll shoot up there. call a brotha!!!

[jd_7655]

My buddy and I filled a 40 gal cooler thur night gave most away though. Most were good size some small but most were big.

[WALLEYEvision]

Went smelt dipping last night and ended up getting enough for a few meals. Action seemed to stop after 10:30 p.m.

***Only a few days left before the season closes***

[stinger63]

Smelt ran pretty good down at the place just before PGP at the bridge as Matt said not very good there.I managed a bucket full a few nights ago.

[fishingrookie]

Smelt ran pretty good down at the place just before PGP at the bridge as Matt said not very good there.I managed a bucket full a few nights ago.

What is PGP? I may give it a try if the weather corporates.

[B_guy]

Thinkin' about heading up to the river to give smelt dipping a shot (first time). Can anyone help me out with some info (where to go, how to clean them). I'll go pick up a dip net from Anderson's pro bait tommorrow. Any tips you guys can give would be greatly appreciated!

[shadow7663]

Thinkin' about heading up to the river to give smelt dipping a shot (first time). Can anyone help me out with some info (where to go, how to clean them). I'll go pick up a dip net from Anderson's pro bait tommorrow. Any tips you guys can give would be greatly appreciated!

Cleaning them, you just snip the head off gut em out and cook em up

[Ed Michrina]

B-guy If you pick a larger basket net (the ones you tie to the wall) tie it so it sits level in the water just inches under the surface. also make sure the edge of the basket sits on the outter part of the seawall. other wise the smelt swim in and out of the groves in the sea wall and the will hit the side of your basket and not go inside. but most important place the open end of the basket facing down river the smelt are swimming towars huron.

If you buy a hand net most guys walk down curent holding the net in the water walking fast enough to keep the net open or not blowing down river. they move the net in and out of the seawall cuts. most of the time just on top or a foot under the water. .. If you have two people better yet. walk up river with the net. have your partner shine a light up river (so your shining the tail of the smlt. if you shine them head first or down river they will go deep. You with the net should be 10 yards above the buy with the light looking in the water where your partner is shining. As soon as you see a school note how deep and figure how fast they are moving . (important) as soon as you see them you partner has to divert or turn off the light or the smelt will go deep. walk a few feet above where you last saw them and dip your net walking quickly down river.

Cleaning smelt. easy. A good pair of scissors. you cut the head off just behind the two little fins behind the head make an angle from the fins towrds the head to get more meat. next take the scissors and cut up the middle to open them up with running water use your thumb and rub out the guts. Done. When you get tired of using your thumb a tooth brush works better and quicker. (just put the wife's brush back before she gets up :tdo12: Kidding get a cheap one . Also don't use pure cold water when washing out the smelt. Your hands will freeze after a few 100. use med. cold water and throw the cleaned smelt in a clean bucket filled with ice water.

Care for smelt. They don't freeze well in a zip lock alone. your better off filling the zip lock with some water and freeze them in water with as little air in the bag as possible. Pack them 25 to 40 per bag or what ever a meal would be for you. If your real lazzy you can freeze the smelt whole in water and when you thaw them later on clean them then. I did this to a few bags a while back. I was amazed Almost a whole year later I thawed them and began to clean them. They smelled as fresh and sweet like they were just pulled out of the river. Good luck hope this helps.

[B_guy]

Thanks for the help guys. Ed, thanks a ton for taking the time to write the detailed post. Much appreciated! :) I will go and give it a shot tonight. Good fishing to all!