Die hard smelters (HELP)

[PINKSTEEL]

Originally Posted by Jballer

Is the under water light a must, or does it just help increase your catch rate. I am going to be on the North end of higgins the first week in march and would like to be better prepared for some of this night fishing. If so could you explian more about how to make one or where I could buy one. The last few times out have turned into more beer drinking and laughing at the fact that we have spent hours on the ice with only a pile of emptys to show for it. I just figured that if we do more catching, we will do less drinking, and it might not cost as much.

I have pulled my under water light out just to see no more than 30 seconds later all of the smelt leave the screen on my sonar where as before they where stacked all up an down the screen. So I would have to say yes it can help out allot and here is where I purchased mine:

http://www.fishinglightsetc.com/AquaStarcombo-IV.html

[swampbuck]

Originally Posted by PINKSTEEL

Thanks guys I have picked up some real nice tips from this thread and will use them when I go up on the 24th to Crystal and now I just need to hope that there are no more Michigan warm up's .

Hey Swampbuck, I didn't even know that they go in that shallow (15-25 fow) cause I have been fishing for them in deepths of 50 to 65 fow and I think I'm going to start to look for more like 35 to 40 fow and see if I can get them in so that I don't have to reel up as much line, also with less water they should be in there even thicker---RIGHT .

same schools, more concentrated

[Fishslayer5789]

On Crystal Lake, my friends and I fish very far away from anybody else. We usually get well over 100 fish in about 2 hours every time we go out there. The place we fished last year was between 37 and 45 ft of water but during the day time, we were pounding 8,9, and even some 10 inch smelt fishing for perch in 28 ft of water with slip bobbers and tear drop jigs tipped with a shiner minnow.

[vano397]

another thing to add to the arsenal is minnows...I went out to crystal a few times last year, and when the fish did their shut off routine i would put down a chunck of perch monniw, i did catch a few on whole minnows but then realized they liked chunks just as well. but either way they liked the change of scenery and i would pull a dozen or so in a half hour when nothing else worked.

[PINKSTEEL]

Originally Posted by Fishslayer5789

On Crystal Lake, my friends and I fish very far away from anybody else. We usually get well over 100 fish in about 2 hours every time we go out there. The place we fished last year was between 37 and 45 ft of water but during the day time, we were pounding 8,9, and even some 10 inch smelt fishing for perch in 28 ft of water with slip bobbers and tear drop jigs tipped with a shiner minnow.

I like to get out about 200 yards away from the crowd. Would you guys say that is far or should I go even farther .

[bluefin75]

Lots of good smeltin information here! I tried small pieces of raw shrimp one night. Worked but really didn't seem to matter if it was shrimp or waxies.

[Fishslayer5789]

Originally Posted by PINKSTEEL

I like to get out about 200 yards away from the crowd. Would you guys say that is far or should I go even farther .

Honestly, we were a good half mile east of the smelt city off of lobb road. A lake like Crystal Lake has smelt all over in depths from 25 ro 75 ft of water. I would say go east or west a good distance from the smelt city and shoot for about 40 ft of water and you will start picking up fish. A 4 wheeler or a snowmobile is definately something you will need unless you are in for a REALLY long walk. I walked it once and I would not recommend it.

[PINKSTEEL]

Thanks every one these are all great tips and I will try most of them when I head up to Crystal . And will post my catch when I get back

[unclecbass]

Do youself a favor and order some sabiki rigs. These are used for catching bait when saltwater fishing. The sabiki rig has ten stacked hooks, add a hali jig to the bottom for weight. Alternate white and red spikes on the sabiki rig hooks. Put in water and catch many smelt. Easy as that.

[wartfroggy]

Originally Posted by unclecbass

Do youself a favor and order some sabiki rigs. These are used for catching bait when saltwater fishing. The sabiki rig has ten stacked hooks, add a hali jig to the bottom for weight. Alternate white and red spikes on the sabiki rig hooks. Put in water and catch many smelt. Easy as that.

Remember, if you are going to run 10 hooks on a line for smelt, you can only run 1 rod. For smelt, you can run 2 rods w/ 4 hooks between the two, or 1 rod with unlimited hooks. Had a CO "remind" me of that a couple years ago on Crystal. I honestly didn't know, and he informed me, no ticket. I rather not run more than 3-4 hooks on a line, as you end up getting too many tangles and hooking the ice with the top hooks.

[PINKSTEEL]

Originally Posted by wartfroggy

Remember, if you are going to run 10 hooks on a line for smelt, you can only run 1 rod. For smelt, you can run 2 rods w/ 4 hooks between the two, or 1 rod with unlimited hooks. Had a CO "remind" me of that a couple years ago on Crystal. I honestly didn't know, and he informed me, no ticket. I rather not run more than 3-4 hooks on a line, as you end up getting too many tangles and hooking the ice with the top hooks.

I'm going to go with my Hali plus 2 hooks above that and space them out with about 7 or 8 inches.

Hey wartfroggy I don't know if you knew it but it's me, Higgins from on Iceshanty.com. Been doing any good fishing GOOD LUCK TO YA

[michiganhonkers]

what color light is best? do you run only one or a few? thank you

[steelslam]

on those hali's, what size an color ? an does the color matter or are you using that hali as a wieghted hook to get the line down ?

[PINKSTEEL]

Originally Posted by steelslam

on those hali's, what size an color ? an does the color matter or are you using that hali as a wieghted hook to get the line down ?

I use the biggest Hali (sorry but I'm not sure what size they call it) Mainly the Hali is just used for weight to get down there and it seems that the chain is the big factor ( I don't think the color matters too much cause I know of a guy who uses the fuzzy side of velcro to catch them) for smelt because smelt can't inhale your bait like most fish, they bite at it and thrash like a pike and I think the chain helps them get it in there mouth quicker.

[quote]what color light is best? do you run only one or a few? thank you.

I use 1 green light about 15ft from my shanty and put it down about 5 feet so it reflects off the ice.

Check this site out and you will learn allot about Under water lights:
http://www.fishinglightsetc.com/Ice.html

[DocHoliday]

Originally Posted by steelslam

on those hali's, what size an color ? an does the color matter or are you using that hali as a wieghted hook to get the line down ?

I use the smallest hali 25mm in a yellow glo perch AYF. This seems to be the ticket for me and I do catch smelt on the hali jig as well as the hooks that are above it. You can find a decent selection of hali's at fishusa.com or fish307.com. fish307 always seems to be out of stock of the ones that I like the best.