Author Topic: Most effective method for smelting  (Read 15752 times)

Offline MBrown4

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 695
  • There's a buggy whip!
Most effective method for smelting
« on: Dec 02, 2013, 11:35 AM »
Wondering what is the most effective method to catch smelt through the ice jigging. I normally use small tungstens and a little piece of meat or maggot but I've heard a lot about cheese cloth and cotton once.i had tied some small maggot looking flies out of cotton and cut the points off.i was never able to try them though.i figure multiple hooks with just cheese cloth or something for them to snag their teeth in above a bell sinker should produce multiple fish each drop. thats if  I find a material they get hung up in well.any input?

Offline Kierran

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 347
  • theCTyankee.com
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #1 on: Dec 02, 2013, 01:55 PM »
In CT, we fish for landlocked rainbow smelt (smaller than their anadromous cousins) with Hali jigs and small dropper chains tipped with smelt meat. Usually tip the jig with a mousie or a spike to get the first smelt then sacrafice it to get his buddies to bite.

Offline tench

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,236
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #2 on: Dec 02, 2013, 02:18 PM »
Hali jig or any small vertical jig with a hook either on a light chain or dropper line. Glow,silver, gold, and white seem to work the best in my experience. Put either a single spike or gulp maggot on the hook. Where legal tie another small hook a few inches to a foot above the jig and tip it the same way. When you catch one cut a small sliver of meat off and hook it through the skin. Use this for bait and you're good to go.

Another trick- If you catch a bigger smelt hook it through the back onto a big swedish pimple or anything flashy and hang it just a couple feet below the ice in a second hole next to the one you're jigging. This really helps the school stay in the area and in many cases helps to draw them up off the bottom. Again only do it where legal. A dark shanty and a big smelt hung just below the ice can get smelt right up in your hole sometimes.  :tipup:
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable,
a perpetual series of occasions for hope.
~John Buchan

Offline MBrown4

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 695
  • There's a buggy whip!
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #3 on: Dec 02, 2013, 04:32 PM »
Ah I forgot about the hali. thats what I start with but i get aggrevated at missed bites.a lot of times I'm fishing 40 to 70 ft with smelt right on bottom.never had them below the ice. would the hooked smelt trick work that deep?

Offline Dispy

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 2,852
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #4 on: Dec 02, 2013, 04:40 PM »
PK Predators will work well. 1/16 ounce :) Pink Pearl, Red Dot Glow and Gold
  http://www.pklures.com/

Offline tench

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,236
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #5 on: Dec 02, 2013, 05:56 PM »
Ah I forgot about the hali. thats what I start with but i get aggrevated at missed bites.a lot of times I'm fishing 40 to 70 ft with smelt right on bottom.never had them below the ice. would the hooked smelt trick work that deep?

I've had it work that deep. Each time you get one or two fish a foot higher than you did before. You can walk them up the stairs if they're really aggressive.  ;)
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable,
a perpetual series of occasions for hope.
~John Buchan

Offline headhunter67

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 194
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #6 on: Dec 05, 2013, 10:54 AM »
I have always used Hail's for smelt. Anything that glows or is gold seems to work the best. I use wax worms, red spikes, and pieces of raw shrimp with great success. Maybe I will try the cotton trick this year. Spearing(where legal) is also a blast when they turn off and are right below the ice. 

Offline MBrown4

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 695
  • There's a buggy whip!
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #7 on: Dec 05, 2013, 07:50 PM »
I've had it work that deep. Each time you get one or two fish a foot higher than you did before. You can walk them up the stairs if they're really aggressive.  ;)
a
I'd imagine you get the occasional laker on it too huh

Offline sharpie21

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 9
  • here fishy fishy
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #8 on: Dec 06, 2013, 06:40 AM »
i here some red yard tied  to your  hook/line works well    going to try it out on glow  jigs this winter 

Offline tench

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,236
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #9 on: Dec 06, 2013, 11:20 AM »
a
I'd imagine you get the occasional laker on it too huh

It happens thats for sure!  ;D
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable,
a perpetual series of occasions for hope.
~John Buchan

Offline AT Grimaldi

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 353
  • Why does my 13 yr old always out fish me?
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #10 on: Dec 16, 2013, 11:45 PM »
I use a jig board I made for fishing the Maine smelt camps.  Works great.

 - ATG
Vintage Frabill Ice Shuttle with modifications
K-Drill with M18 Milwaukee Drill
Jack Traps rule the world of hardwater!
Marcum LX-7LI Lithium Combo Sonar System
ATG Custom Smelt Jigging Boards
ATG Custom Jigs
Arctic Armor Suit
Mr. Buddy
Shappell 3000
.....and no time.


Offline headhunter67

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 194
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #11 on: Dec 18, 2013, 11:43 AM »
I use a jig board I made for fishing the Maine smelt camps.  Works great.

 - ATG

What is a jig board? Got a picture?

Offline jabers69

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 427
  • Hardwater Nut!
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #12 on: Dec 22, 2013, 11:57 PM »
Where we fish for smelt , we  try to use live minnow's about 3 to 4 inches .  dead ones work also, super worms work . We put out 4 to 5  line all at different depths till   start hitting then we  adjust . but we find you can catch them just about at any depth . We are fishing in about 30 feet of water .
hook and cook

Offline swamp puppy

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 203
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #13 on: Dec 23, 2013, 06:30 AM »
you are catching smelt using 4 inch minnows?  :o those must be some monster smelt!


Offline jabers69

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 427
  • Hardwater Nut!
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #14 on: Dec 24, 2013, 08:56 PM »
Ya the average size is 10 inches and have got them as big as 15 inches , get a lot in the 11 to 12 inch range. They are rainbow smelt .
hook and cook

Offline MBrown4

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 695
  • There's a buggy whip!
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #15 on: Dec 25, 2013, 07:51 AM »
Sea run?

Offline AT Grimaldi

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 353
  • Why does my 13 yr old always out fish me?
Vintage Frabill Ice Shuttle with modifications
K-Drill with M18 Milwaukee Drill
Jack Traps rule the world of hardwater!
Marcum LX-7LI Lithium Combo Sonar System
ATG Custom Smelt Jigging Boards
ATG Custom Jigs
Arctic Armor Suit
Mr. Buddy
Shappell 3000
.....and no time.


Offline jabers69

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 427
  • Hardwater Nut!
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #17 on: Dec 26, 2013, 10:40 AM »
yup sea run
hook and cook

Offline fish_finder

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,366
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #18 on: Dec 29, 2013, 08:14 AM »
you are catching smelt using 4 inch minnows?  :o those must be some monster smelt!

What he said...also had GREAT luck on small jigs tipped with raw shrimp... sometimes you can get them on tip-ups with small hooks and light leaders, if you can keep the perch away  ;D
Gotta love them  Goat island smelt eh jabers?   note the lamprey bite on the top one :o

Theres only 3 seasons..open water, hunting and icefishing!

Offline jabers69

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 427
  • Hardwater Nut!
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #19 on: Dec 29, 2013, 10:44 PM »
Yup got love goat island , thanks for post a pic of some ,I got pics but cant find them .
hook and cook

Offline SSmithNY92

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 79
  • Run it hot!
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #20 on: Jan 02, 2014, 09:13 PM »
I'm not really an expert but I've been smelting since I could walk. Back in the day on Champlain it was common to fill buckets with handlines by noon. Now it's mostly limited to small chain lakes in the 'Dacks. These are the smaller inland rainbow smelt. Average 3-7 inches, I've caught them to 9 inches.

I use ultralight jig poles with large guides, with the smoothest micro (500 series usually) reels I can find. I usually fish them in 40-130 feet of water so the water can build up in the guides fast, especially if you're mobile. Also, they get off VERY easy if you take the pressure off. Also if they're just holding onto the bait and not the hook and the line jerks. Smooth retrieve is KEY.

For rigs, it depends. The old stand-by is a vertical rig with small flies attached to loops.
Think swivel>6-10 inches of line> loop with a quick connect clip and fly attached>6-10 inches of line> repeat> 6-10 inches of line> 1/2 ounce sinker on the bottom.

SMALL jigs also work on the same rig. If they are suspended, two split-shots on the bottom instead of a big egg sinker help take the tension off the pole.

As others have said, Hali's with chains work wonders, Swedish Pimples work well at times, and my super duper ultra secret lure...a small Buckshot spoon.

As far as colors, Red flies, Blue Jigs, and blue and silver spoon type lures seem to produce most often.

I always use spikes to catch the first and cut the sides off that one into thin strips for whatever lure I'm using.

Also, KEEP YOUR DRAG LOOSE. Where there's smelt, there's probably trout and salmon. Where I go, 10+ lb lakers are commonly hitting smelt setups.

As with any kind of fishing, a flasher can make the difference between being skunked and blasting several hundred. High gain, look for suspended bands of fish. Move until you see them unless you know they're hunkered on bottom.

Common sense isn't so common.

The fishing was always better yesterday.

Ice Team Member.

Offline pmac3

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 524
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #21 on: Jan 25, 2014, 10:57 AM »
Tiny tungsten jigs with a small chunk of fathead meat
Pete

Offline glenn1776

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 190
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #22 on: Dec 29, 2014, 11:03 AM »
Halis with a couple small jigs tipped with wax worm, or small pieces of perch meat😊
Flag Up

Offline BrianB

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 41
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #23 on: Jan 04, 2015, 04:25 AM »
Those things are huge.

You ever get into a school of caplin down there? I have not had a feed of them in many years. Remember scooping them up on the rocky shorelines on Bell Island NFLD when I was a youngster.

Offline slipperybob

  • Team IceShantyholic
  • ***
  • Posts: 6,551
  • LX5 or die...maybe extra battery.
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #24 on: Jun 28, 2015, 12:44 PM »
I try not to go with too tiny of a jig, cuz sometimes I merely hook them by the bend of the hook and their tooth. 

I usually do better night fishing for smelt.  sometimes day bite can be just as productive but night time is way more consistent for me.
For more information read my MN nice journal

Offline jacksmelt71

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 4,837
Re: Most effective method for smelting
« Reply #25 on: Nov 08, 2015, 05:21 PM »
fished both fresh and saltwater smelts. both love glow halis and cut bait. i rig a hali on the bottom w/ a glow teardrop 12in. above that. my biggest freshwater was on a 3in. shiner in 5ft. of water on a tip up set for brookies. was 14in.! was about 25yrs. ago. tho. got some last winter about 10-12in. keep them for big togue bait.

 



Iceshanty | MyFishFinder | MyHuntingForum
Contact | Disclaimer | Privacypolicy | Sponsor
© 1996- Iceshanty.com
All Rights Reserved.