Jigging for smelts?

[Golden Luther]

I'd like to try jiigging for smelts in a lake that is supposed to have them.  I'd like any info/advice that I could get on this topics.  What kind of bait, rigs, etc?  Thanks in advance.

[icefishinbro]

BELIEVE IT OR NOT SMELT ARE A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE FISH AND WHEN YOU ARE JIGGING FOR THEM THEY WILL HIT JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. I LIKE  TO USE WAX WORMS OR MAGGOTS ATTACHED TO A HALI WITH A DROPPER OR ANY SMALL VERTICAL JIG LIKE A FROSTEE SPOON OR A FORAGE MINNOW.  HAVING A FLASHER OR A F/F WITH ENOUGH SENSITIVITY TO TELL YOU WHERE YOUR JIG IS IS A REALLY HELPFUL TOOL.  I USUALLY FISH IN 25-40 FOW. FOR THEM ALSO. I ALSO USE A UL ROD WITH A SPRING BOBBER, ALTHOUGH I HAVE CAUGHT THEM WITH JUST THE UL ROD BUT SOME TIMES YOU MISS THE BITE.  SOME TIME SMELT WILL SUSPEND @ 2-6 FT UNDER THE ICE SO USE YOUR ELECTRONICS TO SEE WHERE THEY ARE.  HOPE THIS HELPS YOU.

[reelbigfish]

Icefishinbro,  Hit the cap lock key bro.  That's really hard to read.

  A lot of guys tie on multiple jigs to try and catch several smelt at once.  Smaller
Hali jigs with a bit of flash work well too.  They come in like a silver streak and
sometimes the water can get black with them.  A whole lot of fun.  The best bait
we found was perch eyes or about a 3/4" square of cutbait from a smelt's belly.
This adds sparkley glitter from scales and really gets em going.




Ted

[MikeVT]

Small swedish pimples tipped with spikes or pinheads, or small jigging rapalas.  When the bite is hot you can fill a pail in no time.

[eyedoktr]

Tie on as many tiny hooks as you are allowed by law. Space them 4-6 inches apart. Sinker on the tag end of the line. Tip each hook with a wad of cotton from a regular old cotton ball. The smelt will hit them and their tiny teeth get stuck in the cotton. works great and you generally don't have to struggle getting a hook out.

[Golden Luther]

Tie on as many tiny hooks as you are allowed by law. Space them 4-6 inches apart. Sinker on the tag end of the line. Tip each hook with a wad of cotton from a regular old cotton ball. The smelt will hit them and their tiny teeth get stuck in the cotton. works great and you generally don't have to struggle getting a hook out.

Sounds like an interesting method.  Thanks!

[Reel Wet Ride]

yup, I've used pieces of yarn but with part of a wax worm for scent. Smelt are really predators with tons of sharp teeth in their tiny mouth. They hit the yarn and it gets caught in their teeth then up the hole they come. In MI you can use as many hooks as you'd like to fish for smelt. A great way is to find a guy with a light and ask if you can fish with him.

[bwalleye]

This site is way cool  8)  The stuff you learn here would take decades to learn on your own..

[Chainsaw]

     In New York State you're limited to five baits,(No matter what the bait is) or fifteen hook points, or basically five treble hooks, or three treble hooks with one baited hook point each. Even NO hooks keeps you limited to five baits, as in five small pieces of different colored wool yarn.
     You tie the yarn on a hook point near the barb. when you cut the yarn shorter to the knot leave one end a quarter of an inch longer. Now you have ONE bait with which it is possible to catch doubles. Dip each one into store bought trout bait with shiny stuff.
      I use four of these and a fairly large Swedish Pimple to get the baits down fast. Watch the 'Crowd' gather on your flasher and when it starts looking crazy, or you feel 'Hits' bring it up fast and get it away from the hole so Smelt don't fall back in. Keep the head end of one on the Pimple and you may catch the Laker or Salmon of a lifetime.
      PS: It's a secret. Don't tell anybody.

[cold_feet]

All great info here and what I do is go with barbless or (pinched down barbs) hooks too. You might loose a few fish but Easy and fast to get them off and back down the hole.
Cold Feet

[oldken]

i fish smelt usually by using a swedish pimple large one for weight i remove the trebles and replace with a#6 tru turn hook sometimes i use 2 about 6 inches apart i bait with cut smelt pieces about 1inch long ab=nd 1fourth wide use vexilar and jig them 2 of us can usually catch between 1 an 2 hundred in a day old ken

[Golden Luther]

Thanks for all the info