Smelt Fishing in Maine

[rally]

Anyone been to Maine smelting, haven't heard much chat about it. Maybe not cold enough to keep the rivers frozen.

[KillerFish]

Anyone been to Maine smelting, haven't heard much chat about it. Maybe not cold enough to keep the rivers frozen.

Look in the Maine forums - plenty of ice - mixed success on smelt, as usual

[THE JIGGER]

Anyone been to Maine smelting, haven't heard much chat about it. Maybe not cold enough to keep the rivers frozen.

The shacks are on the ice at all the camps and the fish have been hitting well all year.

[rally]

Look in the Maine forums - plenty of ice - mixed success on smelt, as usual

Ya I know , but I didn't know if the guys from north east mass had gone down Maine. Usually have guys in looking at the hali jigs, with the jigging rods.

[rdhammah]

smelting is winding down up there. I wouldn't waste your time going for the daytime tides. friends went to riverbend on a day tide and got 7 for the shack. another went to James Eddy for an incoming tide and his shack got skunked. another shack got 1 and another got 2. I went up to Leighton's after I was told that they were getting 80-100 on the day tide. I fished the last 3 hrs of the incoming and almost the entire outgoing and I got 4. my brother got 11.  We fished from 10:00 am til  6:20 pm. at low tide, the swivel of my full length sabiki was at the surface.
 

[SkunkLuvver]

Never tried Maine smelting so pardon the dumb questions....

What kind of tide exchange are we talking about? I assume the ice moves with it, so wondering what happens to the edges, etc.?

Also with salt/ brackish water, how much ice does there need to be to be considered safe?

Sounds like a good time (at least on a productive tide)

[Cnorkun]

I agree with Rdhammah.  I am def a rookie and have only been a couple times a year over the last 3 years ... but found early season fishes way better than this time of year.

Also found night tides fish better.

Also found that the bite is better after stable weather (cold, clean water running out rather than meltoff water from february suns or thaws).

[rdhammah]

In January, they generally have about 12-18" of ice. I don't ask or pay attn to the amt of ice that is under my feet when I'm out there. If they ever thought that the ice might be unsafe, they shut down operations. Some of the camps actually did this the 2nd week in January. Leightons did not open up til the 3rd week of January due to ice conditions. James Eddy is probably pulling their shacks after this week. Riverbend is pulling theirs after tomorrow. This is what I have heard

   

[rdhammah]

Jim's smelt camps just announced that they are pulling their shacks after today

[Fat Tony]

Thought this was funny regarding the smelt camps

[rmoody79]

i dont understand why guys go to maine to catch 10 when you can do better in Boston/Hull/Hingham and not waste 4 hours in a truck

[SkunkLuvver]

i dont understand why guys go to maine to catch 10 when you can do better in Boston/Hull/Hingham and not waste 4 hours in a truck

Did you watch the cartoon?
That’s why 

[PenguinIII]

Thought this was funny regarding the smelt camps


That was hilarious. I think I have fished with a few of those guys