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Author Topic: Alewife?  (Read 3374 times)

Offline BROWNSLAYER

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Alewife?
« on: Dec 29, 2004, 08:47 PM »
I am from NE Pennsylvania, and many of the reservoirs I fish are loaded with alewife.
They seem to make the fishing very difficult.  There is no local bait shop that stocks them for the ice season, only during the spring and summer.  I'm curious if anyone has fished with them or any ideas on obtaining them.
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Offline JohnPorter

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Re: Alewife?
« Reply #1 on: Dec 30, 2004, 09:04 AM »
During open water I have caught alewifes fishing worms. I suppose one could set a few hand lines and catch them just like smelt fishing. Location is definitely important..
        John
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Offline mjc2799

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Re: Alewife?
« Reply #2 on: Jan 16, 2005, 02:00 PM »
Check the Pennsylvania regualtions but in the Susquehanna River and its tributaries Alewife cannot be used there is a closed season on them ...

mike
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Offline WVBoy

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Re: Alewife?
« Reply #3 on: Jan 16, 2005, 11:54 PM »
Whats a alewife anyway? Is it like a Smelt?
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Offline Webguy

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Re: Alewife?
« Reply #4 on: Jan 17, 2005, 11:13 AM »
Alewife is a herring (looks like a baby tarpon). The only thing they have in common with smelt is that they're hard to keep alive. Alewife are broader bodied, softer skinned, no teeth, and don't get as big as smelt.

Here's a pic:

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MikeThePike

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Re: Alewife?
« Reply #5 on: Jan 27, 2005, 09:05 AM »
The reason most places don't carry them during the winter is they can not tolerate the cold water. They die off too easily. Rather than have a bunch of people bring back dead baits complaining most shops won't carry them during the winter.

If you can manage to mark a school of them under the ice with a depth/ fish finder or a vex try some small jigs or a sabaiki rig.
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Offline BROWNSLAYER

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Re: Alewife?
« Reply #6 on: Jan 30, 2005, 02:30 AM »
Thanks for the info Mike - I occasionally mark them and I will try your advice.
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Offline Gamalot

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Re: Alewife?
« Reply #7 on: Feb 18, 2005, 10:17 AM »
During open water and fishing at night it is easy to catch them. Hang a lantern over the side of the boat and they will come. You can snag them with small trebel hooks and use them for bait right under the boat where the big trout are feasting!
I think they are a member of the herring family and they look like baby shad.
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fishtale51

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Re: Alewife?
« Reply #8 on: Feb 24, 2005, 06:32 PM »
Known as sawbellys in the Catskill region
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Offline nepa old man

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Re: Alewife?
« Reply #9 on: Mar 15, 2005, 11:38 AM »
Go to Wallenpaupack at night in open water, the water boils with them at times, just about every time I opened a perch in the pack it had one in, I think thats why the perch bite is not like it was years ago. They are also very fragile and hard to keep alive, some guys freeze them & use them in the winter where allowed.
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Offline bigredonice

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Re: Alewife?
« Reply #10 on: Mar 17, 2005, 08:54 AM »
they work great dead! they even work fresh out of a fish's stomach!
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