Smelt forecast ?

[9huskies]

It used to be fairly common for people to have their own personal smelt shack. I've used a flipup portable a few times to fish places with no commercial camps. If you know how to read currents and eddylines you can make educated guesses where to fish incoming or outgoing tides. What you don't get is a nice safe ramp to walk on and off the ice, electric lights, a raceway already cut and ready to fish through or a heater that was lit an hour ago so you can walk into a comfortably warm shack.

[nbourque]

So I will go back to my original question. Why not go it alone?
The ice is there. The shacks are there but good luck getting a reservation? No response on the phone?
Kinda on the fence here.
Im not quite sold.

These are all private businesses. Can’t just show up with a portable lol

[darby74]

I would say access is key, and as we all know location matters.  You could go off the public landing in Hallowell and maybe do ok.  Key is the eddies where they take "breaks".  I wouldn't try Gardiner landing, it was wide open to the stream on Friday.  I used to snag them with my grandfather at the Gardiner landing back in the day after ice out, but it was exhausting.  Find access that holds fish, set up a shack, and start charging.  Prices went up $10 per 4 man this year.  That's $2.50 each....I'll gladly pay

[shoeman]

Haven’t been to a smelt camp in 10 years…Have to make it happen this year. Smelt populations doing ok ? I’ve been to James Eddy, Sonnys, & Worthens in the past.

going to baker’s Thursday night. Have 3 4man shacks.Hopefully we get lucky.🙏🏻😁

[Moosekill]

Also the rivers are tidal, so the ice moves a lot!  When I was a kid a million years ago, we put a shack out to smelt fish.  My dad was running up most weekends adjusting it and then if you had a storm coming in he would pull it to shore.  I remember it being a bunch of work, when for a few bucks you could rent a shack and go whenever you want.

[Nessmuck]

Thanks for all the reports guys….looks like we are getting close.

[shoeman]

Haven’t been to a smelt camp in 10 years…Have to make it happen this year. Smelt populations doing ok ? I’ve been to James Eddy, Sonnys, & Worthens in the past.

we hit bakers tonight 4-10. Total of 4 smelts 1 tommycod between 7 people! Jig rods and house lines. Nothing was working.

[rdhammah]

we hit bakers tonight 4-10. Total of 4 smelts 1 tommycod between 7 people! Jig rods and house lines. Nothing was working.

that's unusual for Bakers. people usually do good there. any of the other shacks do better?

[shoeman]

According to guy in the office we were high total.👎

[nbourque]

Sounds like a crapty start to the year.

[Fishhead680]

Sounds like fishing! Some days are better than others…