IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Vermont => Ice Fishing Vermont => Topic started by: Kapt on Dec 06, 2007, 08:57 AM
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Hey gang, I have never really targeted smelt but have caught a few as bycatch when jigging perch here in CT with a Hali jig and moussie. Would any of you smelt pro's care to share a few tips? We have some guys here in CT that do target them, many freeze them and use them for Fluke bait in the ocean come summer time. I'll pick those guys brains as well.
Here's what I do know/have heard:
Find them with the Vexilar or similar sonar as they will suspend a lot.
Jig with Hali's and "meat"
Usually very light biters, very light tipped rods/strike indicators?
I've acually caught a few on pin head shiners jigging perch, do they eat small shiners regularly? Anyone try multiple hook Sabiki rigs? In some states you can only have one "baited" hook but I have heard of guys who supposedly use a 6 hok Sabiki but only bait one hook using the flash material on the other hooks as the attractor.
Thanks for the help guy's!
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Used to catch them in Champlain with small swedish pimples tipped with pinheads, or the smallest jigging rapala you could find with no bait. Before I had the flasher, just used to start at the bottom and work my way up until I found them. Used to keep the ones under 6" for bait and throw back the bigger ones.
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Thanks Mike. With the new VT bait regs, I'll probably stick to the Hali's with "meat". The vexilar will help me find them. Nothing like jigging up Tip Up bait and putting it back down!
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i have always caught them on small ice jigs tipped with a pin head. start at the bottom and work up until you find them. i would imagine that your vexliar would greatly increase you chances of finding and staying on fish. They make great tip up bait and are also very good eating.
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small silver sweedish pimple
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I agree, smelts a good tasting fish, I just wish I could catch more. The funny thing with the Swedish Pimples, is I usually snag the smelt. Sometimes, using a heavy flashy spoon, I'll run a small hook above and below with pinheads and that works at times.
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Your on the right track, especially if you are going to be targeting the inland smelt lakes. They tend to run on the small side and very light biters. I've had luck with small glow in the dark jigs tipped with meat/pinheads. If I jig on Champlain I'm usually using the hand line with a heavy skooter or shiny diamond weight. A hook or jig off the bottom of the weight and a hook a foot above. This rig seems to work better on the heavy hitting smelt of Champlain. I'm going to downsize the arrangement for Lake Dunmore smelt, possibly using a hali and another jig above that or using a small Kastmaster or similar spoon just for a weighed flasher and put hooks above and below that.
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OK has anyone seen this I was fishing smelt and of course not having a good day doing so. But about 15 yards away I can hear people talking and saying what a good day they are having and got plenty to sell. I'm getting pissed so I move and still nothing. About 1 hour of hearing them talking about the day they are having i finally started to leave. As I walked by the shanty I called in (Having a good day) the two said yup how about you. Nop not me. Then they showed my a trick.( not sure if it is leagal or not) They had a woman stocking filled with soft dog food and drop it to the bottom and then pull up slow. The teeth on smelt will not let go with constent pressure. he did this about 4 times and had 12 smelt. I sat there allday and had 8. WHAT THE HELL.
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What about chumming the hole, any regs against that?
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you think about it thats what it was chumming why is that illegal. I see and have done it for perch all the time with pinheads.....jim s
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Chumming isnt illiegel. What they were doing wasnt chumming. Chummering is only attracking the fish to the area.
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I went down to shelburne bay and the pond yesterday and the bay were I do my smelt fishing must be good and thick right there by the road foot prints all over. The ice goes out to the second boat ramp...... Looking to go out Monday. The pond looks like people have walked about 15 feet out and then stopped no more prints in the snow but will also go there monday... Any other spots for smelt that people fish???? Not looking for alll your secret spots just tring to expand mine thats all . Thank you.......jim s
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There is ice at shelburne bay?
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I was just down there it did not look good at all with the wind that comes in. I do see prints on the ice but also see where it broke open. went to the pond that has 4 inches of ice. i will be out there monday. looks like no one has fished it yet so maybe i will be the first.....jim s