Is there any good sized smelts for a good price in SK?

[charski]

I stopped at every groc store I see for a big bag of smelt. Superstore smelts are to small. Walmarts have no heads or guts. At the gas stations they are a buck a peice or more. Help.

[KenH]

The fella i buy mine from was telling me it was a poor year for the salty's and a really poor year for the fresh water smelts as the great lakes are cleaning up due to the zebra muzzels which in turn reduces the amount of feed for the smelts. Claims this is going to create a shortage  in the years to come. Will certainly cause the price to rise.

[2fastwalleye]

Are you by north battleford

[silvah]

You might want to be more specific about where you are, "SK" s a rather large area and you could end up driving quite a distance for smelts lol

[charski]

Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton, anywhere in Saskatchewan. I am sure most people are looking for nice smelts at a descent price. Did you find some smelts worth buying in north battleford? If I am passing threw I will check them out if they sound like they are what I am looking for

[2fastwalleye]

$40 bucks for a box of bulk smelts. Or that's what it was last year. Big box I don't even know how many are in there. battle ford bait and tackel sells them.

[silvah]

Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton, anywhere in Saskatchewan. I am sure most people are looking for nice smelts at a descent price. Did you find some smelts worth buying in north battleford? If I am passing threw I will check them out if they sound like they are what I am looking for

If you are in Regina, I think Pacific Fresh Fish can not be beat.

Do not buy those sorry excuses for a smelt they are peddling at Wholesale Sports..

[KenH]

$40 bucks for a box of bulk smelts. Or that's what it was last year. Big box I don't even know how many are in there. battle ford bait and tackel sells them.

Last time i talked to him he was sold out and felt that he would not be able to source anymore due to the reasons i stated before. Wouldn't hurt to check with Battleford bait as you never know.

[zawni83]

$40 bucks for a box of bulk smelts. Or that's what it was last year. Big box I don't even know how many are in there. battle ford bait and tackel sells them.

i bought a box of these smelts two years ago and it lasted two of us all season with A LOT of fishing done. i think it is 10 pounds worth in those boxes. best deal around for the price but i found them to be too small for my liking 5-7 inches only. this year i bought my smelts from fishin hole, good quality and nice big sizes,and cisco from campbells catch out of candle lake. i buy them from a gas station for a buck a piece but they are good quality, nice large size and they seem to catch fish. and stay away from wholesale's smelts because they are rotten or something, can't even remove them from package without them falling apart, they are pure mush and can't even be used. learned the hard way and had to throw out 4 packs, fricken crooks!!

[whitecat26]

usually buy a bag of mackeral from superstore for about 6 bucks.Usually they're about 6-7 inches,this year they're about 8-9.Almost a little too big for my liking get approx 8 to 10 per bag.
Anyone have any luck with smelts this big?

[zawni83]

i still catch fish on bigger baits but definately not as many. usually seem catch pike on any size as long as it's there and they are hungry. i've seen two pound pike take a 9-10 inch smelt and i've seen 20+ lb pike take a 1/16 oz. jig and mealworm. generally i do catch more fish with a 6-8 inch smelt than a larger one but when targeting big pike it helps to have that big bait!

[Linden16]

Believe it or not Canadian Tire In Swift Current has a fridge full of smelts, looks like vacuume packed packs of ten or so..

[Layne]

usually buy a bag of mackeral from superstore for about 6 bucks.Usually they're about 6-7 inches,this year they're about 8-9.Almost a little too big for my liking get approx 8 to 10 per bag.
Anyone have any luck with smelts this big?

Have you bought theses in Regina this year? I went erlier in the season to get my usual bag of macks but they said they didnt sell them anymore. Ive been buying the portugese sardines from pacific fresh and they are nice.

Cheers

Layne

[whitecat26]

ya the usual ones I buy are gone too(in saskatoon) .Over Christmas I was in Regina and bought a bag of big ones from the superstore.I think they're macks, only really big, if you were there you probably saw them.

[The Spoon]

My freezer! ha-ha like Silvah said Pacific Fresh Fish. I got mine at the beginning of the year tho. The smallest one in the box was maybe 6" at the least.

[Pants]

Have you bought theses in Regina this year? I went erlier in the season to get my usual bag of macks but they said they didnt sell them anymore. Ive been buying the portugese sardines from pacific fresh and they are nice.

Cheers

Layne

Hey Layne,
They have some mackerel at the Superstore in Moose Jaw...at least they did on the weekend.
The smelt are small this year, but that seems to be the norm from what I have read.
If you don't mind the drive...the mackerel are here!
Later Days 

[Layne]

Hey Layne,
They have some mackerel at the Superstore in Moose Jaw...at least they did on the weekend.
The smelt are small this year, but that seems to be the norm from what I have read.
If you don't mind the drive...the mackerel are here!
Later Days 

If I dont find some bait I like soon I just might have to, thanks for the heads up.

[BCrefugee]

I purchased a bag from super store in moose jaw yesterday I dug through looking for  the best assortment in the bag they had lots of em I asked if they had any other types thats all they had .