LAKE GEORGE BS THREAD

[reddog11]

I hope Harris bay freezes soon...

[lowaccord66]

Might be trolling Friday... Maybe get some eyes.

They are hitting hard! 

[Icelife4]

Alright everyone . What's the deal this year? Heard of possible being able to use smelt and kept smelt? Anyone hear of anything about this?

[mealworm]

Alright everyone . What's the deal this year? Heard of possible being able to use smelt and kept smelt? Anyone hear of anything about this?

not till April from what I understand so maybe next ice season

[hot tuna]

Personally I don't see the use of smelt as a game changer . They may help with using tip ups but the thing is you have to catch the smelt first . Only certified bait can be used unless the bait came from the water body itself.  I don't see where bait shops will get certified smelt to sell.

As for jigging,  the Lakers seem willing to hit pretty jigs . If you find they are being stubborn,  you can usually just use scent or tip the jig with a minnow.
I think people are making a big deal out of something so minor

[lowaccord66]

Hot Tuna...perhaps some are excited to eat them?  I don't recall reading anyone making a big deal about it.  If I ran into a school id save some for salmon, if you do not think that will be a game changer on george you'd be mistaken.  As for the lakers I agree with you.

[bigredonice]

Tuna has it dead on here, wont be a game changer for jigging lakers...tipups for lakers or salmon though, gonna help a lot.    The avg guy will catch more with smelt.   You, me, and tuna...we don't need smelt.

[lowaccord66]

Tuna has it dead on here, wont be a game changer for jigging lakers...tipups for lakers or salmon though, gonna help a lot.    The avg guy will catch more with smelt.   You, me, and tuna...we don't need smelt.

I will be selecting some big smelt and applying them to your vehicles tailpipe kind sir!

[bigredonice]

I will be selecting some big smelt and applying them to your vehicles tailpipe kind sir!

please deposit them in my bucket first, they will eventually pass through MY tailpipe lol

[hot tuna]

There are some pretty good lakes to just target smelt if your looking to eat them . Agree , traps it will help but I think  red has me convinced that friends don't let friends use traps for lake trout fishing

[JJ]

I agree, not that big a deal and they won't make much difference to me. One big thing is you will have to catch them first, not always easy on LG. Plus the limit will be 25 smelt. The season will be closed during the smelt run, too.

To note, we had a very poor smelt spawn last spring with very little snowmelt and low water in the tributaries. The last 2 salmon stockings , especially this year's, have shown very poor growth rates compared to the 2-3 years before them. These smaller fish really depend on smelt fry to grow quickly and suffer when they are not there. On the other hand, the cisco population is booming in the lake.

[ActiveTrapChecker]

please deposit them in my bucket first, they will eventually pass through MY tailpipe lol

Bravo!

 

[Neil McCauley]

I hope Harris bay freezes soon...

Me too. It currently looks covered out to Happy Family Islands at least.

[Icelife4]

I don't know about the rest of you guys . But smelt are delicious and I want some to fry up! Last year I had schools fill my screen every time out!

[filetandrelease]

Omg I hate them by the lb 😉

[lowaccord66]

There are some pretty good lakes to just target smelt if your looking to eat them . Agree , traps it will help but I think  red has me convinced that friends don't let friends use traps for lake trout fishing

Very true...

[slipbob]

Tuna has it dead on here, wont be a game changer for jigging lakers...tipups for lakers or salmon though, gonna help a lot.    The avg guy will catch more with smelt.   You, me, and tuna...we don't need smelt.

Hey you can put me in the "don't need no smelt camp" also   Won't be long before the tougue train is pulling out of the station  

[bigredonice]

Hey you can put me in the "don't need no smelt camp" also   Won't be long before the tougue train is pulling out of the station

holy crap i was literally dialing your office when you posted this, all aboard the togue train, next stop, LAKEEERRRRR TOWN!!!!

[lowaccord66]

holy crap i was literally dialing your office when you posted this, all aboard the togue train, next stop, LAKEEERRRRR TOWN!!!!

Chooooo Choooooo!  I have my ticket....ready to board!

[adktony]

Made it out there today on a buddy's boat just not the same as walking out there... but did manage to get my first lg salmon gonna be in the smoker tomorrow for a nice xmas side dish

[wiredstone]

on lake george good luck thete are plenty of crappie but they are non existent during winter

These are sea run smelt on the Kennebec River in Maine.Lots of fun and great eating too

[mike304]

I don't know about the rest of you guys . But smelt are delicious and I want some to fry up! Last year I had schools fill my screen every time out!

Same here, I could care less about using them for bait. I got a frying pan waitin for em!!

[Fontona19]

Made it out there today on a buddy's boat just not the same as walking out there... but did manage to get my first lg salmon gonna be in the smoker tomorrow for a nice xmas side dish

Awesome!!! Any size?

[IceNeck9292]

Can't wait to be walking on top.... made it out a couple times last year but it ended just as it began good luck guys. Hope everyone's holidays have been full of fishin

[wiredstone]

My friend said there were guys fishing the bays taody

[Neil McCauley]

My friend said there were guys fishing the bays taody

Trolling for lakers, maybe.

LG is as wide open now as it has been all year. I think it is ready to freeze though...Hopefully the arctic air and a few calm nights lock it up in the 2nd week of January.

[prchslyr]

My kids still love setting and using tipups.
When we get them, smelt will certainly be an advantage for us.
I've never targeted a more maddening species of fish elsewhere though.

I'm curious how a big pike would react to a dead smelt in 10fow.

[JAGER61]

I love using tip ups as well! It's the excitement of the unknown what's on the end of your line! My heart always pounds when I get a flag especially if it's in pike water or on a dead Ciscoe set up on bottom in 100 FOW! In recent seasons I've been using Auto Fishermen in lieu of tip ups for the deep sets. The frozen fingers appreciate not having to wind up wet line in cold windy conditions!

MK

[mealworm]

Mike I couldn't agree more I prefer ice riggers instead of the automatic fisherman.
Prchslyr I think a cisco mite be better than smelt in pike waters 

[MikeVT]

My kids still love setting and using tipups.
When we get them, smelt will certainly be an advantage for us.
I've never targeted a more maddening species of fish elsewhere though.

I'm curious how a big pike would react to a dead smelt in 10fow.

Before the alewives took over, Lake Champlain Pike got fat on smelt.  When I used to set in shallow water at the end of the season, never knew if it was a pike or lake trout on the line.