Smelt Fishing

[SeaDog1]

Saw some people on Colebrook Resv. yesterday about 2.5 to 3 hundred yards out on the ice.
Colebrook looks to be all locked up with good ice.
How much? I didn't get a chance to ask anyone.
Was wondering if anyone has been fishing for smelt at Colebrook or Hogback?
Or just fishing in general at either one.
Not much being posted on these 2 waters.
Any info would be nice.

[Blaine]

The reports I've been getting on the smelt at Colebrook have been pretty poor. Ice north of the ramp is 7". South end of Hogsback has 5"

[SeaDog1]

Hi Blaine!
Guess I should have asked you about that when we where on the phone about the dog blanket.
Thanks for the ice info thought. Been wondering about how much ice there was.
Rather be safe on those waters than not.

Have a Great Day!!
SeaDog1

[bigang]

ive been doing pretty good there.went acouple of days ago did good.pulled a three lb brown.theres a foot of ice near the launch.probaly got around 125 smelt in the freezer.

[duramaxdan]

Haven't caught smelt since last trip to Lake Champlain. I never fished colebrook never mind for smelt in ct. So I'm looking at the ct fishers guide to lakes and ponds of ct and 826 acres is a big lake to me can't fish that in a day or a week! I'm not asking exactly were to find smelt but wondering around what depths. I can see that the south end is deep and it drops of quick. but what im asking is will they be in 100 ft or around 50 ft. Planning on using some hali's or some secret lure with huge silver flasher i bought when in new york fishing champlain. One imporant tool i have to help my search is a new showdown sonar. Anyways any help steering me in the right direction would be nice. And if anyone is fishing alone satday so will I.

[FoxyCleo]

Haven't caught smelt since last trip to Lake Champlain. I never fished colebrook never mind for smelt in ct. So I'm looking at the ct fishers guide to lakes and ponds of ct and 826 acres is a big lake to me can't fish that in a day or a week! I'm not asking exactly were to find smelt but wondering around what depths. I can see that the south end is deep and it drops of quick. but what im asking is will they be in 100 ft or around 50 ft. Planning on using some hali's or some secret lure with huge silver flasher i bought when in new york fishing champlain. One imporant tool i have to help my search is a new showdown sonar. Anyways any help steering me in the right direction would be nice. And if anyone is fishing alone satday so will I.

Colebrook is a very productive place somedays I usually fish a couple hundred feet of the launch mostly for trout, but will get a couple smelt, perch, calico's jigging really you cant go wrong at colebrook anywhwere. Need to try one spot at a time and wait it out.

[duramaxdan]

Sweet I plan on making swiss cheese tomorrow, no gas auger for me the old 4" hand will help I'll post how I do and water levels

[Kierran]

The smelting is very slow this year on Colebrook.  Right off the launch is your best bet.  The ice is real thick and so your bound to get a work out with the hand auger.  Good luck and let us know how you did. 

[duramaxdan]

Ice is about 11 inch should last through the warmth, may need to bring a canoe to fish from with all the water on the ice. Anyways no smelt but the word of the day was yellow perch ain't that right foxycleo!

[duramaxdan]

Question for anyone with the knowledge to answer this, Is the boat launch at colebrook only open till sunset or is it open all night, might be a fruitless idea but wondering if the bite for smelt would go on throughout the night, would be fun but eerie to be out there in shanty with some tunes and lantern. But ya never no what might bite at night till ya try it, right?

[ctfishermanct]

thats for sure

[SeaDog1]

Nope!!!
Corp of Engineers runs Colebrook and MDC runs Hogback.
Must be off the ice or water at sunset on both.

[duramaxdan]

So i'll get dropped of not use a lantern and mask my heat signature by wearing a suit of snow for if they have access to thermal imaging. Thanks seadog for the answer, it kinda drifted outta my mind that I remembered last season waiting for them to open up the gates at hogsback.

[FoxyCleo]

Ice is about 11 inch should last through the warmth, may need to bring a canoe to fish from with all the water on the ice. Anyways no smelt but the word of the day was yellow perch ain't that right foxycleo!

Perch was the word of the day, but better than 0