Smelt

[fishrdye51]

Anyone had any luck catching smelt? Was planning on fishing this weekend up at Littleville or maybe Colebrook. Any info will be appreciated. Thanks!

[KillerFish]

They are definitely schooling up - bite has been spotty, some nights on, some nights off - more luck finding them in the past week at least - I’ve hit all 3 lakes that hold them (not including colebrook)




As always I endorse keeping only what you need so that our few remaining smelt populations can continue to thrive!

[swampa]

lake quinsigamond is loaded with smelt over on the worcester side where poor farm brook empties into lake ( old boat ramp ) try fishing there at night with lantern and small meal worms foot or two below the ice

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

lake quinsigamond is loaded with smelt over on the worcester side where poor farm brook empties into lake ( old boat ramp ) try fishing there at night with lantern and small meal worms foot or two below the ice

Used to be loaded. Not to much recently. I got one there by mistake last time I fished there.

[KillerFish]

There are a few lakes with remnant smelt populations - but not really enough to target, including quinsig, unless they are making a small-scale comeback - I have also read that smelt were making a comeback in cliff (as of 2011) but there is almost never enough ice there to check and see...

The lake the original poster mentioned will work(not sure on colebrook)

[fishrdye51]

Thanks guys! I haven’t heard anybody taking smelt from Colebrook in 20 years but it’s kinda local. Thanks again for the info!

[glenn1776]

Colebrook smelt are hard to come by these days or any species. They have ruined that lake!

[pmaloney86]

Colebrook smelt are hard to come by these days or any species. They have ruined that lake!

You think bc they let it get so low?  It is a nice drive from one end to the other in summer but they sure let that place get low so they can continue to feed the farmy and those snob fly fishermen. 

I'd be curious if Colebrook even has enough ice as well.  There's typically some current and its the most southern of the smelt spots.

[pikemanEd]

I wouldn't trust the ice on colebrook res this ice season

[stitch]

I would use xtreme caution on colebrook.with all the rain and snow melt the farmington river is running pretty good this year.colebrook is pretty deep and one of the last places i would consider this year.

[lowaccord66]

I wouldn't trust the ice on colebrook res this ice season

Disagree with this too even though I know you Ed.  Stop calling shots from the couch.  Grab your spud and try the ice instead of guessing.

Colebrook ices up reliably almost every year.  The current goes through a very narrow and specific area of the lake.  The smelt bite can be really good and I have absolutely smashed trout there trolling. 

[TT]

Hard to believe but the north end whitch has the most current freezes first at Colebrook.

[lowaccord66]

Hard to believe but the north end whitch has the most current freezes first at Colebrook.

Yup.  Every year.

[Eastciderida]

Need to start planning my one smelt trip out west for the year