Fishing rig for smelt, can't seem to hook 'em

[evanesce]

Smelt are the size of minnows right?  They have very very tiny mouths if this is the case.  Would you need basically a microscopically small hook to catch them?

I'm going to try to get some tomorrow and would love to know any method to hook them.  I guess my #6 hooks with a spike were wayyy to big and I couldn't hook anything all day.  Flasher was showing lots of activity and chasing my rig and small nibbles, couldn't hook anything.

[rdhammah]

smelt are averaging 7-9 inches. mouths are paper thin. mouths can open over an inch. i make smelt jigs using #6 and  #8 aberdeen hooks. stay away from treble hooks. dont set the hook like you're bass fishing. i jus pick up my rod and simultaneously reel.

[jlkachina]

used to do a lot of jigging for smelt and have found if you put a flasher of some sort a small swedish pimple a foot above the bait hook with eye rings at both ends no hook as an attractant to keep them there and a #8 with a small piece of smelt skin or even a piece of cloth. Smelt will usually not bite the hook but their tiny sharp teeth will hook into the cloth or skin and hang on. usually just reel them in and shake the rod and they fall off into the bucket. Try this and hope it helps.

[Flaco]

I use a shortened sabiki rig(3 hooks) with a Hallis jig tied at end.

[backwoodswalker]

used to do a lot of jigging for smelt and have found if you put a flasher of some sort a small swedish pimple a foot above the bait hook with eye rings at both ends no hook as an attractant to keep them there and a #8 with a small piece of smelt skin or even a piece of cloth. Smelt will usually not bite the hook but their tiny sharp teeth will hook into the cloth or skin and hang on. usually just reel them in and shake the rod and they fall off into the bucket. Try this and hope it helps.

Learned something new here. Never heard of this. Will try it next time on Angeline Thanks  Steve