Smeltin the mighty 'Nob!

[MadSledder]

I've read a few old posts on here about guys talking about hitting the Penobscot for smelt, but no one ever reported back as to having gotten out there. Maybe they didn't make it back to give reports....

So anyone make it out there and live to tell the tale?

With the record cold this winter, I figured its now or never and ventured out is search of the smelt motherload. I drilled, and drilled, and drilled. It was all I could do to find water! There is alternating layers of slush and ice beneath the primary ice. I had a metal pole and was finding layer of ice extending down 6-7' in places. Its nuts! It seems like the river forms slush upstream and it is getting swept down under the surface and pilling up. I did find one area where the ice and slush underneath was a paltry 3'. 

I did mark what looked like a few smelt on the flasher, but didn't hook any. I did get into the tomcod decently. I know they spawn in estuaries in the winter. does anyone know what particular habitat tomcod like or where they spawn? I think with some more searching I can get into the tomcod good and thick. I am trying to get on the smelt though. Anyone know how far they come up the river in the winter?

[kevinmaine3]

I think someone  went out last year or the year before. I remember the post..the cops or wardens were called by someone and they tried to get them to leave the ice , but they stayed..no smelts..
good luck out there..

[iusedtocould]

Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth we used to dip-em from the old Bangor/Brewer bridge.

[kevinmaine3]

How did you keep the dinosaurs from getting your smelts?

[GasBlaster]

Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth we used to dip-em from the old Bangor/Brewer bridge.

What size dip net did you use for dinosaurs  

[moosehunter]

lived on the river my whole life. never could get smelts three the ice because of the ice breakers keeping the river open for the oil tankers to get to bangor. dipping was good years ago in april off the ledges in so brewer but with the commercial guys setting up nets in Orrington and hamden the fishing went downhill fast. been a long time since you could fill a 5 gal bucket with smelts.

[windflag77]

I've been at EMMC all week for the birth of a new ice fisherman. My wife's room overlooks the Penoby and the ice looks quite safe. I've been wanting to sneak out and try to jig up some smelts. I figure there is a reason there aren't smelt camps on this river. I realize this winters weather isn't the norm as well.

[MadSledder]

Windflag- congrats on the new recruit! Get down there and give a report! The old post I found on here mentioned shacks down behind the hospital back in the day.

I'm gonna try and get on the ice on some places south side of Bangor and down into Brewer.

The winter has been so cold the ice breakers haven't been able to make it up to downtown Bangor. Check out the BDN article below. And yes those are some of my tracks in one of the pics, but there was too much ice out there to fish.

Does anyone know if there is currently any commercial netting going on lower down in the Penobscot? I've heard stories  but everything is always past-tense.

http://bangordailynews.com/2015/03/03/news/bangor/winter-storms-thick-ice-on-penobscot-river-hamper-cutters/

[saltyshores]

I
With the record cold this winter, I figured its now or never and ventured out is search of the smelt motherload. I drilled, and drilled, and drilled. It was all I could do to find water! There is alternating layers of slush and ice beneath the primary ice. I had a metal pole and was finding layer of ice extending down 6-7' in places. Its nuts! It seems like the river forms slush upstream and it is getting swept down under the surface and pilling up. I did find one area where the ice and slush underneath was a paltry 3'. 

The layers of slush under the hard ice are from needle-shaped ice crystals that form when flowing water upstream is supercooled. You saw quite a layer of ice. Thanks for the report.