Avoiding the Smelt

[BlueSnow]

I know a lot of folks are really happy when the Smelt start to migrate into the harbors, but for me they are just a pain.  They don't offer much in the way of excitement to catch and with so much prey in the water it seems to impact my ability to catch the regular game fish.

Does anyone have any recommendations to still get game fish when the smelt are around?  I've tried going with larger lures, I've tried going small with plastics but every time those things arrive I catch fewer and fewer of the fish that I am targeting. 

[hardwaterhonkey]

Use the smelt

[trapper2000]

go to a  different lake

[BlueSnow]

I've tried using the smelt before by putting them on a tipup but haven't had any luck with that either.  Though maybe I rigged 'em up in the wrong part of the water column.  Do you fish below the swarm when you do that or right in the middle of it?

[BlueSnow]

go to a  different lake

After work I have to go to what's close...

[Prchmike]

Are the smelt big enough to eat?

[BlueSnow]

Are the smelt big enough to eat?

I don't eat 'em...We got a couple yesterday that were in the 4-5" range.  I'm not even sure what size most folks keep.

[Adironzach]

I've tried using the smelt before by putting them on a tipup but haven't had any luck with that either.  Though maybe I rigged 'em up in the wrong part of the water column.  Do you fish below the swarm when you do that or right in the middle of it?

Whenever im lucky enough to snag a smelt when im laker fishing, ill hook it with a small treble, throw just enough weight to get it to sink, and set it up right off the bottom with a really loose drag like you would for catfish. that way i can just listen for the drag while im focusing on my jig & finder.

[NOT ME]

Catch a mess of them. Cut their heads off with a scissors. Roll in flour and deep fry. Then shake in a mixture of butter and hot sauce just like chicken wings. Delicious.

[pmac3]

I say if you can’t beat ‘em, eat ‘em.

[BlueSnow]

That's what the finder looked like pretty much all night.

[Adironzach]

Catch a mess of them. Cut their heads off with a scissors. Roll in flour and deep fry. Then shake in a mixture of butter and hot sauce just like chicken wings. Delicious.

heading out tonight to hopefully catch a mess of them for bait this weekend and a meal. Have never had the opportunity to eat smelt before and im excited. Will definitely have to try tossed in some buffalo sauce

[hardwaterhonkey]

Can sink them below the school or fish them above depends what your after it can get very tough when there’s too much bait sometimes fishing something that looks nothing like the bait in size or shape triggers a strike try bright colors etc

[Old Goat]

Catch a mess of them. Cut their heads off with a scissors. Roll in flour and deep fry. Then shake in a mixture of butter and hot sauce just like chicken wings. Delicious.

              X2    they are not close to me but I still remember the first time I had them   ooh so good

[Zimmy87]

Where is a good lake to catch smelt? We used net them out of the creeks on Cayuga years ago. Unfortunately those days seem to be over. I would love a good meal of smelt.

[jhl4661]

Union ship canal or small boat harbor are usually loaded

[BlueSnow]

Where is a good lake to catch smelt? We used net them out of the creeks on Cayuga years ago. Unfortunately those days seem to be over. I would love a good meal of smelt.

I tend to see them in the deeper water of Union Ship Canal or the international slips next to wilkinson point.

[NOT ME]

Tie a piece of white yarn on a tear drop jig. Lower it just below ice surface and they will grab on it and the yarn gets caught in their little teeth. Lift them out of the hole and when you set them on the ice they let go. Then repeat.

[Pequod1]

You can also get them at night in canadice.  20-30’

[2muchleft]

Haven't had any in years.  Used to net them by the bucket full at the mouth of a couple of creeks in Webster on the lake.  Easy to clean and they were delicious fried.  Better tasting than any gamefish I could catch off them.

[filetandrelease]

 That reminds me I have a # vac packed

[jiignut]

No gutting? Just heads off, flour up and fry? I’m cool with that if it’s not a practical joke.

[2muchleft]

Cut the head off.  Slice with knife or scissors down to anus and use fingernail to back of backbone all the way down to get all guts and veins out.  After a few it went pretty quick as I remember. 

[perch chacer]

I have seen those small 5-6" smelt at the Small Boat Harbor fill your ice fishing hole right up to the surface of the water.  You just have to pack up and move.

[NOT ME]

I have seen those small 5-6" smelt at the Small Boat Harbor fill your ice fishing hole right up to the surface of the water.  You just have to pack up and move.

That's where my yarn method works best. You can sight fish and catch 2 or 3 dozen and then move and find the perch.