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Author Topic: New to Grand Traverse Area/Green Lake Smelt Fishing  (Read 1948 times)

Offline JustMissedem

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New to Grand Traverse Area/Green Lake Smelt Fishing
« on: Jan 20, 2021, 10:24 PM »
Hello everyone!
I recently moved to Traverse City, and I am looking for any info on Smelt fishing on Green Lake (Interlochen) on the ice. I've only gotten some general knowledge from some locals, but nothing too specific. Most of what I have heard, is to fish near the boat access. But there is two of them, so that gives me more questions. Anyways, Smelt fishing on the ice sounds hella fun, and I'd like to give it a try. Any info would be very helpful. Thanks

Offline Doeslayer

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Re: New to Grand Traverse Area/Green Lake Smelt Fishing
« Reply #1 on: Jan 20, 2021, 10:48 PM »
Get a submersible light.... Tiny jigs.. And ultra light rod and head out there.... Im sure if there are smelt younwill see the glowing shanties where they are set up in the evening.... Not familiar with green.... But smelt fisherman arebt exactly inconspicuous with the underwater lights lol
Catch and release, into the grease!
"gotta be somebody needs some killin" ~ Major Payne

Offline Wgorby

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Re: New to Grand Traverse Area/Green Lake Smelt Fishing
« Reply #2 on: Jan 21, 2021, 11:32 AM »
Most people refer to the north launch as the "Music Camp" and the south launch as the "Betsie/Karlin".  I used to take a long weekend every year in early March to ice fish for smelt there.  The last 3 to 4 years have been not so good...not only for size but more importantly qty.  Maybe a local will say different??  I don't even bother going to Green anymore....which is a shame because it used to produce quite well.
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Offline tvlle

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Re: New to Grand Traverse Area/Green Lake Smelt Fishing
« Reply #3 on: Jan 21, 2021, 04:21 PM »
Most people refer to the north launch as the "Music Camp" and the south launch as the "Betsie/Karlin".  I used to take a long weekend every year in early March to ice fish for smelt there.  The last 3 to 4 years have been not so good...not only for size but more importantly qty.  Maybe a local will say different??  I don't even bother going to Green anymore....which is a shame because it used to produce quite well.

That is a good report. I fished off of the State Park boat launch on Green a lot of years. I have not fished there the last four or five years as my fishing buddies that did fish there did not have much luck. 10 years ago we would fish a few hours in the evening and take home a hundred or more nice smelt. 

Offline Joe in T.C.

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Re: New to Grand Traverse Area/Green Lake Smelt Fishing
« Reply #4 on: Jan 21, 2021, 07:03 PM »
I used to fish Green but its been a while.

I agree with the previous posts, small hooks, and bright underwater lights.

You want an ultra-light sensitive tip and look for the tap-tap, I think the Cadillac elite rod from Pilgrims Village works fantastic for this, and the 24" is only $15
of course, a good spring or tungsten bobber also works great.

I usually used a Hali jig with a red spike, waxy, or pinhead. (pinheads are no longer available that I can find)

The Karlin side has more parking and doesn't require a park pass.
The music camp side has less than half the parking and requires a park pass.

Whichever side you fish, the other side will be hot and you should have been here last night ;)

You will want a graph. You will see the screen start to fill up about an hour or so after dark.
on a really good night, it will fill up almost solid from top to bottom.

look for the crowd, or start between 30' to 60' of water in front on the boat launch.

It took me a while to learn how to hook them, they take a light touch, so I had to back off my lake trout hook set.

I will check it this weekend to see if people are fishing yet, they are fishing Long so they might be.

Good Luck All  :tipup:


I like to keep my smelt alive, I set aside some for tip-ups when going for lakers


Offline Peninsula

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Re: New to Grand Traverse Area/Green Lake Smelt Fishing
« Reply #5 on: Jan 22, 2021, 05:58 AM »
Finishing up building a house on Green, maybe after todays cold temps this wont be the case, but as of yesterday she was still 50% open water!

Offline Joe in T.C.

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Re: New to Grand Traverse Area/Green Lake Smelt Fishing
« Reply #6 on: Jan 22, 2021, 09:37 PM »
Drove by Green Lake this evening _ Friday 1-22-2021


There was one guy fishing off the music camp side
No spud with me so I did not check the ice.


Tried to check the Karlin side, but there was a lot going on!


looks like somebody's Winnebago burned to the ground.
I hope everyone is ok.

Good Luck All :tipup:

Offline JustMissedem

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Re: New to Grand Traverse Area/Green Lake Smelt Fishing
« Reply #7 on: Jan 26, 2021, 10:11 PM »
Thanks for all the info, everyone! Only been able to get out on Spider and Bass Lake (Betsie Rd) so far this season. Might be hitting up Long Lake for walleye this weekend. Hopefully there will be something to show

Offline Simek86

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Re: New to Grand Traverse Area/Green Lake Smelt Fishing
« Reply #8 on: Jan 27, 2021, 10:23 AM »
Long Lake has been brutal for me this year. I don't know about everyone else, but fishing has been terrible out there for me.

 



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