# Smelt ???



## WallyJigR (Apr 29, 2004)

has any one started to fish for smelt around conneaut yet


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## WalleyeGuy (Apr 9, 2004)

They are catching Smelt in the Cleveland area now.
Talked to a couple guys this past saturday night.
Not in by the hundreds but they are starting to hook them.
They taking a few Northerns once in a while also.


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## steelmagoo (Apr 13, 2004)

Smelt already? Wow, I better finish off last season's catch. February was ok at Edgewater for smelt. I froze hundreds of smelt heads thinking I was going to use them ice fishing for eyes at the islands, but I never went. Kinda freaks my wife out when she opens the deep freezer and sees ziplocks full of smelt eyes lookin back at her.


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## Elamenohpee (Nov 17, 2004)

Bet you can't wait for 102º fever in 8º weather   ....Hmmmm!!!!, wait a minute....the fever I can do without, but 8º aint too bad


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## harle96 (Aug 2, 2005)

I have only fished for smelt once in my life. I was about 10,... 25 years ago.

We were fishing with rubber bands. It's the only time I remember doing so. Tie your line to a rubber band, tie the other to a rock and throw the rock as far as you can. There are many that don't believe it's actually a technique.

I forget what a smelt looks like, along with what one tastes like. I'll have to keep an eye on this post.

Dave


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

They smell JUST like watermelon, very weird, I guess if you gut them and cut the heads off right in the deep fryer they go and from what I have heard they taste really good.


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## WallyJigR (Apr 29, 2004)

thanks for the info. when i go up for them we use the top end of a fishing pole that is broke then we tape piano wire on to it so that it is extra sensitive, ill have to post a pic of it.


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## steelmagoo (Apr 13, 2004)

LMNOP,
Not my smartest decision, ice fishing with a fever. Took me a long time to get better. Can't wait for the season to start!

K gone,
To me, it's a cucumber smell. Others think it's watermelon as you say. No doubt it is unique.


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## WallyJigR (Apr 29, 2004)

just make the piano wire like the end of a pole with a loop and your ready to go . we paint ours white with a little bit of red on it so we can see it better


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

I was down at Edgewater in the winter one time in December I seen guys catching hundreds of them right next to the ramp.. they where using thread with a size 10 or 12 hook with minnow tales. there is alot of smelt info on here if you do a search. 

They do smell crazy, actually the smell good.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Don't try to sample a shiner   when you are frying and wolfing down the fresh smelt. The Medina Gang will have a few fresh smelt fry's in my garage again this year. Smelt and french fries cannot be beat after an evening at Edgewater. Yes, we also have some beer.


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## RANGER 1 (Mar 11, 2005)

Ya. The Akron Boys Will Have To Come Up To Show You All The Way It Done! Had A Greate Time Last Year And Looking Forward To Do It Again


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Make sure you stop in when we are frying. We will cook up a batch of shiners for you.


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## WalleyeGuy (Apr 9, 2004)

Hey short !! we fry up a batch of shinners for them to try out.
tasty little critters.
taste like chicken?


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## Chippewa (Oct 25, 2004)

Wow is it that time already!!!!!! I also think that they have cucumber smell to them..... We might have to try out the minnow tails on the glow jammin jigs this year.. :F


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## FISHONAJ (Oct 25, 2005)

Shortdrift - i don't want to sound like a newbie, but are you serious about cooking shiners?  You mentioned beer, how much do you need to drink to get them down?  I've never caught smelt, but i have eaten them. Might be something new for me to try. I guess i'll have to keep my eyes open and watch for more threads on this topic...

AJ


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

FISHONAJ said:


> Shortdrift - i don't want to sound like a newbie, but are you serious about cooking shiners?
> 
> Believe me..................there is nothing, absolutely nothing that tastes like a shiner.


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## cw261 (May 11, 2004)

For Harle96 -- there are not a lot here, but this is what smelt look like - kind of like mini baracudas


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## harle96 (Aug 2, 2005)

Thanks for the post CW. They sure did seem bigger 25 years ago when I was 10, lol.

I'll have to surf the web and see what I can find on these..

Dave


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## Tom G (Sep 26, 2004)

Where were you catching the smelt. and how deep ? When i go in the winter i fish right under the ice and just watch the maggot when it disappears i lift it up and hold over a bucket.


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## cw261 (May 11, 2004)

Those smelt were caught last March off the wall at Edgewater - thanks to the Medina crew for showing us the ropes - and providing the ice breaking. The fish were caught after dark on maggots not more than 2-3' deep - sounds like the same technique you used. Looking forward to smelting again this year - maybe even getting some through the ice this year.


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## fishon (Apr 20, 2004)

i really want to try smelt...eating and fishing.. i think this year im gonna go for them... smelt and pierogi's..sounds damn good!

what do u do gut/ clean them? one quick slice and tooth brush to the guts and lobe off the heads?


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## steelmagoo (Apr 13, 2004)

I use sharp scissors or game shears. Cut off the head and slit the belly to the anal vent, then push the guts out with my finger. I will cut and slit 50 or more, then put the scissors down and gut them. Wash en masse in a bowl or collander. Sometimes I also remove the tails.


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

After you cut the head off with the scissors and slit the belly take the scissors and leave them open just a little and run them right along the back bone as you hold the smelt up side down. By leaving the scissors open a little you can "snag" all the guts with one motion and only have to handle each smelt once. You get the whole thing done in 3 motions, cut the head off, slit the belly, rake out the guts all without putting down the smelt or having to switch from knive to scissors. I hope to get some this year, its been a long time since I have had any.


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## fishon (Apr 20, 2004)

hummmm sounds fun!


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## steelhead1 (May 14, 2004)

I most often Smelt fish the short wall at Fairport. You stand a good chance of catching a Burbot as well.

Smelt are great eating!


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

What do you catch the burbot on?


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## Jeeprz! (Oct 6, 2005)

hello all, could someone clue me in to the in's n outs of fishing for the smelt and burbot? i have heard of burbot in the last few years and i remember my dad catching one at huron pier 25+ years ago but we didnt know what it was (one ugly fish, but i read on the net they r suposed to be good eating like cod). I have never heard of anyone fishing for smelt around ohio before. If someone could do a post with the basics for each i bet it would be very appreicated by many. like with smelt r they on the surface near shore like shinners? or on the bottom? can u use maggies or ice jigs? i guess im sayin i dont even know where to begin! lol thanks in adavance-


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## WallyJigR (Apr 29, 2004)

i use three pin minis with the lightest line then we put maggots on check the pic on page one that is piano wire taped on the end of a pole. sometimes they are just below the surface and other times they are a little deeper, you just have to try different depths till you get into them good


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## captnroger (Apr 5, 2004)

I can't do the bone thing, I just can't. A bone in a piece of fish just ruins it for me. Nutty I know, but that's the way I am. I love perch and gills, but they'd better be bone-free in my book otherwise they are worthless.


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## harle96 (Aug 2, 2005)

I can't eat watermelon cause of the seeds....lol


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Just split the smelt open after frying and pull the spine right out if the bones bother you.
My wife is the same way. She won't touch smelt even if deboned. Find one bone in a bluegill, perch, bass or walleye and she's done for the meal.


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## Wannabitawerm (Apr 13, 2004)

Captnroger?!, I'm shocked. Bones in a fish and you're done? 
Just kidding.

Do the smelt ever run out of Lorain or Huron? The first smelt I've ever seen were out at Presque Isle. There were so many, I was wondering why nobody was going for them when everything else shut down. Either way, I always try to fish a new fish or a new technique every year. I think smelt will have to do until next year. Would love to try it once.


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## WalleyeGuy (Apr 9, 2004)

Plenty of smelt can be found at Lorain.
Just get under a light at night and they will come.
Or join us to learn the ropes


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## Lil' Rob (Apr 11, 2004)

Considering the size of the smelt we were catching last season...4" to 6" long...once they were fried up...you couldn't even tell the bones were still there...they softened right up...heck...I even ate the tails and didn't notice any bones.

WalleyeGuy...what's your thoughts on going up next weekend sometime, since duck/goose season will be in its intermission?


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## WalleyeGuy (Apr 9, 2004)

I open to a fact finding mission for them smelts.
maybe the gang is willing to give it a try.? !!


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## mach1cj (Apr 11, 2004)

Has anybody ever fished for smelt around the huron river or pier?


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## Chippewa (Oct 25, 2004)

I am up for trying for them this weekend!!!!!!! Gonna get my gear ready this week!!!! :G


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Got the ice rod ready with three pin min. White, pink and yellow. Should I get the garage ready too?


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

Here my CONNY smelt advice ... fish the boat slip where the water is only 5 ft deep. you can actually sit on the docks instead of the ice. set a lantern up over the hole and in 15 minutes you will have 5 zillion smelt at the hole. forget the rod use hand line ... prepare maggots ahead of time by slicing them into as many small slices as you can ... slice them like a cucumber into tiny slivers. if you find a hook SMALLER than a pin mim you will catch more fish. they dont actually get the hook on a pin pin they are just to dumb to let go of the maggot. you can probably catch smelt as long as you care to sit outside. hope this helps


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## fishon (Apr 20, 2004)

man ,my belly is moaning and groaning over here...... so do we have any confirmed smelt reports yet ... im ready to try this....


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## mach1cj (Apr 11, 2004)

help!!!! whats a pin min.??


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## Chippewa (Oct 25, 2004)

Machicj......... A pin min is a small semi-flat teardrop shaped ice fishing jig ........ I hope this helps...


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## Chippewa (Oct 25, 2004)

The medina crew is heading up to edgewater to try for some smelt saterday evening :G .... Maybe we will see some of ya there  I will post how we did sometime on sunday....


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## Freebie (Sep 12, 2004)

A few years back one of the guys I knew said he used cotton on the hook - they get their little teeth (?) caught in the fibers - don't know if it's true, (never fished for them) but if it is, I wonder if little strips of velcro would work....


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## Chippewa (Oct 25, 2004)

Well the smelt arn't there yet ........... We called it quits around 8:00 and we didnt even catch 1 stinking smelt!!!!! We had several schools of shiners around the lanterns but the The water was dingy and it was down about 3ft. And the wind out of the southwest was blowing pretty good.. But we had plan "b"... We had around 200 smelt left from last year and some bluegill and we went back home and had an awesome fish fry  and the molson ice and yingling beer made the fish even better!!!! We will try again in a couple of weeks..............


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## Elamenohpee (Nov 17, 2004)

They're not in yet


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## Dawitner (Apr 25, 2004)

Thanks for letting us know about the Smelt, I'm ready this year, bought 2 new nets so I dont have to borrow yours. Hope to see you up there soon.


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## Elamenohpee (Nov 17, 2004)

I'll post as soon as I net the first batch. Hopefully tthe ice will hold off for another month or so.

P.S.
Don't forget the flask


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

The flask was already opened during our first "smeltless" venture.


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## Elamenohpee (Nov 17, 2004)

You still here Shortstuff?... dang, I hardly recognize the place. See ya on the big pond


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## Steel Cranium (Aug 22, 2005)

Water is wide open off the state park rocks (beach and east) and the 'outside' portion of the far east wall (the 2-level one). Area near the boat ramps is filled with ice chunks, but nothing that you can stand on. A small open area at the end of the short dock to the west of the ramps yielded nothing (shiners or smelt) this morning with a dip net.


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## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

i called the bait shop they didnt here anything either


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