# Cleveland Smelt



## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Thinking about hitting Edgewater tonight anybody give it a try lately. A friend of mine said his friend got 200 about 2 weeks ago I guess they are in, I know others have seen them around. Going to try netting and fishing for them.


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## Stuhly (Jul 6, 2009)

K Gone this mite sound silly but are you gonna use a castnet for them ?. I use to throw
them alot when I lived Fla. Back in my younger yrs.


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

Pretty sure its umbrella nets only. Cast net not legal on Erie and tribs.


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

saw some guys there saturday night. they were freezing there asses off but they had a good amount of smelt in there buckets. I was going to fish for them but anywhere past that little corner on the east side of the wall was just brutally cold


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Yeah I have a Umbrella net, it kind of sucks but if you draw them in good with a lantern or other light source and get under them it will do the job. If I can get less but bigger ones I'll fish off the wall or steel ramp dock with my ice rod on a bucket for them as well...who knows just might catch another pike on a bobber again too....you never know what your going to catch down there, crappie, steelies, pike, bass, burbot, a dead guy??  It's Erie afterall. 

All I know is it won't be as cold as it was on the boat Friday night and I can always hang a light, run to the truck warm up then go back out and check to see if they are around..I can even watch bobbers from the truck. I'm due for some relaxed chill fishing after all the cold hardy night bites I've been through recently.


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

Wow what a puss u are becoming! Man up Kev its not cold til your snot freezes inside your nose!


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## Offshore Limits (Dec 23, 2007)

I will see you down there tonight


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## Fishmonger (Mar 4, 2009)

Never fished smelt B4. 
Kevin or Offshore what time will you guys be there? I would like to check this game out.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

I have to go home after work and round up my stuff as it's my first non boating fishing trip of the winterr but I would imagine I'll be down there around 7:30 or so though. I'm waiting on an answer to see who's going with me.

Let's get a group together and hunt these little tasty treats down....all I know is last year sucked from the sounds of it this year is shaping up gooood.


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## Lil' Rob (Apr 11, 2004)

Please post up a quick report when you can on how you did. I am thinking about trying to get down there this weekend if I can get a couple of others to commit. Weather definitely plays a factor, especially the wind.


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## BIGDADDYDB (Jul 1, 2006)

We were there for about an hour last friday. My first time and our lantern took a crap. Caught quite a few on tiny hooks tipped with minnow pieces.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

I'm not going tonight..I got at least 2 guys committed to go for tomorow though so we're for sure heading down. Late notice for guys didn't work today.


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## Offshore Limits (Dec 23, 2007)

I missed you guys tonight.went down at 6 fished until the hard rain beagan around 8:30, finally found them caught 263 smelt about 1/3rd of a 5 gallon bucket.


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## bcnulater (May 7, 2007)

Papascott said:


> Pretty sure its umbrella nets only. Cast net not legal on Erie and tribs.


From ODNR website:http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/regulations/fishing_general.aspx

FORAGE FISH means freshwater drum (in the Lake Erie fishing district only), carp, quillback, suckers, bowfin, gar, buffalo, gizzard shad, and goldfish. These species may be taken by any method except by means of explosives, poisons, firearms, electricity, chemicals, nets, seines, or traps, or by snagging within 1,000 feet downstream of a dam. Gizzard shad and smelt may be taken with a minnow seine, minnow dip net, or hand landing net.

there is a chart for defining the net size and when & where it can be used but it it won't copy & paste but the header states>>>>> MINNOW SEINES AND DIP NET REGULATIONS
Square mesh must not be larger than 1/2 inch on a side. Seine and net size limits and places where they may be used are as follows: 
(This is where the chart is confusing because it lists Lake Erie twice, you'll have to go to the site to see)
MINNOW OR BAIT FISH TRAPS- It is illegal for anglers to possess or use a minnow or bait fish trap larger than 24 inches in length and 12 inches in width. Additionally, possessing or using a minnow or bait fish trap with an opening larger than one inch is illegal. 

CAST NETS- Forage fish may be taken with cast nets only in the Inland Fishing District. It is unlawful to use a cast net with a square mesh less than 1/4 inch or larger than 1 inch on a side, or with a diameter of greater than 10 feet. It is illegal to use a cast net within a distance of 1000 feet downstream from any dam posted with Division of Wildlife signs indicating cast net use is prohibited.

I haven't finished my first cup of coffee yet but i read this to say you can take smelt with any of the above nets. The simple way to be sure I guess is call the fish & game warden?


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## alumcreeker (Nov 14, 2008)

i have never fished for smelt before and where im at there arent any but may i ask do you catch these for bait or dinner and how big do these fish get. i will probably never come up to fish for them just wondering.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Offshore Limits said:


> I missed you guys tonight.went down at 6 fished until the hard rain beagan around 8:30, finally found them caught 263 smelt about 1/3rd of a 5 gallon bucket.



Nice job, gov wall or in the ramp area? net or catch them?

I'm going equiped with a net and rods and reels and a lantern so either way I'm set to get them. How was the size. My buddy who got them says the size was good. 

I might have up to 4 guys with me tonight.

Alumcreeker...a good size smelt would be a 6-8 incher. some get 9-10 inches but that would be a monster. most are 4-6 inches. You cut the head off with scissors, zipper the belly clean them out with a toothbrush, snip the tail roll them in breading or flour and fry them....mmmm good. tasty little treat..

Steelie's and walleye eat them as they are one of there favorite bait fish. 

You can catch them for bait while your fishing for keeps at the same time...put them on a hook under a bobber and you can fish for whatever will eat them, perch, walleye, pike, crappie and steelies will all smash them. I saw a guy hook a pike on one and it snapped him off.


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## Offshore Limits (Dec 23, 2007)

I wasted some time on the boat ramp. Only caught about 6..Went on the wall and was catching 1,2 or 3 every drop. 2 guys came down with dip nets and after 50 pulls only had 8 smelt...In that time I had caught about 60 on hook and line...There was 1 other guy fishing for them, he had more than I did .He said he got down around 4:30.....Dont get blown into the lake tonight


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## Offshore Limits (Dec 23, 2007)

most of them were between 5-6 inches with an occasional 7


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Yeah I'm hoping we'll have some protection down by the wall and the concrete will protect us and we'll be able to fish. Gonna be screaming

Thanks for the tips


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

Reminds me of light fishing the inland lakes. Cant wait to try them babies behind a board. Fish shouldnt think twice of taking them.:T


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

bcnulater said:


> From ODNR website:http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/regulations/fishing_general.aspx
> 
> FORAGE FISH means freshwater drum (in the Lake Erie fishing district only), carp, quillback, suckers, bowfin, gar, buffalo, gizzard shad, and goldfish. These species may be taken by any method except by means of explosives, poisons, firearms, electricity, chemicals, nets, seines, or traps, or by snagging within 1,000 feet downstream of a dam. Gizzard shad and smelt may be taken with a minnow seine, minnow dip net, or hand landing net.
> 
> ...


Under cast nets first thing it says is forage fish in INLAND FISHING DISTRICT only.


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## Fishmonger (Mar 4, 2009)

Offshore, 
do you have drop a lantern in the water to draw them? like night crappie fishing with crappie light?


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

The way I read it...cast nets are not allowed. Another thing as well. Because they are considered bait fish you are not allowed to take more than 500 per person without a bait dealers license either. I would never take or have more than 500 anyway but just in case someone gets gready 500 is the limit..unless you have a bait license of course


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## bcnulater (May 7, 2007)

Yea Papascott, it starts out by saying "smelt may be taken with a minnow seine, minnow dip net, or hand landing net." and then at the bottom says "CAST NETS- Forage fish may be taken with cast nets only in the Inland Fishing District. " / So are they saying _when_ you're fishing "inland waters" the only legal net is a casting net? 

It may seem black & white but the way they wrote this it can be interpeted more than one way. Personally I use a hook and maggot and would not use a net. That would take away all the fun of sitting there for hours in the cold plucking them one at a time while drinking hot coffee with a kick.


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## Offshore Limits (Dec 23, 2007)

Yes on the lantern...when I went to come home I turned it off to see if it made a difference and they went from constant biters to very slow.....


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## Offshore Limits (Dec 23, 2007)

I just hung it down to about a foot above...one of those crappie lights would work too its just carring down the 12 volt battery makes it harder


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

U got it! When we school bait up fish bite. When you float a light its got too be over deep water. A lantern works in both shallow and deep but not when fish are deep. You guys need the dark places to bring in more bait(smelt) The rougher the better. The more you contain your light at the surface the better itll be. Can ya imagine the smelt under those big street lights at times!


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## Lil' Rob (Apr 11, 2004)

Sounds like it will be worth the trip.

So, is anyone going tomorrow night? The weather forecast I saw was calling for WSW winds at about 20 mph, so there should be some protection on the wall from the wind.

Saturday is also an option for me. It's supposed to be a bit warmer with a high of 34, with the winds mainly from the south at 10 mph.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

I'm probably going Saturday night. Sent you a PM a week or two ago.


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## FISHIN 2 (Jun 22, 2005)

I use a Sabiki Rig when smelt fishing in Michigan. It is a rig of 10 hooks, usually size 12 or 14 hooks tied in series on a 6 foot dropline. I usually cut em in half and that makes 2 droppers. Sometimes you can catch 4-5 smelt at a time when they go into a feeding frenzy. In Mi, smelting has no hook limits, so ya might only be able to do a couple hooks here, might ask DNR guys. Mike


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

If the 3 hook rule is in effect for smelt that's pretty silly considering you can net them with no hooks as they are bait and not gamefish like perch for example...but at the end of the day fishing with hooks is still fishing..but your right might be worth a call to division of wildlife. I think I'll be making my own Sabiki Rig I've heard and seen those before but they dropped off my radar and I forgot about them.


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## Team Pursuit (Mar 27, 2008)

we use those rigs in saltwater to catch bait fish all the time


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

They are good eatin for sure.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Hmmm. Anyone ever do any good at Whiskey Island Marina docks?


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## Tommybouy (Jun 5, 2005)

Smelt fishing and eating sound and looks awesome!

Can they be caught around Lakeside or Catawba Is. piers or is Cleveland off 72nd the best place overall?


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## Lil' Rob (Apr 11, 2004)

Lewzer...I got that PM and tried sending one back to you, but I got a message saying your PM box was full...I then tried to send you an e-mail...not sure if that worked or not. Somehow I managed to delete the PM with your phone number. I picked up some maggots and waxworms earlier today. I would definitely like to give it a try tomorrow night. Here's my cell number...330-635-6452, give me a call this evening, I'll be up late, or call me tomorrow and we'll chat about going tomorrow evening.


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## Offshore Limits (Dec 23, 2007)

Any one going down tonight..I went down yesterday..It was a little slow. Fished til 9, caught 97...Met lil rob


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## walleyewonder (Mar 26, 2006)

Planning to go later this week.


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## Lil' Rob (Apr 11, 2004)

All in all it was an OK night...definitely fun to get out and get after them smelt again. I ended up with 45 in the bucket...had a couple of donations. The water was dingy...couldn't see down but a couple of inches. I'd like to go again this coming weekend...most likely Sunday night, if the weather is cooperative.


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

Do you guys fish all night? Do you catch any during the day? I've only used a dip net up in Michigan during the smelt runs before but want to come up to Cleveland and try to get some.


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## homerun (Nov 22, 2009)

Fished last night and caught 45 off the wall between 9:30 and 11:15. It was slow and the water was dingy. I found a bag of cooked rice left there. Was someone using this to chum?


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

homerun said:


> Fished last night and caught 45 off the wall between 9:30 and 11:15. It was slow and the water was dingy. I found a bag of cooked rice left there. Was someone using this to chum?


Yep ...or they enjoyed some chinese food but ordered to much 

You can chum with oatmeal as well, hang a light and toss some chum in to get them rolling them stick with hooks :Banane36:


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## Fishmonger (Mar 4, 2009)

When I was at Rodmakers for the derby party I spoke to Frank (co-owner). He told me some guys dont even use hooks. Small cotton balls on the line and the little buggers needle teeth get stuck. Easy to shake em off into the bucket, no un-hooking. I also read on another site that used a piece of yarn, they bite on it and get their teeth stuck.

I just made a cotton rig... tied 12 small cotton tips on a piece of 8lb mono about an inch or so apart. (If youre not using hooks you can go more than 3 per line). Gonna try it soon.


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## Pinochio (Dec 7, 2009)

Where are you catching the smelt?I would like to go there with a few of my friends this weekend.Do you think I could catch them at East 72nd from the rock platforms.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

If you try 72nd, check in the launch area.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Fishmonger said:


> When I was at Rodmakers for the derby party I spoke to Frank (co-owner). He told me some guys dont even use hooks. Small cotton balls on the line and the little buggers needle teeth get stuck. Easy to shake em off into the bucket, no un-hooking. I also read on another site that used a piece of yarn, they bite on it and get their teeth stuck.
> 
> I just made a cotton rig... tied 12 small cotton tips on a piece of 8lb mono about an inch or so apart. (If youre not using hooks you can go more than 3 per line). Gonna try it soon.


That works too. depends on how you want to do it. Alot of ways to skin a cat in the case of catching smelt.


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## Fishmonger (Mar 4, 2009)

Pinochio said:


> Where are you catching the smelt?I would like to go there with a few of my friends this weekend.Do you think I could catch them at East 72nd from the rock platforms.


Pinochio, did you ever go to East 72nd? I might try the ramp wall tonight.


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