Smelts...
 

Getting to be that time of year....anybody gonna start chasing down these tasty morsels.

Thinking about giving it a try this weekend and see If I can get a few for a meal.

i've been out twice for them. didn't make enough for a meal one time and ended up w/ 60 or so on the other trip. they are around but hit or miss as usual.

The guys have been getting them in Scituate Harbor for a month now, of course lots of docks are getting pulled for the winter. I have to get back into it someday, use to fish them hard with I was a kid. I can still remember one of the best days I had was the day after thankgiving at Marina Bay, me and a freind had about 15 dozen each. That was about half a five gallon bucket. I was in 7th grade, probably 1979, christ that was a while ago...........

Have not targeted them up here yet Kevin but I hear there are some around. Mackerel just appeared but are scattered at this point. I'll letcha know if I get into some smelt... :fishin:

Anybody ever catch smelt in RI?

we should put a trip together for maine when it freezes up

how does one go about catching smelt. Never done it before, but I know a spot..

Same here, just don't know a spot. :rollem:

find a dock, preferably w/ lights. use a couple or three tiny hooks(size 8 or smaller). a sabiki will work. start fishing. it's pretty basic. some people jig the rod/some just let it sit. work the entire water colum and find where they are at. use a lightest rod you own. grass shrimp are best but worms will work. if you get lucky the mackeral will show up. it's fun bare bones fishing. up in maine they set up sheds w/ stoves on the estuaries and you fish through the ice.

I'm in for another Maine trip Paul, that was a good time

freebie the mighty smelt slayer. you had the hot hand that day, not as hot as the shanty but still hot

work sucked the next day though, except that I had some little tiny fish to hide in a co-workers car that had pissed me off the day before......and it was cooking in that hut, next time I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt

i filled a playmate cooler with a friend a couple weeks ago, 321 fish. fed alot of people. boston.

been getting 30+ consistently fishing in the day. im about to go fry some up right now.

shrimp are taking 90% of them, and some on worms.

Thanks Niko for the tips. Well try and put some time in this weekend. I get terrible itis in the off season.

personal best smelt... a little over 9". i think.
last night, they averaged like 7". pretty sweet!

Thats like getting your 1st "50" :hihi:

and look at the belly on that sucka

Used to catch them in Hewitt's Cove in Hingham when I was younger. Grass shrimp definitely a smelt killer. Sabikis will work and really, really, really small metal jigs will take some. Hand lines will work too, but I prefer to use light freshwater rods.

I got a couple of really old smelt poles that I use, closest thing they have to them today are the crappie rods....swedish pimple on the end with a little chunk o' sea worm.

bring a lantern as they like the light...a cooler helps too :hee:

Definitely need a seat; bucket or cooler will work. TDF, I have a few of those smelt poles too, real ancient.

I miss catching those lil tastey morsels! :(

No smelt for me.....
 

I spent 5 hours in Quincy and not even a bite.........Where are they? Can anyone poinyt me in a better direction?

Mike;
You'd think with 'Smelt Brook Cove' in Pt Judith Pond we'd have some, but I've never heard of it.
From talking to the old salts around, I guess they've gone the way of good White perch runs in the winter!

I thought there was a small smelt run at stinky beach....:hihi:

He who smelt it dealt it.

Sorry for the Hijack
Eben is SO immature

As a youngster I can remember catching alot of smelts when we were mackerel fishing in Newport Harbor. Then again I remember catching alot of mackerel in Newport Harbor and that seems to becoming a memory.

Gone the way of the summer tinker mackerel run too I guess...

Years ago we'd just go with a dip net along the drainage ditches on the salt marshs.
World's gone to he!!