Smelting

[redlite]

I am Jonesing for punishment.........My father has been telling me for years every time I whine about how long it is until the bass return that I should try smelting. He loves to eat them, I don't.......He's too lazy to sit outside and freeze his cajones off to catch them, I am not. Sooooooo, there is this little problem........I ain't got the first idea on how to smelt, other than the stories of my father telling me "You use these ittty bitty little hooks and your whole tackle box is the size of a sewing kit, and the big ones that are trophy sized are called Jacks and they are about as big as your finger, and they are so tatsty and....."
If at any time anyone in the Quincy area would like a Smelting Apprentice to act as a Yoda to, I would be much appreciated to learn the ways of smelt fishing. I would give you my catch....baaahhhh to my Pops. He can catch his own.............

[InshoreAngler]

This months issue of "On the Water" has a great article on winter smelt fishing, I dont even go but read it all.....the idea of the "Ice shacks" sounds cool tho
MMMM but every christmas, we cook a whole load of em up!!

[fishweewee]

This is the most efficient way to fish for the buggers.

[BigBo]

Got some earlier in Quincy and Scituate then things slacked for a while. This cold snap should get them moving again though and I might give it another try this coming week. If I do, I'll give ya a lesson. That should take about five minutes at best. I've got extra gear that you could use too.



mmmmmm just thinking about them

FWW, that and a net and you're all set.

[The Dad Fisherman]

I'll tell you what the best thing about smelting is......You can get a complete setup, Rod, Line, and Hooks and it'll set you back all of $15.

Get yourself 2-3 setups Rig'em up for different depths (4,6, and 8 Feet or so), Put a small Swedish pimple on the line w/ just the Smallest bit of Sea-worm or Grass Shrimp (if you can find them). And move them slowly up and down every few seconds. When you feel the end start to twitch just give it a quick Doink! and pop them into a bucket.

I'm flirting w/ the idea of trying the cabins up in Maine this year. You can supposedly snag a good 200-500 smelt in about 5-6 hours.......And its warm

I hit Salem harbor a couple of times and got a few meals this year..they are tasty

[Surely Bassey]

nice thing is wehen you catch them you don't have to worry much about keeping them fresh......

[Van]

Smelting is dead in quincy, I got some early, but for some reason they were really small and not worth taking.
But now even those are gone.

FYI, a good size typical smelt for eating is 6" long, and I've gotten them close to 9"(rarely). Under 4" ain't worth keeping.

If we get ice again on the rivers, the fishing should be good.

[leptar]

Alot of smelt over at Fort Adams!!! between 2 and 7 inches.
ya gotta sort them thru the baby pogies and little herring...

Also schoolies can be caught jigging for Mack's...
and mackerel are still there in sizes from 6" to 24" although yesterday was a slow day for the bigger mack as i only saw 2-3 monsters in other peoples buckets.. the rest were all about 10 - 12"

tons' of baby pogies!!! about 2 inches in length.. also Herring upto 7 inches can be jigged aswell...

I went yesterday jigged up about 80 macks and i got to feed the seagulls some...

Also brought my minnow trap and a can of tuna in oil.. popped a few holes in the can and dropped it in just about 3' under the surface and in the course of an hour i got me atleast 2 quarts of smelt. Of course i sorted the big (about 2 dozen or so in the 6" - 7") added salt ,pepper and some fine white corn flour.... mmmmmmmm

hehe and i tell my son it's the best french fries you'll ever eat... hehe..
ooh this was caught at the piers not at the point..

[Notaro]

Originally posted by Van
Smelting is dead in quincy, I got some early, but for some reason they were really small and not worth taking.
But now even those are gone.

FYI, a good size typical smelt for eating is 6" long, and I've gotten them close to 9"(rarely). Under 4" ain't worth keeping.

If we get ice again on the rivers, the fishing should be good.

such as local saltwater in quincy? when the rivers get iced, it's a good time to icefish for smelts?

DFM, seaworms are long gone! Grass shrimps are still around.

Redlite, check your PM.

FWW, shame on you...

[Van]

Originally posted by Notaro
such as local saltwater in quincy? when the rivers get iced, it's a good time to icefish for smelts?

DFM, seaworms are long gone! Grass shrimps are still around.

YUP !!!

We just use earth worms cause we can't get shrimp by then.
I am talking January February...

[Notaro]

Originally posted by Van
YUP !!!

We just use earth worms cause we can't get shrimp by then.
I am talking January February...

NICE.... I can't wait, old school.

[Canalratt1]

Squid tentacles work good too, and strips cut from sperling.