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smelt

by suckerchaser , Posted to Fishing Buddy on 02/15/2011 10:54 PM | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
suckerchaser
Joined: 06/28/2002
Location: ND
does anyone know where a person can get smelt the ones we can get are either small about the size of a big minnow or extralargeabout 7 to 8 inches long loooking for about 4-1/2 to6-1/2 in long
Re: smelt
by tinker on 02/15/2011 11:13 PM | Reply #1 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
tinker
Joined: 10/30/2006
Location: ND
usually buy mine at dans or central market
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Re: smelt
by multi-species-angler on 02/15/2011 11:56 PM | Reply #2 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
multi-species-angler
Joined: 04/26/2009
Location: ND
Store bought or live?

I catch big live ones in the spillway lake and freeze them for bait when I get the chance. they're fresher and don't fall apart on the hook like store bought. Otherwise I have to sift through the random bags of smelt at the grocery store to find the bag with the sizes I want.

any grocery store has them.
There's no such thing as a "trash fish"

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Re: smelt
by Geothermal on 02/16/2011 00:26 AM | Reply #3 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Geothermal
Joined: 07/14/2009
Location: ND
The old timers that I fished with when I was a kid used to soak frozen smelt in Salt water before using them. It firms them up so they don't rip apart so easy and you can use them 2 or 3 times . I haven't used smelt in a long time but I always had one or 2 soaking in a can of real salty water, It seems to help...... I used a big Norwegian hook and jumbo smelt, It seemed like once a smelt got tore up the northerns liked them better. Has anyone else noticed that ?
Re: smelt
by cynical on 02/16/2011 07:22 AM | Reply #4 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
cynical
Joined: 10/27/2004
Location: ND
If you like big smelt also try big herring.
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Re: smelt
by Bri-Guy2 on 02/16/2011 07:40 AM | Reply #5 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Bri-Guy2
Joined: 03/10/2009
Location: ND
I always get mine at the grocery store and sift throug the bags until I find one with the sizes I want.  What city do you live in?
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Re: smelt
by 40's-or-Bust on 02/16/2011 08:12 AM | Reply #6 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
40's-or-Bust
Joined: 03/03/2009
Location: nd
its amazing at how far back a guy can go in those big freezers. its a two man job, one to dig and the other to hold his belt from falling in. get some weird looks with 30 bags of smelt on the floor... 
Re: smelt
by seasons on 02/16/2011 10:00 AM | Reply #7 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
seasons
Joined: 12/01/2009
Location: ND
has anybody here ever cooked/ fried smelt.?  I went to a smelt fry in a small minn town in college one time. all that i can remember is that they were crunchy. Dont remember them being particulary good, or bad for that matter.

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Re: smelt
by Tim Sandstrom on 02/16/2011 10:07 AM | Reply #8 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Tim Sandstrom
Joined: 07/14/2003
Location: ND
multi-species-angler Said:
Store bought or live?

I catch big live ones in the spillway lake and freeze them for bait when I get the chance. they're fresher and don't fall apart on the hook like store bought. Otherwise I have to sift through the random bags of smelt at the grocery store to find the bag with the sizes I want.

any grocery store has them.

I bet people stare at me.  I've had every bag out of the grocery store freezer before searching for the best bag.

Is it easy to get a good amount in the spillway lake?  All times of the year?




 
Kirsch's Outdoor Products | Fargo, ND | 701-261-9017 | koutdoorproducts.com
Risovi Taxidermy Studio | New Rockford, ND | 701-947-2048 | risovitaxidermystudio.com
Jig-em-Up Guide Service | Grand Forks, ND | 701-739-9198 | jig-em-up-guide-service.com

 
Re: smelt
by Tim Sandstrom on 02/16/2011 10:08 AM | Reply #9 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Tim Sandstrom
Joined: 07/14/2003
Location: ND
40's-or-Bust Said:
its amazing at how far back a guy can go in those big freezers. its a two man job, one to dig and the other to hold his belt from falling in. get some weird looks with 30 bags of smelt on the floor... 

Ha ha, I see you had the same thought!




 
Kirsch's Outdoor Products | Fargo, ND | 701-261-9017 | koutdoorproducts.com
Risovi Taxidermy Studio | New Rockford, ND | 701-947-2048 | risovitaxidermystudio.com
Jig-em-Up Guide Service | Grand Forks, ND | 701-739-9198 | jig-em-up-guide-service.com

 
Re: smelt
by svnmag on 02/16/2011 10:30 AM | Reply #10 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
svnmag
Joined: 11/03/2002
Location: ND
The best bait will cut a tree.

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Re: smelt
by fisherman25 on 02/16/2011 11:23 AM | Reply #11 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
fisherman25
Joined: 11/26/2010
Location: nd
3XGutshot Said:
If you like big smelt also try big herring.
I've never tried herring. Can you get them in the grocery store too?
Live hard! Die happy!
Re: smelt
by Rod N Reel on 02/16/2011 11:57 AM | Reply #12 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Rod N Reel
Joined: 01/08/2010
Location: ND
 I too have used salt for soaking my smelt before using.  I put a whole can of salt in an ice cream pail and throw the smelt in and fill with water.  The color comes back and the fish firms up real nice.  I always look for the smelt, in the freezer, that don't have the white eyes, I've been told they don't catch as many fish.  Maybe they are freezer burned or have been frozen too long.  An old farmer taught me this trick many years ago.  Maybe they just do that here in the Bottineau area, not sure.  RodNReel
Re: smelt
by Tim Sandstrom on 02/16/2011 12:01 PM | Reply #13 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Tim Sandstrom
Joined: 07/14/2003
Location: ND
fisherman25 Said:
3XGutshot Said:
If you like big smelt also try big herring.
I've never tried herring. Can you get them in the grocery store too?



It works and yes, it is in the grocery store.  With that said, I still prefer smelt.  Herring are just tough to get hook ups in my opinion because they are so "tough."  Smelt are more fragile and seems like you get more hook ups than not.  herring make awesome for casting while shorefishing though!  And they always look ten times more life-like.  I still prefer smelt though.

Rod N Reel,

I've caught northerns on the most ugly rotten looking smelt ever.  But I'm still not fond of that type of bait.  I like the smelt with scales, intact fins and of course good eyes.  That is very hard to find.  Tis why I will be out in full force smelting this year.  I want some good bait for a change.  But like I said, I've fished with junk and still catch some.  I just wonder how many I miss because the bait looks like a dead fish?  Who knows, maybe not that many.

Thanks for the salt water tips folks.  I will check that out this year.




 
Kirsch's Outdoor Products | Fargo, ND | 701-261-9017 | koutdoorproducts.com
Risovi Taxidermy Studio | New Rockford, ND | 701-947-2048 | risovitaxidermystudio.com
Jig-em-Up Guide Service | Grand Forks, ND | 701-739-9198 | jig-em-up-guide-service.com

 
Re: smelt
by luv pike on 02/16/2011 12:33 PM | Reply #14 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
luv pike
Joined: 05/11/2010
Location: ND
hot dogs work well too. just break one in half or use one whole i guess. are herring usually frozen or what section are they usually in?
Re: smelt
by Geothermal on 02/16/2011 12:50 PM | Reply #15 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Geothermal
Joined: 07/14/2009
Location: ND
luv pike Said:
hot dogs work well too. just break one in half or use one whole i guess.


The fun part of this site is trying to figure out if a guy is pulling your leg or not.  

 
Re: smelt
by fisherman25 on 02/16/2011 12:53 PM | Reply #16 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
fisherman25
Joined: 11/26/2010
Location: nd
I've used hot dogs before...it does work.  We were fishing on a lake that was biting like crazy though so I'm not sure if anything wouldn't have worked there. 
Live hard! Die happy!
Re: smelt
by luv pike on 02/16/2011 12:54 PM | Reply #17 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
luv pike
Joined: 05/11/2010
Location: ND
honestly we use them on the jim river state line all the time and catch fish. treble hook or smelt hook. kinda sucks when all you can get are small smelt.
Re: smelt
by thorson on 02/16/2011 2:25 PM | Reply #18 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
thorson
Joined: 02/25/2005
Location: NE
Hot dogs, especially ones with the red casing work very well.  Try soaking your smelt or hot dogs in WD-40. IT WORKS!
Re: smelt
by Hawkeyed on 02/16/2011 2:44 PM | Reply #19 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Hawkeyed
Joined: 01/10/2011
Location: ND
WD-40 is illegal in MN for sure, no idea about ND. Holy crap it works though haha. Spray it all over your hook or minnow, summer or winter. Dead serious, works well summer or winter

Re: smelt
by doublebarrelsaloon on 02/16/2011 3:08 PM | Reply #20 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
doublebarrelsaloon
Joined: 04/22/2009
Location: MT

I have seen WD-40 work before, it's because the main ingredient is fish oil. My guess is that you could get fish oil in the store or cod liver oil for that matter and it would work much the same.

I dont go around guessing cup sizes either I just know a nice rack when I see one.
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Posted By: suckerchaser
Posted On: 02/15/2011 10:54 PM
2794 Views, 37 Comments

Tags: smelt, 4-1, person, ones, anyone, small, size, to6-1, inches, extralargeabout
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Region: North Dakota

Categories: Fishing > Pike and Muskie Fishing
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