TOPIC:

Anybody do any smelting on the beach anymore? I still do, just love enjoying the quite and nice weather in early spring. I’ve only caught a couple the last few years. But refuse to give up lol. Just wondering if anyone still got out there, and if you have caught anything.

smelt numbers are up from historic lows. Don't know how close to historic highs, but the smelt run should be better this year than a few years ago.

BNature wrote:

smelt numbers are up from historic lows. Don't know how close to historic highs, but the smelt run should be better this year than a few years ago.

In terms of biomass, about 3 to 5% of the contemporary historic highs in the 80s and 90s. So, while a noticeable uptick from the "basically zero" baseline, it's still a long way from what it used to be back in the day

I wouldn't be surprised though if those few folks still out smelting will have some modest success this spring. We actually caught 25 or so in micromesh gill net sampling for yellow perch in 2019, which had not happened in the 10 years of that survey occurring

Anybody know where a guy can get gill nets anymore. I've looked for a couple years and haven't found any.

I think I bought one about 10 years ago at Stans in Hammond, not sure if they still have them or if Stans is still open. Quick edit- looks like Stans is reopened on Feb 21 across from el taco real, so maybe there.

Try Henry’s bait shop in Chicago of 31st I believe

IF anyone decides to pursue smelt this spring, I'd appreciate a lesson in local methods. I used to dip net smelt on the North Shore of Lake Superior when I was MUCH younger. Never used a seine or gill net.

Does anyone know if a cast net is legal for smelt? The rules don't address cast nets either for or against.

Thx!

Here ya go, I imagine you could use a cast net, but it would probably be pretty hard to catch any, unless they are really schooled up. I will be out at least a few times this year, in the past few years it has been more about nostalgia then actually catching fish. In the 80s we used to fill 5 gallon buckets and have all the neighbors over for fish fries. The last 10 years, I’ve been lucky to catch more than 10 a year.

Stan’s bait shop in no longer there

Will be out smelting tonight, perfect weather for it, don’t think the lake is quite warm enough to catch any yet. But will be glorious none the less!