Smelting

[agorges]

I haven't smelted in years, but my son is getting old enough that I want to take him. any tips on locations in the Ithaca area, and when they will be running?

[agorges]

Just an Add on to my post....

Guys,

I understand that smelting is somthing that was passed down to you from your father from his father, from his father.... all the way to Methusala....it is a sport cloaked in secrecy and information about the run is passed with the slight nod of a head or an imperceptable wink, to let your buddy know that the honey hole will be full of fish on the firday after next....

But I just want to take my kid out and let him experience what I did when I was 12 with my dad. I know the sport has changed. I heard that they dont run in keuka and seneca anymore, and I figured that Cayuga was my next best bet....

Help me out

[FLXTroutman]

try putting in the search function "smelt"

when I lived in Michigan the smelting spots were not a secret, all those campers and trucks

could not hide on the side of the road where the creeks flowed into Lake Michigan.

If you are looking for smelt, grab your buckets and net and head to some creeks on Cayuga

by looking at your gazetteer map. I know I am not much help, but do some scouting by day and head back out in the afternoon to evening hours and get set up. Good luck,

[agorges]

I will give that a shot. I did take a drive up to T-falls the other day. I forgot what a nice little park that is... I will keep my eyes open and ears to the water

[Fish Junkie]

smelt populations have crashed in many of the Finger Lakes. They still exist but are a mere trickle of what they once were. I is really hit or miss from what I understand...

[rustyrat]

The creek next to my house used to be one of the best smelt creeks on Cayuga. I havent seen a one in 8 years.

your best bet on Cayuga would be T falls or salmon creek. When??? your just going to have to go to find out. The window is very short. Usually though mid april to mid may used to be good.

If you really want to get smelt take the trip to Niagara, Lewiston area, mid to end of april. If you hit it right, you will get a good pail full.

RR

[Trouthunter]

We caught a good amount of smelt on Hemlock . So I would try the streams go into it for smelt just a thought

[agorges]

I had totally forgotten about Hemlock .... havent been there in years....

[Trolling82]

I usually hit Keuka. In hammondsport at the viaduct. year before last I slayed em. Limited out in about half an hour. Not as good last year. Didn't limit out once. You have to be there on just the right day. Hard telling. Usually a day or two after a good rain storm is good.

[rl62283]

I have spent many night on Cayuga lake smelting. There are a few spots in aurora that yield smelt. The is a nice creek right next to millakin that i have had some success but overall cayuga lake for some reason does not have very many smelt. I checked a few creeks last night and it doesn't seem they are running yet. but on owasco lake last night we limited out in a hour and a half. There is a creek on the west side just up from Moravia call ensenor's, but you have to get down there at about 7pm to beat the crowd. Unfortunately there is not very many public places on owasco to smelt. That spot right off route 38 across from center road.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=owa ... CAgQ8gEwAA

Check out that link. Its a map, you can find the spot.

[bucko428]

taughanock creek gets a few..