Dead smelt?

[AustinWilliams]

We were finally able to take our shakedown cruise today, and got a few hours of fishing in, needless to say we were skunked.

Enough on that - has anyone else noticed the enormous amount of dead smelt floating around? We're fishing off Lake Erie and never in my life have I noticed so many dead floaters, I've witnessed a few here and there during the runs, but nothing like this. What's up with that? Are you Ontario guys noticing the same?

[ray koziatek]

yea bunch of em on ontario too. Heard their is a natural dieoff after spawning they are a deepwater (cold) fish ,maybe the lower water level had em spawning in warmer water,or a quick lake inversion cought em off guard................never good to see 10000's of such tasty treats going to waste ,unless its after 3 am and youve been cleaning hundreds sence midnight ...The good news is hopefully they all spawned and their should be millions for years too come....If the walleye gourge on em like the salmon in ontario have been their should be some pig residents pulled in this spring..

[A-TOM-MIK]

Yup saw them too on Thursday and Friday off Wilson

[dundeepottery]

we saw them also in Normandale near long point....1.000's

[IA bowhunter]

Thursday and Friday was polluted between Olcott and Wilson.

[slimyfish]

my dog eats those smelt the other day. he loves em