ice fishing for smelt

[jason]

i just got home from vacation to maine. my father and brother took me ice fishing for smelt. it was really awesome. i never thought in a million yrs you can catch smelt ice fishing for them.

what we do is sit in ice houses with 2 long trenches on each side of the house. we hang up a board on the side wall over the cut out holes. on the board they have 6 cheap fly reels spooled with ice fishing line, then 4lb fishing line with ice fishing jigs. for bait we chopped up blood worms and put them on our hooks. drop our lines at all depths just sit back and watch them for hits.

the 1st night between 16 of us that went we caught 400 total smelt, ifor 5 hrs of fishing. the next night when just my brother and i went, we filled a 5 gallon bucket in 3 hrs. what was really cool was when you looked down hole and watched the smelt swim by.

ray, musky, i when i go back in august to help my dad and his friend get thereboat and traps ready for the season. ill bring you guys home some lobster.

[rustyrat]

Were you on a river close to the ocean? sounds like a great time.

RR

[jason]

we were about 10 miles from from the ocean on the kennebec river, its in augusta maine. but there are smelt camp up and down the river. the coolest part is that this last for about 2 1/2 months.

[rustyrat]

Yep been there many times. My grandfather owned a fly shop in Rangely years ago.

RR

[Dance the Tides]

You don't have to go all the way to Maine. Lake Champlain has a great smelt fishery. Now is the time. By the way, those Kennebec and Champlain smelt are great table fare.

[jason]

yes but salt water smelt taste better.

[Dance the Tides]

So true, Jason

[muskybob]

ray, musky, i when i go back in august to help my dad and his friend get there boat and traps ready for the season. ill bring you guys home some lobster.

Fantastic. You'll have to let us know where we can meet up.

[stinger]

ray, musky, i when i go back in august to help my dad and his friend get thereboat and traps ready for the season. ill bring you guys home some lobster.

Everybody over to Jason's house for "Surf & Turf". I'll bring the venison.

[jason]

i'll keep you guys informed.

[ray koziatek]

we better beat musky to the table or the only thing we will get is hunger pains

[muskybob]

we better beat musky to the table or the only thing we will get is hunger pains

Too late, I've already got my lobster bib on.

[jason]

you guys crack me up