# Smelt Time!!!



## tbbassdaddy (Apr 21, 2006)

Yeah, somebody had to do it...

MDOT Cams show very little snow around St Ignace but still quite a bit around M28 and Paradise. Been seeing where some folks are getting back to the rivers and creeks checking conditions. Well, is the weather cooperating for a run soon? I'm guessing within a week or so.

Also, are the spring peepers out yet? Gotta love that sound in the spring!

Thoughts??
tb


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## osmerus (Sep 18, 2008)

Ya things are looking up for warmer temps later next week and weekend. Long range forecast "saying" high 50s and 60s for that weekend. Rain this wed. night but cool temps this week. Still alot of snow to melt. Most of the ice is busting up in the bays but still lots of shoreline ice. Rivers are already up. We got our days picked, we shall see.


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## ImaRedneck (Jan 7, 2003)

You had me at "Smelt"! Won't be until after the Trout opener before I can try to find the little buggers.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

Will be working in Indian River in early May. Am hoping for a rain-out one afternoon so I can run up to Whitefish Bay. Otherwise I work till dark every day and won’t have the energy for an overnighter Smelt expedition. 

I only have an 80s style 3’ square dipping net. But just wanna re-live a little youth on Lake MI and score a quart or two of fresh Smelt. Probably might could use a little local hand-holding for a brief ‘hit-n-run’ type expedition.


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## tbbassdaddy (Apr 21, 2006)

B.Jarvinen said:


> I only have an 80s style 3’ square dipping net.



That's how we used to dip off the pier in Ludington with those square nets. I still have 2 myself, along with a slew of hand nets for creek fishing.
tb


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

tbbassdaddy said:


> That's how we used to dip off the pier in Ludington with those square nets. I still have 2 myself, along with a slew of hand nets for creek fishing.
> tb


Same here. 

Friend of mine called me last week to tell me he was going smelt dipping along Lake Huron on 4/18. I said "Good Luck". A week later he calls me again to see if I have a pair of size 11 waders and a smelt net. Told him "Don't you think you should have checked on that before you decided to go smelt dipping?"


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## yooper357 (Mar 16, 2005)

Very very soon.


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## tbbassdaddy (Apr 21, 2006)

yooper357 said:


> Very very soon.


SHOW ME THE BUCKETS!!!!!

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## tbbassdaddy (Apr 21, 2006)

Rumor has it somebody got some smelt?!?!


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## osmerus (Sep 18, 2008)

Been too quiet on here. Rivers are all way up, snow is going quick, bays are mostly free of ice. Its gota be starting soon. These temps though show no sign of improvement cool all this week . was warmer this past weekend.

Anyone have any river or stream temps in the E.U.P they would be willing to share. Private messages are always welcome


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## upmounty (Sep 26, 2007)

getting some on Superior on curly lewis


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## Perchslayer1 (Jan 2, 2018)




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## localdj84 (Feb 17, 2009)

Smelt in the U.P. Guys better get out or you might miss em


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## hwang29 (Apr 23, 2019)

localdj84 said:


> Smelt in the U.P. Guys better get out or you might miss em


where did you get these?


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


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## Perchslayer1 (Jan 2, 2018)

Little day time smelt catch and release thought the days of daytime runs were over....:lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## gratioteer (Oct 10, 2002)

Perchslayer1 said:


> View attachment 394627
> View attachment 394629
> 
> 
> Little day time smelt catch and release thought the days of daytime runs were over....:lol::lol::lol::lol:


WOW!


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## fatbob240 (Mar 25, 2010)

Does anybody feel the run will be over this Thursday? That’s the first day I’ll have off since the run started


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## upmounty (Sep 26, 2007)

fatbob240 said:


> Does anybody feel the run will be over this Thursday? That’s the first day I’ll have off since the run started


 hard to say. I heard they ran good southeastern end of up. normally run later in superior. might be worth a trip


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## tbbassdaddy (Apr 21, 2006)

It was a good weekend folks!! My 9 guy crew got all we wanted!!! That day time stream pic above full of spawning smelt, we had one of those mements as well. Thurs it looked just like that pic, Friday morning 11am too, Friday evening it was more scarce, and Saturday morning, not a smelt in the stream. I finally had my "Fred Trost" Day Time Smelt moment!
tb


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## Perchslayer1 (Jan 2, 2018)

l


tbbassdaddy said:


> It was a good weekend folks!! My 9 guy crew got all we wanted!!! That day time stream pic above full of spawning smelt, we had one of those mements as well. Thurs it looked just like that pic, Friday morning 11am too, Friday evening it was more scarce, and Saturday morning, not a smelt in the stream. I finally had my "Fred Trost" Day Time Smelt moment!
> tb


Literally was thinkin the same thing I had always wanted too experience a day time dip like that video of fred back in the day and I finally did haha good stuff never could have imagined dipping them in the daytime during my lifetime


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Great looking net fulls of smelt U.P. there! . Never dipped in the yoop for them, but have been fishing the Soo area for years in the fall. I might be up to the Brimley east area to the Soo this weekend. If anyone has or can catch a fresh 3 or 4 quarts of cleaned smelt, I'd trade 3 or 4 quarts of walleye? It's froze in water, but was caught in the last couple weeks.


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## fatbob240 (Mar 25, 2010)

Can anybody give me an update on the smelt? I’d love to make the trip up, but would hate to make a six hour round trip for nothing. Any info would be appreciated. Good, bad or horrible.
PM me if you prefer that.
Thanks in advance!


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## tbbassdaddy (Apr 21, 2006)

fatbob240 said:


> Can anybody give me an update on the smelt? I’d love to make the trip up, but would hate to make a six hour round trip for nothing. Any info would be appreciated. Good, bad or horrible.
> PM me if you prefer that.
> Thanks in advance!


I've made more 11 hour round trips for nothing than I dare count for quite a few years.

These are reports from last weekend and things could change by Friday. I know the well known river by Mac ran well Thursday and Friday and slowed down Saturday after the front came through.

Hope you find your info!
Good luck
tb


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## fatbob240 (Mar 25, 2010)

tbbassdaddy said:


> I've made more 11 hour round trips for nothing than I dare count for quite a few years.
> 
> These are reports from last weekend and things could change by Friday. I know the well known river by Mac ran well Thursday and Friday and slowed down Saturday after the front came through.
> 
> ...


Thanks!


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Heard from a guy who just came back from up there today, and said they were about done, and fish stores were about out.


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## fatbob240 (Mar 25, 2010)

Ralph Smith said:


> Heard from a guy who just came back from up there today, and said they were about done, and fish stores were about out.


Thanks for the update Ralph.
I guess I’ll just get the boat ready for the bay!


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## osmerus (Sep 18, 2008)

They are still running, did ok last night off of Superior in chippewa county. Got a late start but they are running.. We were the only ones out dippin. Back at it tonight.


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## ajhallfr (Jan 1, 2014)

Headed to the west end tonight for a long weekend. Hopefully not too early up there.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

Leaving tomorrow a.m. for a week+ of work near The Bridge. 

Not sure if worth bringing the Smelt net for a run up to Curly Lewis still?


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## ajhallfr (Jan 1, 2014)

Found a few smelt on the west end this weekend. Buddy and I got our limit Thursday night, not running black but it was consistent. Friday it slowed down and we got about 2 gallons between 3 of us. Saturday night it was very slow with lots of searching. There were a few around, but not really worth dipping. I don't think the main run had happened yet over that way.

Good luck all


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