For those of you who do allot of ice off pike fishing do you notice any advantage to using big smelt vs small? Specifically do you notice a preference for the big girls on the smelt?
Smelt size
- Thread starter dean nelson
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Big girls sometimes smelt more, sometimes they smelt less. I like bigger smelt for bigger girls. As in pike... slippery slope here.
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Big girls like big... er' smelt Market Place had some huge ones the other day. Easily 7-10 inchers, looked fresh too.
Where is market place?
Yeah so has the super market i go to thus why asked the question to see if they are worth the higher price.
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I have always went by the rule that big, fresh smelt are the best for big pike IMHO. More scent and bigger target. Market Place is in Minot
Bigger and fresher is better.
One year I ordered some giant smelt and thought I was gonna slaughter the fatties. The results were....well lets just say I no longer order giant smelt. I still try to use the biggest smelt in the bag that are probably 7 to 8 inches at the biggest. I actually like the herring that come vacuum sealed in those Styrofoam trays. They seem to be a little bigger than your average store bought smelt and are a little flashier. I have caught a three over 20 and plenty over 15 and all have come on the smaller smelt. I really don't think the size matters as much as one would like to think. If you don't mind spending the extra money on the big smelt and it gives you more confidence thats the way to go. I personally don't think the pike care either way. The smelt hanging there isn't swimming away from them regardless if there hungry theyll eat whatever size it is. Its kinda like a fat girl, you think she's gonna pass up that piece of chocolate just cause its small? I doubt it.
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I don't think size matters at all. I can have myself surrounded by smelt and minnow tip ups but still the northerns usually choose my little tungsten jig most of the time. It gets expensive lol
That the weird thing i had a couple packs of herring last year and tried them in a spot where we were picking up 5 to 8 pound pike on every cast with smelt and for whatever reason they wouldn't touch it! These smelt are so huge i may as well pick up a couple packs of them and see what happens. If nothing else I will burn them up at new Johns when the time is right.
I'm with ya Dean. I can't get a take on a herring to save my life while others swear by them. We also catch our fair share of suckers and throw them in the freezer. I thought that would be the hot bait. No dice. Smelt seems to be the only way to go.
After checking out scheels smelt I went straight to Dan's and picked up both small and jumbo. Scheels stuff is over priced and freezer burned bad. Hell the big bag at Dan's has way more in it and are far fresher then the other shops. Through in a pack of last year's herring for reference on size of the big smelt.
Ive always had better luck with smelt than herring. Sometimes size matters, sometimes it doesnt. Ive had cases where pike didnt want big smelt and we didnt start catching much until we started using he little ones in the bag. Strange
Good to here though it was just me. They look so good with all the scales and what not but just couldn't do crap with them. Though about cutting some slits in their side so they could move more like a swimbait and then try working them on the bottom for some sumo walleyes or small mouths but never did get around to trying it.
Ive ran smelt of all sizes, herring, and i have a bag of frozen sardine in the freezer now to try. I haven't noticed to much of a difference on size of pike compared to size of smelt. if a 16 inch hammer handle wants to hit a 9 inch smelt it will. I've caught them. I have had herring out produce smelt but it all depend on the day, smelt is more reliable for pulling fish up. as some have stated fresh local smelt tops all. even 3-4 inchers from the tailrace will do better than any frozen smelt. as for my 9 inch sardines.... gotta get them out one day. if they dont work the i guess ill grill some up
Used frozen goldeye one year for big pike and they worked pretty well. I can't think of a stinkier bait than a dead goldeye. The hole would be covered in oil, but the pike didn't seem to care. The biggest we caught was 12.
Thought about trying those as well. The super high oil content might do some great things.
Red hotdogs!!!:;:rockit;:;boozer
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