OAHE Smelt Q?

Rowdie

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I couldn't find any information about smelt populations, and or if there will be a run this year??
 


Rowdie

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I haven't heard of anyone getting any in years.
 

huffranger

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Only smelt in Oahe I have seen in the last 10 years was at Eckroths corner ice fishing, current somehow washed the smelt into my hole.

Shame, that was allot of fun when I was a kid netting them for pike bait.
 

Kurtr

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Since I have moved here in 2002 a group of us had gone out in Easter or so and always got some. A few years there was no season so didn’t go those years a few years only a few were netted but a couple years back we were filling five gallon buckets pretty easy
 


Rowdie

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Since I have moved here in 2002 a group of us had gone out in Easter or so and always got some. A few years there was no season so didn’t go those years a few years only a few were netted but a couple years back we were filling five gallon buckets pretty easy

They should be starting any day now. I'd say after a warm day tomorrow would get them started, if there are enough of them to make it decent is the question. I can't find any data on projected numbers in OAHE anywhere.

I started going for them in the mid 80's, it was more of a huge drinking party than seriously tying to get them. We really didn't need that many for bait, it was just fun getting shit faced at a bonfire. Ah to be in HS again at a river party, those were the days. Got some really good smelting stories, but a public forum where a lot of people know who I am isn't the place to share them. In the 90's when our nets and waders were trash, and I was a broke college kid, I would befriend tourists and they would give me a bucket full once I showed them how to seine them.

- - - Updated - - -

I did not know that smelt could run? Are they fast?

Ifn you didn't know schmeldt could run,,,,well then you don't know your azz from a whole in the ground. And fast, you wouldn't believe it!!
 

Lycanthrope

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Id be interested in getting a few myself if anyone can post a report of when and where its happening.... Thanks
 

Allen

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Id be interested in getting a few myself if anyone can post a report of when and where its happening.... Thanks

Look for shallow sand/gravel bars. Sandy bays, etc. It's generally pretty widespread, so just get your waders on and a dipnet and start looking.
 

Lycanthrope

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Look for shallow sand/gravel bars. Sandy bays, etc. It's generally pretty widespread, so just get your waders on and a dipnet and start looking.

Yeah, Id like to skip the looking part and just go get some... #$%^&>
 


Lycanthrope

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we always go to boat ramps nice to walk out on concrete just dont go off the end haha

Local boat ramps (bis/man) or drive down to beaver bay or what? I thought the smelt didnt really run up river much anymore and hung out more in the lake? Anyone actually been out and gotten some yet?
 

pointer

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Back in the eighties and early nineties April 15 th was usually about the time they ran at Beaver Bay, and a few days later at Hazelton
 

Kurtr

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Local boat ramps (bis/man) or drive down to beaver bay or what? I thought the smelt didnt really run up river much anymore and hung out more in the lake? Anyone actually been out and gotten some yet?

mobridge
 

Rowdie

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It's a big waiting game. The may only run for a few hours and at different times all night long. Just get a bunch of beer n sit by the lake all night, or most of it. Until you can see them up shallow, its not very productive. Not sure how a guy is supposed to use a dip net, seems pretty silly that in ND you can't use a seine net. I know these guys on the Rez always used to seine them.
 


701spot&stalk

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oh man back in the day the one mile was the place to be. buckets and buckets. course that was thirty yrs ago. tasty little buggers.
 

Kurtr

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oh man back in the day the one mile was the place to be. buckets and buckets. course that was thirty yrs ago. tasty little buggers.

so I was told how tasty they are but it seemed being hammered drunk was always part of the same story. I cooked some plumb sober and they were horrible so I did the same for the people who told me how good they were. Seems being oiled up is the key to them tasting good . Haha
 

Lycanthrope

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It's a big waiting game. The may only run for a few hours and at different times all night long. Just get a bunch of beer n sit by the lake all night, or most of it. Until you can see them up shallow, its not very productive. Not sure how a guy is supposed to use a dip net, seems pretty silly that in ND you can't use a seine net. I know these guys on the Rez always used to seine them.

I think you can use a seine if you wanna pony up $10 for a bait vendor license, thats what it used to be at least. NDGF seems to have a phobia of nets of any sort, im surprised they allow people to use landing nets. I tried to get them to allow casting nets also and they seem to think if it was legal for bait, everyone would be catching spawning walleye and pike and keeping them... Wild imaginations some of those guys have.
 

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