OAHE Smelt Run

[Rowdie]

Any information I hear about smelt run I'll share. If & when they run some people would still like to try to get some.

 

[scrotcaster]

please do, very interested in trying to catch some too

 

[Lycanthrope]

If you all wanna work together, ive got a big seine that might be helpful...

 

[Rowdie]

I've got a brand new one with a good set of waders. I just need to know when they're running. I'm not sure there's enough of them to have a decent run. It should shut down the fishing for a month but for the past few years I know guys were catching fish with smelt in the area.

 

[CJR]

The smelt run in Mobridge is one of my favorite childhood memories. Hanging around the bonfire every year and finally being old enough to put on waders and pull the net....only to realize it was damn cold in the water!!

 

[Rowdie]

IF we could get the runs we did in the 80's to 00's I would host a big ole bonfire and welcome all to it to get their fill. You could pretty much hit any decent sandy shore during the hot run week and it was stupid easy for at least a couple hours each night if not most of the night. Now, I can't remember pulling in a good net full. Of course I'm not out every night all night scouting them. There used to be a few old guys that would sit up all night at the docks checking for them. I know that with the population of smelt now, that timing will be everything. I've seen where they wouldn't come in until 3 or 4 am and then it was crazy. I've seen it be very good and the next day you'd think would even be better but it was really off.

But yeah, the stories of smelting in HS and college, crazy times. Lots of beer and whisky drinking by the bonfire.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I dont know about oahe, but I think the smelt population at sak might be higher than usual, I just posted a picture of one I caught through the ice a few weeks ago, Every time I put a lure down in wolf creek area, there would be dozens of smelt around it in a few minutes, also the big pike havent been biting very well which leads me to believe there might be an over abundance of baitfish around also. I was just up there again on sunday and only caught one small fish, didnt see anyone catching much either.

 

[bravo]

Do you guys keep them for bait or for a smelt fry? Never ate one but I’d love to get into them either way.

 

[Kurtr]

Do you guys keep them for bait or for a smelt fry? Never ate one but I’d love to get into them either way.

Bait.....Every smelt fry is prefaced by being shit faced. I tried them once and they taste like bait i was sober

 

[Lycanthrope]

Do you guys keep them for bait or for a smelt fry? Never ate one but I’d love to get into them either way.

Ive never tried them and definitely want some for bait, but Id give them a try also. I hear if you batter them and fry until crispy they are pretty good... Only fresh tho

 

[Kurtr]

Ive never tried them and definitely want some for bait, but Id give them a try also. I hear if you batter them and fry until crispy they are pretty good... Only fresh tho

Its a lie i did it from the water to the fryer and still tasted like crap and i like sardines

 

[1lessdog]

The thing with a Smelt fry is, they batter them up and drop in the 350 degree oil. After about two batches the oil has cooled down to 310 degrees or so and it cant recover fast enough and they dont cook all the way. Then they taste like bait or bad fish. And the guys running the fryers normally have had to much to drank and dont know any better.

 

[Kurtr]

i did 10 so the oil was good and hot

 

[Lycanthrope]

I assume alcohol is usually involved in smelt frying, might account for the good reports.... at least the pike like them, thats the important thing!

 

[wjschmaltz]

We have a very large run of anadromous smelt/hooligan/candlefish statewide here. It's mostly Asian folk that line the rivers day after day filling cooler after cooler. There are a few other dudes that are scattered in just looking for a bucket full to use as bait. I've dipped em b/c it's a fun thing to do and kept a handful for bait and gave the rest away to people fishing nearby.

There are so many good ways to fill freezers and smelt isn't on my list. I've had em prepped different ways by white folk, Asian folk, and native folk and it's a hard pass all around for me.

 

[NodakBob]

Used to go to the Fox Island boat ramp at midnight during the run and get a few gallons for bait with a scoop net...they seemed to like the yard light at the dock...tried eating a few battered and fried, tasted like I needed to have been brought up in an alternative heritage to enjoy eating them...kinda like rocky mt. oysters...there's so much other better cuts and stuff to eat

 

[Retired-Guy]

The only smelt that I have eaten came out of Lake Superior and they were delicious. After drinking lots of beer with them, the stomach the next day felt like they were still swimming around. LOL

 

[Rowdie]

It's been so long since I ate one I couldn't honestly say. Cut a fresh one in half and the meat looks nice and white. I think cleaning them good helps. A good batter and hot greeze is a must I gather. Too much work for the payoff IMO. Great bait though. Oh and don't wash em off before freezing. Get all that stink in the bag.

 

[Rowdie]

Another shit spring where even if we had the populations of the 80's and 90's, the weather would have busted the run.