I 8 smelt

[Davey Crockett]

Stopped at walmart for smelt for fishing and all they had were wild caught ,headless and gutted . I thought what the heck and bought them anyway then I got to wondering what they taste like so I pan fried half a dozen. yuck. Is that common or did I do something wrong ?

 

[Kurtr]

I thought the same thing with the fresh caught ones in Oahe. Every story I got about them being good involved a lot of booze.

 

[Allen]

Smelt generally don't freeze well. I've had good smelt and bad smelt, frozen and unfrozen.

All that have been cleaned as Davey describes are good fresh if you dip them in beer batter and deep fry them to a little bit of a crisp.

Note: they are certainly unique and if your idea of fish has to be walleye-like, you will certainly be disappointed.

 

[Tinesdown]

Have not personally eaten smelt but the pike in spring mid april sure love them hide a hook an run it throught the body4 times wrapped i stopped trying lead wire an just sacrifice the hook if i dont lip hook em or am lucky enough to mouth hook em an not clip a tooth (braided)line has been better for me.

 

[701FishSlayer]

Can't say I've ever been that hungry. Barf.

 

[CatDaddy]

Do people eat fatheads or creek chubs? I'm not sure why folks do this! Feed them to the fish you are supposed to eat!

 

[Allen]

BTW, I don't know that I have ever run across safe for human consumption smelt in a grocery store. Everything I have ever seen has been labeled as not for human consumption.

I always thought it was weird that bait was sold in the grocery store. Or something like that.

 

[riverview]

if they arent for eating why does every store in nd sell them??

 

[Average_NDA_Member]

Hmm ive eaten many smelt in my day never caught my own just roasted a couple over the sunflower heater when the tip ups were slow n they are just fine don’t surprise me though im more of a man then all of u

 

[Davey Crockett]

Hmm ive eaten many smelt in my day never caught my own just roasted a couple over the sunflower heater when the tip ups were slow n they are just fine don’t surprise me though im more of a man then all of u

You should change your handle to "above average NDA member" so everyone realizes this and gives you the recognition you deserve.

 

[guywhofishes]

I too want to deep fry them every time I see them in the frozen aisle. I love sardines and kippers - so my instincts tell me “they must be good”.

But I never do. Seems like maybe I’ve been lucky not to have tried it.

 

[Davey Crockett]

I coated these with panko and pan fried them to a crisp , they sure looked good but there was no taste to them at all. Wife wouldn't try one and neither would Sparky so I spiced them up and forced a couple down.

 

[Average_NDA_Member]

You should change your handle to "above average NDA member" so everyone realizes this and gives you the recognition you deserve.

I appreciate that

 

[tikkalover]

It's been many years but I use to net them in the spring when they spawn. Take a scissors cut the head off, slit the belly and thumb the guts out. Run them through an egg wash then in seasoned flour and deep fry. You had to eat them fresh because if you froze them they lost their flavor.

 

[Prairie Doggin']

I too want to deep fry them every time I see them in the frozen aisle. I love sardines and kippers - so my instincts tell me “they must be good”.

But I never do. Seems like maybe I’ve been lucky not to have tried it.

Nothing the pinkrat couldn't fix.

 

[Allen]

if they arent for eating why does every store in nd sell them??

Good question, but take a look at the package next time you see the frozen smelt in a bag.

 

[fireone]

In the old days every wildlife club and bar would have a smelt fry night when the run was on in the spring. Cleaned as described above and deep fried they were great and that's from a fussy eater.

 

[guywhofishes]

Nothing the pinkrat couldn't fix.

That went through my mind as I was writing it.

 

[Retired-Guy]

Used to live near Duluth. Every spring one of our local contractors sponsored a free smelt fry at the local country club. They were battered and deep fried and the beer was cold. They were delicious. The next day at work my gut felt like they were still swimming around. LOL

 

[Rowdie]

Frozen smelt....? Ya probably not good.

Fresh, I haven't had any since High school. But, the meat on them looks good.