You ever go smeltin?

[701FishSlayer]

I've never been hungry enough to try this.

 

[D-Racer]

I've never been hungry enough to try this.

Did this once....required mass quantities of beer.

 

[grumster]

It was an annual spring thing when I was a youngster but we use steel dip nets in the rivers and creeks, and yes as I aged beer was a must. Hard to beat a smelt dinner..

 

[Lycanthrope]

Is that a woman or a boy? I initially thought boy but the voice made me unsure...

 

[Jiffy]

The McDonald's parking lot probably has a dumpster.

 

[Obi-Wan]

very common years ago to have smelt fry or rocky mountain oyster fry's at small town bars put on by the local clubs as fundraisers.

 

[Allen]

Fresh smelt are not that bad. We ate them every year for quite a few years when I was young. Like mentioned above, lots of local bars and sporting clubs held a smelt fry every spring.

That being said, I haven't eaten a smelt in 30-some years. Can't say that I miss them, or Rocky Mountain Oysters.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

I heard that the Gillett Arkansas Coon Supper is pretty popular in that local area. On a coon all the cuts are prime cuts

 

[rustneversleeps]

The last time I caught smelt in Bismarck was on April 16, 1994. I made a plan with three of my buddies to go smelting because I had a smelt net, and we heard they were running. We met at 10:30 p.m. at my house south of town. Turns out two of the guys didn't have fishing licenses so we headed to the Holiday Store to get them legal. We got to the Desert before 11:30. There were a couple of guys on the shore with lanterns and nets but not much happening for them. We left after twenty minutes and headed for the Rifle Range. I walked out on the dock with my lantern and checked the water. There were clouds of smelt swarming in the water on the ramp. I got on waders and had a five-gallon bucket full in three swoops. My buddies fought over the net to see who would go next. We took our four buckets full to my garage, broke out the beer and a deep frier. I remember going to sleep at 3:30 and cleaning smelt I had iced the next day. I took a neighbor to the Rifle Range to repeat this the next night. We ate deep-fried smelt three or four more times, but they are really rich and oily and you get your fill pretty quickly. I haven't done this since, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[johnr]

Is that a woman or a boy? I initially thought boy but the voice made me unsure...

They haven't picked yet

 

[tikkalover]

I did the smelt thing a couple times many years ago north on Newtown.

Was smart enough to not bring home a whole 5-gallon bucket.

Anyone ever try and pickle them?

 

[701FishSlayer]

Is that a woman or a boy? I initially thought boy but the voice made me unsure...

That's Murrey. It took me a longtime to figure it out too. He's a dude, dude.

 

[Rowdie]

Poke or hole?

In SD we can use seine nets. The trick is waiting until they are swarming the shoreline. You may have to wait until late br the fire, and how else do use pass the time but by drinking? We did it a lot in the 80s and 90s. We only cleaned them a few times. I'd suggest cleaning them ASAP at the lake.

 

[Lycanthrope]

very much BS that the ND GF has such a phobia of nets, both seine and casting... I think it would be cool to be able to net smelt for bait up on sak also, lord knows theres not a shortage of them in that lake!

 

[espringers]

come again?! wtf.

 

[Kurtr]

come again?! wtf.

Your going to be a felon in possession of a cast net.. haha . better go burn it to get rid of all the evidence

 

[Lycanthrope]

Your going to be a felon in possession of a cast net.. haha . better go burn it to get rid of all the evidence

Funny thing is walmart used to sell the dang things... of course I didnt buy one!

 

[espringers]

i saw them at wally world too.

 

[Retired-Guy]

When I was in college, I did the same thing that the guys in the video are doing....seined smelt off Park Point in Duluth. Lots of smelt and lots of beer!

 

[1lessdog]

Back in 1974 or 75 my Dad and 2 other guys got in a pickup and went up to Duluth after the Smelt. They had a stock tank in the back of the pickup. They brought back about 200 gallons of them. And the wildlife club in Harvey had a smelt fry. Take a scissor and cut the head off and up the belly to gut them out. I cleaned 100's of them. I was 14 yrs old and must of ate a gallon myself. Make sure the oil is good and hot before you dip them in. If not there mushy and not cooked all the way. I could eat a few now, I do know I wouldn't tank up on them now days.