Smelt Run?

[Pickelfarmer]

Anyone got any info on the 2009 smelt run??

When do you think they might start?? We were thinking around April28th???? We got about a 3 hour drive and would love it if anybody would be willing to give out a little info. Please E mail me @ [email protected]. Thanks for any info!

P.S. i saw the other posts,but they got a little off topic and didn't give out to much info???

[MOBY RICHARD*]

Nuttin' goin' yet...waters around Madeline and Apostle Islands is starting to warm a little...about 4 degrees warmer than Duluth area during Sunny Day hours...still about 10 degrees below what's needed...they run over there about a week earlier...

Looks like another 2 weeks...unless a lot of warm rain comes...so much for my early run prediction, maybe this will turn it the other way...

[matthothand]

Left the seine at home tonight (actually, I forgot it) and went dippin'. My buddy and I wound up with 2 1/2 gallons in a long hurry. We got checked tonight by a couple really good CO's and fortunately we had our licenses on us. Can't say the same for a couple others. So remember to carry your fishing license when smelting. Oh, I could probably mention we weren't on the Gitche.

[Surface Tension]

Matt let me guess. Grindstone

Pickelfarmer, there is not much info to give yet.

Keep an eye on the threads, when they start to run you'll know about it. Which brings up another point. Typically there is a two week window that you can count on. April 28th should get you in that window somewhere. Then its a matter of temps and waves.

[fish_4_fun]

My buddy and I wound up with 2 1/2 gallons in a long hurry. We got checked tonight by a couple really good CO's and fortunately we had our licenses on us.

so there are some smelts actually running, and there is just not alot right? so people are actually catching them now right?

[opsirc]

still have to go out and get a new set of waders, last ones sprung a leak, took home a few gallon of icey water. think I still have time tho.

[Raider4ever]

P.S. i saw the other posts,but they got a little off topic and didn't give out to much info???

[MOBY RICHARD*]

Originally Posted By: matthothand

My buddy and I wound up with 2 1/2 gallons in a long hurry. We got checked tonight by a couple really good CO's and fortunately we had our licenses on us.

so there are some smelts actually running, and there is just not alot right? so people are actually catching them now right?

As Matt stated he was not on Superior, so he was on an Inland Lake or Stream...nothin goin around Superior yet...too cold...

Look for around 46-48 degrees in the Superior streams...only 36-38 degree water now...warm rain could change that faster...

[leech~~]

Was just on C/List, punched in "Smelt" under All sales just for the heck of it. There's some fish guy from Ashland selling Lake Superior Smelt for Fertilizer or bait!! He says hurry as L/S smelt are dwindling! No wonder!!

[tacklejunkie]

He says hurry as L/S smelt are dwindling!

thank god

[fish_4_fun]

for those of you guys who always check out the smelting conditions, i wonder if you guys could take a few photos and post it here too. i know the reports are always so cool, but no photos of smelt in any of the past reports.

[fish_4_fun]

another question, can you catch smelts with line and lure. i know during the day they stay close to shore getting ready for the night run. what can you use to catch them?

[Down Deep]

I was driving to work this morning and notice that all the ice is up against the Park Point shore line. Looked to be about 400 yards of chunk ice. I hope we get a west wind.

[andrew chadwick]

another question, can you catch smelts with line and lure. i know during the day they stay close to shore getting ready for the night run. what can you use to catch them?

only in the winter.

[leech~~]

tacke, why so many Smelt haters out there? They are good feed for the Trout and Salmon, and US! There here hey not use them?

[mnj1233]

We have been testing the waters off the Superior entry/WI Point and no signs yet. We get out there every few days. If we see any evidence Ill post it here.

[opsirc]

the whole shore was iced in.

[chaffmj]

Lot of people at Grindstone tonight. Something must be going on.

[fish_4_fun]

where is grindstones?

[Fish Slayer]

Hinkley

[KG243]

I will be there tonight!

[fish_4_fun]

is grindstone a lake or something? i wanna try to, can anybody tell me how to get there or where i can get information on it.

[matthothand]

THE SCHMELT ARE RUNNING!!!!

[MOBY RICHARD*]

Nice little catch...

How long are those...they look much bigger than Superior...

From the inland I presume...how much earlier do they run there compared to Superior...

Must be freezing them for bait as they look pretty discolored...

[matthothand]

They are the perfect size. Some of them got discolored from sitting in the bucket a while. Anyone else getting any yet? I think the 20th should be good.

[BD110]

I was driving to work this morning and notice that all the ice is up against the Park Point shore line. Looked to be about 400 yards of chunk ice. I hope we get a west wind.

Large amounts of ice came off of park point today and working it way out into the main body of the lake. I was not on the shore of park point but from what I could see from the freeway things look to be opening up very well. The ice flow is about 2 miles off of shore in places and hopefully it keeps moving further out as the evening goes on.

[traveler]

I swung by loonsfoot landing and it's still pretty iced in...too much shade there.

[MOBY RICHARD*]

Water temps are starting to rise with the ices demise...up 4-6 degrees West of Bayfield...up 2-4 degrees further West to Duluth...except where a little ice remains...

Actually some 40+ degree water around the Apostles Islands...it will cool a little this weekend, but that is getting close...another week of Sun or some warm rain and they should start over there...

[dougger222]

Last year I saw one of the best Superior smelt runs in the past 10 years. My wife and I spend half a week up there end of April for our aniversary and last year they ran every night we were up there from the 25-29th. There were enough to go around but they were small.

Waiting for a ride to go up to Grindstone tonight.

Was going to stay home until Matt posted that pic, thanks for the heads up and I hope there will be room for another dip net. Nothing like some pics of nice smelt causing a mad dash!

[Pickelfarmer]

Hey thanks guys for all the info. My buddy and I will be coming up on the 26th. Hope with the warm weather this coming week that we hit it just right!! Keep us posted if you will. Thanks again.