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Short answer: When Smelting by the beach house or before the airport you need to take the designated trails over the sand dunes to the beach on the lake side.

Good luck everyone it looks like it will be a great night. I'm signing off for the evening going to take care of some family things before heading down to the point.

Have fun and be safe!!

You were a little quicker with your answer Northlander!!!

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  • Northlander

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Anybody been to the Knife River? Thinking about driving down there tonight from Silver Bay but haven't heard anything. Thanks!

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Please keep us posted on tonights action at Park Point. I'm assuming it should be a good night considering the nice weather.

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Thanks, that's what my ex-wife used to call me because I have a really round head. smile

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Lester river was packed tonight, got down there around 845pm left at about 1am got a somewhat decent haul of smelt, about 15 gallons between two of us.

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Other then the weather and lake conditions being great, we saw very little action early where we were on the point. We started at 9:00 and quit 10:15 for work and school reasons.

Hopefully it was just a slow start to the night and things picked up after we called it a night. glad to hear there was a little action at the Lester.

Look forward to the rest of the reports from last night and will be giving it another try this evening if I get a crew together.

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Tom call me I can come down for a bit if I get my truck window fixed.

What a difference a night makes eh? crazy

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Was out last night at park point from about 830pm til midnight. It started out slow as BD110 mentioned, but things picked up a little bit around 1030pm and then they came in and out until they slowed down about at midnight. Our best pulls were a few that filled our buckets pretty good. We only managed to get about 15 gallons of smelt.

What a beautiful night to be out. Very little wind, the lake was calm and the water wasn't too cold. Goodluck......full-34423-8130-smelting2011.jpg

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hey great stuff lispeej!!glad you finaly connected. good luck.

Thanks Reinhard.

I know. It is about time, but the truth is....

It's all about timing.

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Anybody think if waves will be too big tonight to Smelt on Park Point?

As of about 3:45 the lake looked just fine.

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Top pic is what my buddy had after his first WI outing after dispensing about twice that away. The private land owner said not to bother driving up as the smelt were not in yet. He had the smelt in the first pic, then two of the 150qt coolers found in the second pic, again about half his total take that night, two guys.

The last pic was my take from night two in WI, and it was very slow compared to night three were my buddy took four garbage cans full and two big coolers. That night my dad took three big coolers full, I took two. Once we realized we were at full capacity we gave 60 gallons away to some local smelters who weren't doing very well. Tough to say for sure but suspect in 3 nights Superior provided 2,000# or more of smelt. The amazing thing was we left all three night by midnight when the run was on full boar.

As of today all the smelt are sold...

full-4493-8153-002.jpg

full-4493-8154-003.jpg

full-4493-8155-014.jpg

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That is enough for a lifetime! Hope you clean them all and not waste anything!!!!

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When I went for the first time last year I asked the guys I was with what they did with it all. I kept 2 gallons, which I thought was enough. They said they would each have a fry, one guy used it for leech traps, another fed them to his chickens as cheap protein, another used it for trapping mink etc.. I kept some for bait, immediately afterward found out I couldn't even use it.

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Im wondering if bars can buy smelt from individuals to use at their smelt fries or if they have to use commercially caught smelt? Anyone know?

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I bought a lot from Mr, Dougger and ate a bunch during Easter weekend. I rather be out smelting, but since none of my friends are into the outdoors as I am, I wasn't able to get out this year. I love eating these things and I struck gold and found a post by Doug and ended up bringing home some Smelt for my 29th Birthday and fried them up Saturday night. Feed about 20+ heads and cooked for another 20+ heads on Sunday for Easter/and another family members bday. I ended up cooking most of what I purchased and gave a lot away to family and friends. However, I was able to pick up the rest of what Dougger had left last night and I just threw those in the freezer. I will eat them through out the year and glad I was able to get my fry on. Those Smelt didn't go to waste and they were tasty. Great Forum guys and I hopefully next seasonI can talk my friends and family into smelting, if not I will contact Mr, Dougger.

And BTW, Thanks a bunch andKeep in touch.

Thund

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Welcome Thunderfisherman nice to have a new member on the Duluth Forum.

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I bought a lot from Mr, Dougger and ate a bunch during Easter weekend. I rather be out smelting, but since none of my friends are into the outdoors as I am, I wasn't able to get out this year. I love eating these things and I struck gold and found a post by Doug and ended up bringing home some Smelt for my 29th Birthday and fried them up Saturday night. Feed about 20+ heads and cooked for another 20+ heads on Sunday for Easter/and another family members bday. I ended up cooking most of what I purchased and gave a lot away to family and friends. However, I was able to pick up the rest of what Dougger had left last night and I just threw those in the freezer. I will eat them through out the year and glad I was able to get my fry on. Those Smelt didn't go to waste and they were tasty. Great Forum guys and I hopefully next seasonI can talk my friends and family into smelting, if not I will contact Mr, Dougger.

And BTW, Thanks a bunch andKeep in touch.

Thund

Hey man, seasons not over yet. Still time to get out!!!

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Finally got all of my Smelt cleaned and hoping this weather turns around before they leave the area. Looking to give it another try on Friday!!

Glad to see things picked up later Sunday night. It looked like a good night on Monday as well but I chose to take the night off, little to much going on in my life as of late.

Stay dry, Stay warm and Stay safe!!!

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Quick question:

I tried to find the answer online but I couldn't.

I never hear anyone talking about using throw nets/casting nets.

Is it not legal to use them for smelting?

I myself have only used seines and dip nets. But don't know how effective these other nets will be anyways.

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I was out last night on Park Point. Waves were big and wasnt able to really seign for Smelt. I didnt get even 1 Smelt last night frown . A few people got a few Smelt per pull, but most people just sat around or most who did pull did not seem to get any from what I saw yesterday.

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When the waves are big at park point, I usually have better luck at the lester. Them big waves are scary and can be very dangerous.

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