Conference wahoo::fishing

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
	I have been smelt fishing for 6 weeks, where you been...Any of the
north shore harbors are good....Marblehead, Beverly, Salem and Crystal Cove
marina in Revere is good......I go quite ofton, give me a call, but I only
go at night, BECAUSE I AM STILL BASS fishing and will be until the ice sets
in.....Winners are not wimps, ie; afraid of the cold....My boat also skims
across the ice real well....When my other have puts a lock and key on it,
then its away til the first sign of melt down.......

Only bustin ya Tim....Give me a call anytime Bass or smelt.....

Bigbird

    Bigbird, do you really smelt fish in open water?  I know folks net them
    in  open water, somtime hundreds at a time, but I've never heard of
    anyone fishing for them with rod and reel thru open water. But, I
    always figured there were some real 'winners' out there who did, I
    just haven't been able to find any who'd admit to it.  8^) Just a little 
    bustin back at ya, us moderators and smelt fishermen have to stick 
    together 8^) 
    
    Seriously though, I've never heard anyone talk about catching them with
    rod and reel in open water, altthough I know some folks do it. I'd be
    interested in hearing about it.  
    
    On another note, this year I'm going to try automatic reels for
    smelting in the shack.  I got a box of YoYos thru bps (page 261, 90
    master catalog).  I've seen these mounted in some other smelt shacks
    and I'm looking forward to giving them a shot.  I know the smelt will
    not be able to trigger the retrieve mechanism, but giving the line a
    tug and having it wind up automatically will beat the hand-over-hand
    action that is required when your in a shack.  It might be a little
    more difficult noticing the bite though, since there will not be a
    sensitive rod tip to watch - but a slip bobber should do the trick.  
    
    Has anyone tried yoyos for smelt?
    
    donmac - who has his smelt shack setup in the basement now and it still
             smells like frying smelt!

I've seen people smelting in the Danvers river in Beverly while running out
of the river with Bruce Sweet.  I've never tried it in open water but I am
certainly game.  What is the appropriate tackle?  How many are you likely to
get?  I'm up for trying it any night.  How about this Friday?  I got my bucket,
my lantern and my sweedish pimples plus other jigs.  Get some worms and the
appropriate rod (which is what??) and we're there!

Does anyone know of any tidal rivers on the North Shore which people smelt
through the ice?? I'd like to be able to go somewhere closer than Great Bay
once and a while...

Tim

    I have been reading about smelt being around most of the mass bay
    harbors for about a month. Basically I see folks fishing for them
    with cane poles from the boat docks. The town pier in Beverly is
    a popular spot. 
    
    Bruce

    	It doesn't surprise my that you can catch them through open water.
    My father has told me numerous times about people catching smelt off the 
    Hampton wharf long before ice in. I've never tried it there, but we did
    do it once down in Plymouth Mass off the dock next to the Mayflower. As
    I remember, any ultra-light will work fine. You can easily feel them
    bite.
    
    	The only reason I don't do open water smelt is that I'm typically
    busy deer hunting, which lasts until about 2-3 weeks before there's
    enough ice up Great Bay.
    
    	RAYJ

    	I remember a fellow down there who used to fish for smelt in open
    water. He used a flyrod blank with no guides. He cut off the tip and
    snaked the line through the hollow blank. He claimed it was super
    sensitive that way. I think the reel was just something to wrap the
    line around because it was fished like a cane pole. He used a two piece 
    blank with the top piece inside the bottom so it could telescope.
    	As for me, I'm planning on shrinking my shack up to something more
    portable. The old design is an engineering marvel that is erected on
    site. 
    	I use the standard (up here anyways) setup with many lines
    wrapped around pegs in a 2" x 2" peice of wood which is suspended over
    the race hole lengthwise.
    	I hope to do the construction over Thanksgiving break, unless I
    don't get my deer by then.
    

    Hi,
    
    I'm one of those people who sit (or used to) on the North Shore docks
    fishing for smelt. I've got up to 10 pounds at a time in Winthrop and
    Lynn (using two poles I may add). When they are biting they are biting
    but when they aren't it's painfully boring!
    
    Marina Bay in Quincy used to be a hot spot but I don't think they
    let you fish there any more.
    
    I stopped fishing because it really wasn't worth it. I would only get a
    dozen or so in 4 hours!!
    
    Another place(s) worth mentioning are the Point of Pines yacht club in
    Revere and a small bridge on Bennington St across from Suffolk downs
    in East Boston (both only good around January when smelt head up the
    rivers). I've clobbered them well in both places in past years.
    
    Can any say they have done well on the North Shore with the last few
    years?
    
    By the way, this may come as a shock but I used to catch buckets full
    of smelt (on two poles) on the seaward side of Thompsons island -
    in AUGUST. Seems they mass around the outer harbor and head up the
    rivers to spawn.
    
    Good Luck - I'll be glad to join anyone if they can tell me they've
    done ok in the last few years.
    
    Regards,
    
    Joe D'Agostino

    
    Date:       26-Nov-1990
    Place:      Danvers River, Beverly/Salem bridge
    Time:       17:00-21:00
    High/low:   high @ 17:40
    How many:   45 smelt.

Well, I went last night.  Had a good time.  The smelt in MA are a bit bigger
than I remember getting in the great bay area.  They were deep, about 25'.
Caught most during slack high tide and the beginning of outgoing.  Slowed way
down about 7, getting 40 of the 45 in the first 1.5-2 hours and only 5
in the last 1.5-2 hours.  Lot's of sperling (sp?) aka silversides.  They got
really annoying as they hit but don't get hooked.  Funny thing is, I got 5
on one rod and 40 on the other.  Same depth.  When I got home, I noticed
that the sweedish pimples were different colors. One silver(the good one)
and one gold(the slow rod)....


Tim

    
    Date:       28-Nov-1990
    Place:      Danvers River, Beverly/Salem bridge
    Time:       18:00-22:00
    High/low:   high @ 19:20
    How many:   30 smelt.

This time there were 4 people fishing for those 30.  A bit slower than Monday.
I'll be there tomorrow around 9:30am to try during the day.  People I've
talked to there say the day is at least as good and sometimes better than
night.  Anyone want to go????


TIm

    re: .last
    
    	sounds interesting. What to you use for a rod? would an ultralight
    	spinner be OK? Are there different sizes for the jigs? How do you
    	get to this bridge?
    
    			Robert.

    Hi,
    I haven't been active in this notesfile - normally I just like to read
    it when I get a chance. BUT since we are talking smelt fishing and I 
    LOVE to go smelting I thought I'd reply.  Has anybody tried fishing the
    Exeter river or great bay near Sawyer farm yet this year ? 
    
    Also, are Tommy cods good to eat ?  I seem to always catch lots of them
    early in the season, some get to be about 8-10" long...  
    
    Ps. I have 2-3 man smelt shack @ Sawyers (insulated even with an indoor
    outdoor thermometer) it just adds to the pleasure to know that it is 75
    or 80 inside and 10 degrees outside. I don't fish every day and if
    someone would like to try it ? Give me a call when the time comes.
    Also,                    
    I know people that fish the area and rent shacks. ( 10-20 dollars I
    think) 
    
    Has anyone tried using smelt to catch smelt ?  It Works...
    
    Oh Well, I have to go - (Pray for 10 below about a week should it)
    Goodluck
    MIke Vaillancourt
            
    
     

    Could anyone post when high tide will be in Boston next Saturday
    	and Sunday?
    
    			Robert

re:.11--I'm always game.  Haven't been to the great bay area yet this season.
I don't go until ice in.  Have had some luck in Beverly, although Robert won't
agree with me! :-)

re:.12--Robert, Look in the Boston Globe.


Tim

re:  .11

Mike,

Most of our smelting is done at the river near Sawyer's.  I can't tell you 
how many times we wished we had a shack to fish from.  Do you leave it on 
the ice by the treatment plant? 

Let's plan a big smelt get-togther. We'll fry them right there!  Lots o' 
fish and lot's o' brandy to warm the soul.  I love it!

Joe

    RE: .14
    
    Joe,
    
    I will be putting the smelt shanty right in front of sawyer farm in the
    mouth of the river.  When the smelt come in heavy that's where the
    ambush takes place, also catch big white perch and sometimes big salmon
    of course they go back - if they don't hit the frying pan first.. haha
    (just kidding) but the thoughts there!!!
    
    Anyway you are most welcome to use the shack, when i'm not or with me.
    when the ice comes in call me I will give you the combo to the lock...
    hate to say this = but you will be spoiled when you start fishing from
    shack in your T-shirt... Its real toasty and you'll love the setup!  It
    built it last year.  I fished from many different shacks, so when I
    built this one I put all the best features I've seen in other shacks
    into it... Its bright RED 
    
    When the Ice around Sawyers get soft I move the shack to another river
    I think its call oyster river not sure - but its on two miles away...
    and the fishing is usally good - I also had a shack on the exeter river
    last year near the boat ramp and the fishing on that river was lousey!!
    
    Question for someone: Doe's fresh water smelt taste like the sea run
                          smelt and doe they get as big??? 
    
    Joe, 
    
    last year I caught and 18" Rainbow while I was smelting, what a thrill
    I can't belive the line didn't break... 
    
    Happy smelting'
    
    MIke Vaillancourt @DDD
    4-1354
     

Mike,

Thanx for the offer to use the shack.  I don't mind sitting outside as long 
as it's not bitter cold and the wind isn't blowing!  That's when it 
becomes unbearable!

Hmmm...right at the mouth of the river, huh?   As I recall last year, 
there weren't many shacks at the mouth, but upriver closer to the 
treatment plant and dam.  I can't say that I'm a seasoned smelt 
fisherman, so one place sounds as good as another.

Oyster River...I've fished there several times, especially when the 
ice was questionable by the treatment plant.  i've always donw real 
well at the Oyster.

Let's plan to do it sometime ... when the ice is safe.

joe

    Mike, when you say the mouth, are you referring the the section where
    you have to go down the dirt road on Sawyers Farm, down by where
    Sawyer's keep their shacks?  I've fished this spot a couple of times.  

    I agree, shacks are nice.  But for the sake of not scaring off any
    interested folks who may consider trying smelt fishing and don't have a
    shack, fishing out on the ice can be alot of fun too.  I fished out on
    the ice for a couple of years without complaining and enjoyed it a
    great deal.  Most of the time the conditions are quite acceptable,
    providing your dressed for it.  
    
    However, some of those nights out there are a tad on the cool side.
    Sitting on a bucket smelt fishing at night with wind howling up the
    river can be a wee bit colder than chasing flags during the day. 
    
    Last year was my first with a shack.  Sitting in a chair in just a
    shirt, frying up fresh smelt, regardless of the conditions outside,
    does make for more comfortable fishing.

    If I lived closer to Great Bay I'd build a large shack and leave it up
    there. But being 1.5+ hrs away, I don't want the responsibility of
    having to go up there at any given time to move it.  I've seen a
    fair amount of them go under because folks didn't move them when they
    should have. The portable shack suits me well.

    Lets keep an eye on the ice and try to get to get a bunch of folks up
    there the first Friday night that the ice is safe.

    -donmac
    	

    re: a few back
    
    	I don't have the new fishing rules but the last fishing guide book
    I had said that there is no closed season on any sea-run salmon. There
    is a 15" minimum size and a limit of two but that's about all. If
    you're ice fishing at Sawyer's you may want to keep this in mind as any
    salmon you catch there would be sea-run salmon.
    
    	RAYJ
    

    RE:17
    
    Mac,
    
    If you put a shack at Sawyers farm for $10.00 bucks (Sawyer himself
    will make sure your shack doesn't go under) he will drag the shack of
    to the side for ya and call you if he thinks things will get worse...
    
    So, you may want to take advantage of this... just thought I tell ya.
    Also, I'm Not sure if we ever met before - the same applies to you as
    I told HOLESHOT JOE...
    
    
    RE: 18
    
    According to the rules - If you catch a sea run salmon in the rivers
    which hold fresh water and have tidal waters in them you cannot keep or
    even pull salmon out of the water (suppose to cut the line) I was told
    this buy a fish and game warden who happed to come buy checking for
    smelt limits and licenses and stayed in the shack awhile to get warm.
    
    Also, I was told that last year the rivers around sawyers - Exeter,
    Oyster and ect ect have been stocked with coho salmon - I must a caught
    about 40 of them about 4"s long - throught the smelt season...
    
    
    Happy Fishin'
    
    Mike
    

    Thanks for the offer Mike.  I'm not sure if we've met yet either, but I
    have a feeling that we'll meet on the ice within a month or so.
    
    Wow, Junior will let ya put shacks out and move them around for ya for
    $10/year... that is a bargain!  Now I know why there are always so many
    shacks (on land for the most part!) down by the water access.  He had
    mentioned that he had some shacks that he rented out, but I couldn;t
    imagine all those shacks all over the place being his!

    NHF&G stocked tons of salmon smolt last year in a bunch of the
    watersheds.  I've seen folks catch them and eat them thinking they were
    brookies inland and smelt in the bay!  Including me!  I ate a couple
    of curious looking brookies early this year before hearing about the
    smolt stocking!  Where I was fishing they hadn't posted any info like
    they did in many other places.

    -donmac

    
    re:19

    	Looks like they've changed the F+G guide regarding salmon. The 1989
    guide indicated that taking sea-run salmon (under a category called Coho 
    salmon) was O.K. so long as you met the minimum size. There was also a
    time of day restriction.

    	In the 1990 guide I couldn't even find a sea-run or Coho category.
    The closest I could find was Atlantic salmon listed under the species 
    rules on page 42. It noted that there is no open season for Atlantic 
    salmon (which would be classified as a sea-run salmon).

    	On a different note, I know it's one's responsibility to know the 
    rules but after looking at the bass restrictions it's hard not to be
    critical. I can just imagine what they may look like in about 10 years
    from now, i.e.:

    		Black Bass

    		Apr. 1 - May 14		1 fish limit
    		Apr. 1 - June 30	artificial lures only
    		May 15 - June 30	catch and immediate release
    		Apr. 15 - Sept. 14	only green colored lures (unless
    					month has a "U" in it)
    		July 1 - Mar. 31	3 fish limit (See exceptions)

    		Exceptions:

    		- No fishing from 5 hours and 18 minutes after sunset
    		  to 1 hour and 22 minutes before sunrise
    		- 2 fish limit on nights with a full moon
    		- No fishing on days with high sun spot activity 		
    		- 4 fish limit from July 1 - Sept. 1 only if trolling 
    		  live bait backwards (unless you are in a bright orange 
    		  colored boat, then there is a 5 fish limit)
    		- 5 fish limit through the ice using teeth only
    		

Wait a minute!

I thought you COULD ONLY TAKE 3 fish, not 4, if backtrolling from an orange 
boat!?!  Now I'm confused.

Other rules you missed, Ray...

	- 10 fish limit while FLY FISHING in gale force winds > 50 mph
	- 5 fish limit during spawn providing no hooks are used (i.e.
	  can only use a Culprit sticky-worm tied directly to line)
	- no limits on the eleventy-seventh of Junevember
	- only fish between 11.5" and 11.75" may be taken on pink worms 
	  between 5.25" and 5.5" between the dates of 5/10 and 6/10.
	  ...or was that fish that are between 5.25" and 5.5" on...
	  this one confuses me a little.

-HSJ-

    
    
    Re:21 and 22
    
    You guys better keep a copy of those rules "they may be worth MONEY by
    the year 2000 - You can say you came up with them first!!! and have
    proof...
    
    Heres one for ya: I was smelting last year on the exeter river late one
    night by myself in my shack and my father-in-law in his shack next to
    mine.  When I got in my shack I lifted the pieces of plywood that
    closes in my floor and found a dead 3' eel all the ice in my trough was
    frozen 3" thick with a hole in the middle not frozen about 4" round.
    I couldn't understand how this eel came up through the ice and nested
    under the floor got lost and died? 
    
    Well' it was about midnite and nothing was hitting but and occasional
    tommy cod, I start to fall a sleep when I noticed all my lines moving I
    reached down in a panic to pull up a line with my face being 1 foot
    away and my hand near the water and BANG! I muskrat pops his head up!!
    I nearly had a heart attack!! "I yelled"  my father-in-law rushed over to 
    see what what going on. He says you look a little white what
    happened... So I told him and later realized that a muskrat was using
    my shack to fish from with out my permission and store his food in the
    closed in trough...   Has something like this ever happened to you
    guys ?
    
    Well, have to go
    
    p.s. Are those eels as good as smelt to eat ?
    
    MIke
    
    
    
    
    

    There is an article in this month's NH F&G Highlights about NH's 
    smelt fishing.
    
    The article states that the smelt survey will resume this year.
    
    On the purpose of the survey, the article quotes "We're looking for
    trends on the smelt population, using fishing as a monitoring device."
    
    However the only data that is provided from last years survey talks
    about how some places offered better fishing on the weekdays, other 
    places on the weekends.  
    
    "For example, weekday anglers on the Lamprey River averaged 10 smelt an
    hour during January and Febuary.  But in March, weekend anglers averaged 
    a catch of 12 fish an hour."
    
    Ok, that's an intersting statistic I guess, but I sure hope that they 
    found out a little more useful info than that. 8^)
    
    donmac 
    
    

I believe (correct me if I'm wrong, Don) that we were smelting this time last
year.  What happened????

Tim

    Yeap, we were smelting at this time last year.  I called Sawyers today
    to see it things were starting to ice up yet.  Sounded like Jr's mother 
    on the phone - she laughed.
    
    We're going to need some pretty cold weather to be smelting by the
    first of the year.
    
    Remember though, last December was one of the coldest in history, and
    the end of November was cold as well.  So we were on the ice on the 
    early side.
    
    I don't know when the average ice-in on Great Bay is, but looks to me 
    like this year will be on the late side.
    
    donmac 

    	Re:ice-in
    
    	To my recollection, the river area we usually fish in the Lamprey 
    (Great Bay area) gets iced-in by the second week in January. Last year 
    was exceptionally early.
    
    	RAYJ

    	Even up here in Augusta I used to wait till after Jan 1 to put out
    my shack. Last year I did the same but the smeltin had already peaked.
    This year I'm ready early but the ice isn't.	;^)
    
    	Paul 

    I may try smelting on Great Bay this winter (assuming it ever ices up).
    
    How much will a NH fishing license set me back (I'm from MA)?
    Where would I get one (Can I get one in a tackle shop)?
    
    			Robert.

re: .-1  $35.  I pay it every year.  Any tackle shop in NH

    Re .29>
    	Is Great Bay salt water? If so you shouldn't need a license. 
    

Paul (and others)

I don't think you need the license to fish the bay proper.  We tend to fish
the rivers that feed it which are brackish and are subject to the fresh
water license requirement.  I can't recall if they consider smelt a "cold
water" species or not.  If someone knows the answer, please let me know.  I
very rarely, if ever, go trout/salmon fishing in NH, but I have always gotten
the "both species" license just in case...

Tim

    Isn't there a specific distance up river from the mouth that feeds
    the ocean that fishing is allowed without a license?
    
    /MArk

A valid cold or warm water NH fishing license IS required to take smelt in 
Great Bay.  I read that in the 1991 rules and regs.

Joe

    	Cold water species are trout, salmon, and shad. Smelt can be taken
    in Great Bay with a warm water license.
    
    	No license is required to take smelt by hook and line from the
    Piscataqua River and it tibutaries seaward of the Memorial Bridge, from
    the Hampton River and it's tributaries, and from Rye Harbor and it's
    tributaries.
    
    P.S. This is from an older guide so it may have changed slightly if
    someone wants to bother to look it up.
    
    	RAYJ
    

    	In Maine all tidal water is considered the under the jurisdiction 
    of the Marine Resource Dept so salt water rules apply. I guess other 
    states define things differently. Its a moot point for me since I always 
    have a license anyway but its helpful when guests join me smeltin.
    	The town of Randolph (where I put my shack in the past) decided to get 
    some revenue off us and are going to be issuing permits ($10) to put shacks
    on the river in their jurisdiction. This kind of pisses me off. I am
    considering locating elsewhere this year...if we get any ice. 
    Regards,
    Paul   

    	Well its finally cooling off. Ice is forming on the Kennebec. I
    just might be Smeltin this weekend.
    
    Paul

Here's to hoping that great bay ain't far behind.  While I am at it, which
river up there usually freezes first?  I've heard the Exeter thaws last.  We
usually do the Lamprey...

Tim

    There were a couple of people fishing on the Lamprey behind the mill 
    yesterday, according to my neighbor who took a ride up there.  Ice was
    supposedly only 2-3". 
    
    I'm guessing that by the weekend safe ice could be found somehwere up
    there.  
    
    We have a bass club meeting scheduled for friday night but rumor has it
    it will be postponed.  If there is no meeting than I'm going to plan on
    heading up this friday after work.
    
    anyone interested???
    
    donmac

    I went to the Exeter river yesterday and there was 25 to 30 shacks on
    the river right near the boat ramp. I tested the ice and its was only
    4" to 5" inches thick and very slushy. I talked with a few guys I met 
    last year and the put their shacks out last friday and allready had to
    move them because they were sinking in. There is only about 3 inches of
    good clear/black ice.  Hopefully, if the weather stays cold we can put
    out the shack this weekend.  I also went to Sawyers to see Junior and
    check out the Ice. Its even worse only 2+ inches. Junior hasn't even
    ordered bait yet... and won't til theres at least 6 inches or more
    (quote)...
    
    Looks like the Exeter river is the only place that has shacks so far...
    
    I'll keep ya posted !!!
    
    Happy Smeltin'
    
    P.S. This poor Legend guy seems to get a lot of abuse and from the
    readings tends to like it... Maybe we can get him to offically test
    Ice for us - even we could bring him to Winni ???
    
    MIke
    

I'm game, if we can confirm safe ice (like calling Sawyers).  If it's thin,
that means no shack...


Tim

Can someone post directions to said boat ramp on the exeter?  How about where
to buy bait and what the cost is?  I get it pretty cheap down in Beverly, MA
and I can get enough Friday morning for anyone who wants to go, assuming we
go.

Tim

    Yea, I'd like directions to the Exeter river as well, I haven't tried
    it yet. I've looked at Delorme's a couple times trying to figure out
    where folks fish, but haven't actually gone looking.  From Delorme's it
    appears that the Exeter river is a smaller river that feeds the...
    what the heck was it, the "Squamscot" river?.  
    
    donmac

    	Well I didn't get my shack on yet. I spent most of the weekend
    digging out from our first major snow storm of the year. I plan to do
    it this coming weekend though.
    	I haven't seen many shacks out yet although a commercial outfit put
    theirs on the Kennebec this past weekend. The report from those who
    are out there is that there is no action yet. I hope this changes soon
    
    Paul

Don,


2-3" at Lamprey!?!  tell you what...you go Friday night and if you post a 
note on Monday, I'll know you made it back ok and maybe we'll go next week.

Looks like Sawyer's isn't even carrying worms yet.  You might have to go to 
the fish market and pick up some shrimp.

-HSJ-

I can catch us enough grass shrimp in 30 minutes to keep us in bait for a whole
evening.  I'm not planning on going this Friday (neither is Don) as the weather
promises to be warm and wet.

    	It looks like I'll be waiting another week before I put out the
    shack. The weather forecast is for lots of snow, slush, freezing rain
    and plain old rain. It will be a mess on the river. 

    	In the aftermath of the heavy rain (no snow at all) and balmy 
    temperatures the Kennebec doesn't look too good. I may not get the 
    shack out at all this year.   :^(
    
    Paul

    Well I finally put the shack on yesterday in the balmy weather. There
    wasn't much ice, maybe 4". I don't like it that thin on a river but 
    I can't wait forever either. It made for a fast setup...it was easy 
    cutting the hole.
    
    Now the important part...the smelt were in heavy. I was expecting to
    spend the time tending to details in the shack; arranging things and all
    but I didn't even have time to get all the lines in. They really blitzed 
    in the beginning and then kept up a steady pace until we ran out of
    bait maybe three hours later. It looks like they've been waiting for
    us.

    The smelt were nowhere to be found on the Lamprey on Saturday night,
    but the white perch provided more than enough action.  Joe T, his son,
    my neighbor and I took home all that we wanted.  We were releasing them
    by the end of the night.  I wound up with around 5lbs of fillets.  Had
    to go out and buy an electric (Mr. Twister) fillet knife for the job.
    It took at least 2 hours to fillet them all.
    
    donmac

Like Don said, action was fast 'n furious.  I suspect that, between us all, 
we took home over 150 white perch.  We must have released at least another 
150 that we didn't want.

Smelt...I got ONE and Dave got TWO.  They aren't running yet on the lamprey.

-HSJ-

    Are houses being put on at Sawyer's yet? How much ice and what is its
    quality?
    
    I decided not to put my house on the lake this year, but instead,
    try the smelts. If I don't do something soon, this year will be a loss.
    Better start tying some salmon flies I guess.
    
    Actually, I think I will make an attempt to get on this weekend.
    
    Where is the access point to get a house on in Exeter? There is a sign
    at the town ramp prohibiting putting houses on there.
    
    Thanks
    
    John
    

    	The smelt action has been hot and heavy on the Kennebec.

    	Don or Joe,
    
    	How big were the perch ? I've seen them get to 4+ lbs. up there.
    If you're interested in breaking a state (and possibly a world) record 
    you may want to keep this in mind.
    
    	I'm planning on going to the Lamprey on Friday. I'll probably be up
    there by about 7'ish. If anyone else is going/interested let me know.
    
    	 In previous years where both smelt and white perch have run, smelt 
    could be taken by dropping the lines down further (12' - 20'). As far
    as I can tell, the white perch eat/chase the smelt so when the white
    perch are in, the smelting is slow. If you want smelt in particular,
    I've never heard of big (if any) white perch runs in the Exeter so you 
    could try there.
    
    	Personally, I prefer the white perch over the smelt but either/or is 
    fine with me.
    
    	RAYJ

    I'm going to try and make it up there as well, head up right after
    work, tim lucia will be sharing my shack if i go, navy blue viking
    portable, i'll probably be setup next to a home made blue poly tarp
    shack (like my old hackshack)  
        
    largest wp were around 1.5lbs, right joe?  largest i caught were closer
    to a pound...
    
    -donmac 
    

	Is there any place on the Kennebec that folks can rent a smelt shack?
I fished at James Eddies on the Eastern River last Saturday AM with the usual
poor results (30 smelt between 3 guys with not a bite after sunrise).  Also is
there any place on other rivers down Maine?  If so, I'd appreciate directcions
and/or a name/phone number to make reservations.....

Have Ice will travel...

    They'll be 4-5 of us noters behind the treatment plant on the Lamprey 
    this evening.  -donmac  

    Re .56>
    	Baker Bros. in Pittston rent shacks on the Kennebec  582-4257.
    There are also some on the Cathance in Topsom although I don't have any
    info on them...maybe someone else has. 
    	I have a shack that I let people of good character use on occasion.
    :^) Contact me off line if you want.
    
    Paul

    	Went up the Lamprey on Saturday night (a little too cold/windy for
    me on Friday). The white perch action was pretty good when I first got 
    there at 7 pm and slowed down to nothing by 9 pm (peak high tide ???). 
    
    	My buddy and I only left with about 30 keeper perch and two smelt. 
    We threw back about 4 fish for every one we kept. There were a lot of 
    small ones.
    
    	Wound up with a couple of meals and hopefully the ice will last for
    a couple more trips.
    
    	RAYJ
    
    BTW - There was 4-5" of ice in the channel, which is pretty good for up
    there.

    Does anyone have Sawyers phone number or know what name they are listed
    under? I just put my house up there Sat evening and am a little
    concerned about this weather.
    
    There is about 4-5 inches of ice there. We got 1 smelt to split
    between the two of us. Others were having limited success, i.e.,
    5 fish in one shack, 10 in one other. A lot of people walking around
    checking up on others, reflecting the lack uf action I'd guess.
    
    Thanks,
    
    John
    
    

Sawyer's Bait Shop, Newmarket, NH  (603) 659-3336


Regards,

Joe

    We were on the Lamprey on Friday night and the action was on the slow
    side.  We caught maybe 16 smelt and 20 odd keeper white perch, lots of
    smaller ones.  -donmac

    Thanks Joe. I just called and Junior said it is about 42 deg there
    right now. He advised if anyone has there shack on the channel, that
    they had ought to get up there sometime
     soon and assess the situation. He had not been down to the
    river today yet. Think I'll get up there tonight and pull her over to
    the flats.
    
    John
    

    	re:-1
    
    	That's the problem with shacks on the Lamprey. The ice is here
    today and gone tommorrow up there. As cramped as a portable shack can be,
    it seems like the only way to go up there unless you live close by.
    
    	RAYJ

    My question is:
    
    How does one clean and prepare smelt?
    
    I asked this question of someone else who replied: "Use scissors".
    
    I remember my grandmother cooking them when I was a little tike as a
    traditional Christmas season dinner.  I seem to recall that she sort of
    butterflied them and dipped them in flour...then sauteed them.
    
    RAYJ?
    
    /brett

    1. cut the head off
    2. insert knife tip into vent (rear of belly)
    3. slice underside of belly up toward head, opening belly
    4. insert thumb into belly and push out contents
    5. rinse
    6. pat dry
    7. drop into a flour and seasoning mixture, shake
    8. fry 
    9. eat
    10 eat some more
    
    steps 1-4 take about 2 seconds each, it doesn't take long at all to 
    clean a bunch of them

    Well, since we covered smelt, might as well comment on white
    perch as well.
    
    After cleaning around 100 white perch in the last couple of weeks, I
    wouldn't dream of trying to clean that many without an electric knife.
    
    White perch have real tough skin, as do most perch.  An electric knife
    makes doing the job MUCH quicker.  At first, you'll probably waste a
    little more meat with an electric knife, but we're talking cleaning a 
    mess of fish here.  And after awhile, I'm sure you'll get to be real 
    efficient. 
    
    I picked up the Mr. Twister Electric Fillet knife at service
    merchandise for $25 w/ a 'free' carrying case.  I'd guess just about 
    any electric knife would do a good job, but they *say* this one is
    designed for cleaning fish.
    
    1. Place blade behind gills and cut down to backbone
    2. Rotate blade 90 degrees and cut straight down the backbone
       to the tail (cutting right through ribs)
    3. Place fillet skin side down and cut off rib section. 
    4. Hold tail end of fillet down with thumbnail and shimmy blade
       between skin and fillet, removing skin from fillet
    5. Rinse and prepare as any other fillet.
    

    Well, I went up to the Lamprey (Sawyer's) last night to check the ice.
    The rain and warm temp did not seem to have deteriorated it. Tried
    fishing for a couple of hours since we were there. Any excuse to go
    fishing don't cha know. No luck. Noone was catching anything.
    Did move the house off of the hole though.
    
    John
    

    re .67:
    
    Donmac, 
    
    Thanks.  
    
    Fins, bones and all, eh?
    
    I assume you fry them in a pan with olive oil or something as opposed
    to a deep fryer?
    
    Just want to get this just so.
    
    /brett

    yeap, fins bones an all... pan fry em up real good, in butter or oil...
    
    donmac - having white perch for supper tonight

I'll deep-fry the smallest ones in beer batter.  You can't cook it as long
and so the bones have less opportunity to soften up...

    has anyone been up there within the last coupld of days, or calle to
    find out how the ice is?  
    
    donmac
    
    planning on heading up tonight

    I called Sawyer's yesterday afternoon, and they have pulled all of the
    houses up high and dry. The channel is opening up. This could be a
    short season.
    
    John
    

    Does anybody have any experience fishing for smelt through open water
    in the Portsmouth, NHN area?  As the ice is not too good, I was just
    wondering how the fishing might be off a pier or some such...
    
    Any advice would be appreciated - 
    
    Owen

RE:-1

See the earliest notes in this topic.  These address open water fishing in 
Beverly, MA.  It can't be too much different.  Find a river, or some fairly
narrow harbor with a current.  Fish with spinning rods or cane poles off the
docks.  I did much better this way in Beverly than at Great Bay through the
ice.

Tim

	A friend and I fished Baker Bros. last Friday night (11PM - 5 AM out
going tide).  We caught 55 between the two of us.  The action has hot and heavy
for the first hour, slacked off to nothing for the middle 2 hours and we caught
an occational one for the last 2 hours.  The water depth was better then 20',
but most of the fish we caught at about 8'.  One shack (5 guys) caught 200+
fish but they used a fish finder to keep track of the depth....Might be heading
back up this weekend - BTW they had 14 inches of ice according to the owner.

Have Ice will Travel.
Dave

    Where is Baker Bros?  
    
    Also, can someone post directions to the bait in Exeter?
    
    -donmac
    

RE .78
>>>    Where is Baker Bros?  

	Baker Bros. is just a few miles south of Augusta (exit 27 off Rt 95).
The phone number is posted a few responses back....I suggest you call and get
directions from the horses mouth (instead of the other end).  I went back up
last Saturday AM and the three of us caught 209 together.  Action as steady
most of the night....

Dave
    

    	Well its over for me. I took my shack off Saturday. What a muddy
    experience that was. I don't know if Baker's still have theirs out or
    not but I imagine they must be getting ready to move at a moments
    notice. The channel is opening up both above and below their area.
    	The fishing is still good for those who are leaving their shacks 
    on. I haven't gotten down there much lately but looking back it was a 
    short but excellent season. I was catching 30 to 40 pounds in less than
    two hours in the beginning of the season. I'd fish till my bag of bait 
    was gone. It dried up for a couple weeks then became more consistant 
    again. It took longer later in the season but you still could get 20 
    pounds per tide if you worked at it.
    	Now for ice out up north...and of course salt water right after the
    river really lets go.
    
    Paul 
                         

    Yeap, I pretty much wrote the season off this weekend as well, I took
    the portashack out of the truck and stored it away in the basement.
    
    Then I uncovered the boat, took it to my dealer where they replaced
    my power trim, then spent the rest of the weekend trying to talk my
    self out of launching it in one of the open rivers!  But it is still
    winterized and don't want to get it wet until right before I head south
    in a couple weeks.
    
    -donmac