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Post by dominodaves on Mar 18, 2012 18:18:13 GMT -6
Well folks, it looks like another season is almost upon us! And since there seems to be a number of visitors lately, others are looking forward to the season as well.
As usual, mother nature is already throwing us a curve ball, with this early spring heatwave, the action could heat up real early this year! The ice went off some lakes here in east central mn today March 18th. That's 3 weeks earlier than normal! So if the weather continues with this early warmth, I would be expecting the run to be as much as 3 weeks early as well. Last year the peak seemed to be around April 21st or so. It's way too early at this point to predict any peak times....but I'm about 100% sure at this point it will be earlier than last year. And last years peak was a little earlier than we expected as well. Normally it would be that last week in April or 1st week of May. So everyones interest in any info already is probably justified.
Last year we had a huge information gap during the peak of the run and many of us had lost some valuable dipping time. So lets try to provide some better and quicker feedback this year. I also have my son going to UMD this year and should be able to help us out with better info this year as well.
Have a great season, and be safe!
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Post by Peter Dahl on Mar 19, 2012 18:20:49 GMT -6
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Post by schmelty on Mar 20, 2012 14:15:29 GMT -6
Domino...plz keep us posted, I thought I caught a whiff of smelt smell in the wind yesterday..way down in Blaine, MN!!!
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Post by hookertoo on Mar 21, 2012 10:29:41 GMT -6
I will be checking on waters conditions at the Lester River. Later today.
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Post by hookertoo on Mar 22, 2012 10:09:37 GMT -6
I checked the water temp at the Lester today. It was 34 f . Water level is going down as most of the snow has melted.
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Post by hookertoo on Mar 25, 2012 7:31:06 GMT -6
I talked to a reliable source in Ashland. They still have ice on some of the beaches, but depending on the wind that changes daily. Some people have been smelting without much success, but they expect to see some coming in this week. Traditionally -when the ice goes out of the bay the smelt are om the beaches. Steelheaders were out in numbers on the North Shore rivers yesterday.
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Post by barnum on Mar 25, 2012 16:02:47 GMT -6
A friend was trolling in front of the french 2 days ago and was marking what feels was smelt in 15-20 feet of water.
Also, another friend was fishing the Lester on Saturday and marked the water at 38 degrees. The water had dropped 5 inches and warmed 3 degrees since Friday...
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Post by hookertoo on Mar 29, 2012 17:24:40 GMT -6
I talked to smelters in Ashland today. They had been out testing for the last 4 nights. No smelt were captured. In Grand rapids locals think the smelt will run soon in Pokegama. Water there is cold but they are expecting some warming over the weekend.
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Post by hungry smelter on Mar 30, 2012 5:48:52 GMT -6
What happened to all the people posting like years before?
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Post by dominodaves on Mar 30, 2012 9:22:43 GMT -6
I was at the Sportswman Show last night...I talked with a guy who runs a fishing boat out of the Duluth area, no not our Capt, he thinks the smelt have already spawned and hit the road, I asked him why he thought this? His reply was that the cohos don't come in to feed until after the smelt run, and they are clearly in feeding right now! He also pointed out that the main lake never froze this year, just the bays...and that always makes for an interesting year of fishing.
Now don't panic everyone, I'm pretty sure the tasty bastards haven't done their deed yet! They won't spawn until the temps in the rivers and shallows are the proper temps...which aren't even close yet...last night at 10pm the Lester was at 34 degrees, and it doesn't have that sweet fishy smell yet!
But do be aware! The run will happen sooner than usual and we will need some people in the lake and rivers "sampling" the waters and providing updates soon!
I will be dropping off a pair of waders and a net for my son at UMD real quick, so no worries yet...they will hit Ashland before the Duluth area gets going!
I have always had a motto when taking advice from and old fishermen....always listen to an old, grizzled, grey bearded fishermens advice! Unless of course they are just full of "@&*%"....
The chatter will pick up a bunch as soon as they start running in Ashland...a lot of people are checking in, over a 100 visitors everyday now...
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Post by hookertoo on Mar 30, 2012 21:22:31 GMT -6
The smelt have NOT run yet. They have been catching salmon off the Duluth piers for two weeks. That is normal for this time of year.Then the salmon disappear from the beach until the water gets up in the lower 40's. - usually after the smelt run. At least that's what I have observed. There is no run in Pokegama or Ashland. I've never heard of a smelt run in March. So be patient.
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harte
New Member
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Post by harte on Mar 31, 2012 5:42:52 GMT -6
Great to be part of the northland smelting action this year ! My memory's of netting go back to the Chicago lakefront where my dad and I would throw out a trolley line , then run our net out . It was so much fun, the breakwall filled with fishermen . It always fascinated me that no matter where we were on the wall, when they were runnin' , we'd get 'em. Anybody do the gill net thing in these waters ?
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Post by hookertoo on Mar 31, 2012 6:55:51 GMT -6
harte I have never heard of a trolly line before. Can you explain how it works?
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Post by hookertoo on Mar 31, 2012 6:59:17 GMT -6
I have a funny story - Yesterday I went to an optical place to get a new pair of glasses. I got into a conversation with the staff and found out that one of the girls boyfriend's had a picture on the report page. Biting off the head of a smelt of course. I can almost taste those smelt just thinking about it.
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harte
New Member
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Post by harte on Mar 31, 2012 8:29:37 GMT -6
Be happy to ! Works like this : A lead weight with 6-8 bendable wire "arms " is attached to a small diameter throw line. These "arms " provide a way to anchor the line in use,then bend to free when pulled with enough force. The "spider " weight is thrown as far out into the water off a pier or breakwall as possible, let sink, then retrieved slowly until the spider catches on the bottom. The line goes up over a pole (5'-6' tall ) at the edge of the pier, pulled taut and fastened to a point in back somewhere. A 6'x 10' gill net (1/2 to 5/8" mesh) is fastened by its float line to a two wheeled lead "trolley " that clips onto the anchored throw line.The other end of the float line is attached to a "pay out " line. The trolley carries the net into the water and is let out to the depth you want. Usually , just enough to get the net stretched out with the all the floats. Depends on the water depth and where the smelt are . That's pretty much it. When ya figure you've given 'em enough time , the net is hauled in and the catch extracted . Pretty cool , huh ? Those Chicago fishermen are really creative ! You'd be amazed at what they've come up with to fish the coho off a break wall - power lines and fire extinguishers , no joke !
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