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Post by smelt007 on Feb 6, 2018 20:31:58 GMT -6
Hoping for another successful year of smelting. Few more months left.
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Post by freezeman on Feb 7, 2018 10:25:09 GMT -6
The itch is coming back! Is it time yet??? Had to check out the forums and sure enough someone started one already
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Post by jg010682 on Feb 8, 2018 6:36:09 GMT -6
Can't wait to get the nets back out I've been thinking about some fresh smelt in the nets for a wile now ice fishin has been a letdown this year.
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Post by iluvmn on Feb 8, 2018 12:39:37 GMT -6
The itch is real when someone starts the 2018 post. Hope its a bountiful year!!!!!!!
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Post by dominodaves on Feb 13, 2018 18:51:04 GMT -6
Welcome back everyone! Yep, I can't wait to get cold, wet, tired, sore, exhausted....and have happy taste buds...! Did someone just say Bud? Hope everyone had a good 2017. And I'm sure that we will do just fine this year! No signs of an early spring so far. I like that....in terms of a good smelt run that is!!!!
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Post by dominodaves on Feb 13, 2018 19:13:23 GMT -6
Oh yes. I meant to reply to the makers of the documentary Making Waves. I thought that their work was put together very well. Now I hope that my contributions to the smelting success of many is more than just the age old tradition of biting a head off a smelt! LMAO!! And I'm pretty sure that I have a few friends out there that can say good words about their success from my advice, hard work of arms...and my back! However, the documentary is more about all invasive species than just about the whole adventure of catching our desired amount of the fresh sweet smelty protein we all desire every spring. I would encourage all to take the time to enjoy the documentary whenever you can. We humans have a tendency to abuse our environment while we indulge our personal or corporate needs at it's expense. Shows like this bring those abuses into a more clear focus. Now I personally enjoy catching and eating our tasty little smelt that we all love to obsess over every year. We all need to remember that these were an invasive species that grew out of control back in the day. And the DNR has done much to counter act it's presence over the years. And now it would seem to be an important part of the food chain in the great lakes. So let's enjoy the fruits of our smelting success again this year, and also respect the resource that it provides not only us but also the great lakes food chain in general!
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Post by chhemv01 on Mar 1, 2018 11:08:09 GMT -6
It's about that time of year again when we all start to get the smelt itch LOL!
Dave - I lost your number my old phone locked me out when I upgraded and lost my contacts and pictures. I hope all is well!
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Post by 2fresh on Mar 6, 2018 14:49:10 GMT -6
I can almost taste the smelt!
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Maggie Koerth-Baker
Guest
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Post by Maggie Koerth-Baker on Mar 12, 2018 10:44:17 GMT -6
Hello Smelters!
My name is Maggie Koerth-Baker. I'm a Minneapolis-based journalist, working on a story about smelting. I'm hoping to find some folks I can tag along with when the season starts up. My story is particularly focused on the decline of smelt numbers as both a success story (from the perspective of lake conservation and the fact that they're an invasive species) and a lamented problem (from the perspective of the business and culture that built up around smelt fishing over the years). I've been out smelting once before and would love to join up with some folks this spring. Please let me know if you're interested in having a journalist tag along. You can reach me at maggie.koerth-baker@fivethirtyeight.com or here if you have any questions!
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Post by dominodaves on Mar 12, 2018 12:15:53 GMT -6
Vee, no worries, I got your number and will be in touch soon! Maggie, I find your story interesting. The boom years of smelting are long past. The invasive species bell curve dropped off back in the late 70's, and the smelt found a relatively stabile population during the 80's that continues today. Now smelt being smelt, can be picky about where and when they spawn thanks to mother nature! So before the internet, you had to be in the right place at the right time to find them and to catch them after the 70's. After decades of easy success, smelting got a lot more challenging, so people felt as if they died off. But now, as we time the run and the word spreads, there are times that we catch as many as back in the day! The carnival atmosphere of the old days died and left. I actually believe that many folks who lived in Duluth and on the north shore enjoyed the fact the this went away! The traffic and craziness had to be tough to tolerate. Trying to make a living off smelt that were around for only a few weeks a year had to be difficult as well! So as the unchecked invasive population crashed, I'm sure that a few folks had to find other ways to make a dollar. If you follow this blog and the reports, you will be able to come to Duluth, and talk with many of the old timers, and get great stories of the boom years. You will also be able to meet many of the new generations that are currently enjoying what they feel are their boom years now! Most of us active smelters get all that we care to get every year. We actually enjoy getting a few extra just to share with our friends that thought the great smelting days were long gone! Which clearly they are not! We all look forward to hosting you and telling you our stories!
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Post by Potzzy13 on Mar 16, 2018 12:46:21 GMT -6
Hey guys!
I will be attempting smelt fishing this year for the first time! any tips or pointers would be greatly appreciated! I most likely will be using a dip net as I will be going by myself.
Thanks
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Post by jg010682 on Mar 23, 2018 13:05:44 GMT -6
Wow this board is dead this year did everyone quit smelting? Potzy if your planning on going by yourself just be careful in them rivers the currents can be pretty strong at times
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Post by madbrad104 on Mar 26, 2018 19:30:12 GMT -6
Getting the smelting itch lol Will be digging out the smelt nets and rigs this week and getting them prepared for next months frenzy !!!! Happy Good Friday and Easter to all !
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Post by EZ on Mar 28, 2018 4:38:57 GMT -6
Any predictions on the smelting run. Still pretty chillu out here.
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Post by freezeman on Mar 28, 2018 13:59:04 GMT -6
Potzzy13 If you're planning to dip net you might have better luck at Lester River but like everywhere else that time of the year there can be a lot of people everywhere. I did it one year and it was super busy. Got maybe a gallon by myself all night and I was super happy. Now that I'm using a net in the lake 1 gallon won't be much. You can check the beach when the run is hot and sometimes people don't mind if you help out pulling a few hauls in. Good luck to you this year.
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