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Post by loco55066 on Apr 1, 2009 21:43:50 GMT -6
Where is the best place for me to start to get the heads up on the smelt run? Any suggestions on the best possibility for success, since we're from south of Red Wing and only been smelting once and was quite a disappointment. We drove from home to Ashland only to find out we were too late but the locals said it was a bad year also.Some people had been dropping nets getting the smelt out in the deeper water with nets and stopping them from getting into shore. I haven't had smelt in almost 20 years when I enlisted and now I have not a clue where to start. Is there good,better,best spot to go to increase our chances? The Brule, Pointe Park, Ashland? Anyone that might share their knowledge would be ever so much appreciated. Thanks!! The Jarhead 04/01/2009
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Post by dominodave on Apr 2, 2009 11:36:18 GMT -6
Every year is unpredictable at nearly every spot. A couple of old stand bys that seem to always have at some fish are Park Pointe and the Lester River. The pointe is perfect for the bigger siene nets, but requires teamwork, and sometimes the willingness to get soaked by the rollers coming in. The Lester is great for the one man operation with a dip net. Last year was the best I've seen it in many years. Of course, I was a bit lucky though. Not everyone did well everyday. You need to be ready to go when they start running, rain, cold, snow, wind, or whatever. Once they start, they won't care much about what mother nature throws at them so be prepared. Pay attention to this site, I'm pretty straight forward and will not make you have to read between the lines to figure out what's happening. I also have a drive but only 1.5 hours. Besides, when I bring friends I like to see them have some success and fun. I hope this year is better for you. Read the posts from last year and note the dates, this spring is looking a lot like last year, so I would expect the timing to be similar.
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Post by loco55066 on Apr 2, 2009 20:56:53 GMT -6
How in the world do you decipher the new messages here from the old ones. I see most of the messages all have "posted today", on them yet I looked at a couple of them and they say posted today but when opened they have date posted Apr. 2008. Some have the posted date and moined date, some simply have joined date and today as posted date. How do you know when some of these are posted? I put the date in my message because I seen no place for the date. Date 04/02/09
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Post by loco55066 on Apr 2, 2009 21:17:30 GMT -6
Domino, I want to thank you for your input here. I'm not unaware of the short time frame of the run and we're prepared to leave at the drop of a hat. All the waders, parkas and gear are in the tubs, tarped and ready. Theres only 3 of us and we want enough for our families, and my folks that are in their 70's. They just don't have smelt feeds down here anymore. I went once back in the early 70's with my grandpa, dad, and a couple others and in two busy nights seining we filled 2 Lund 16ft. aluminum fishing boats. Heck we'll be happy to get a wash tub or so full and from what it sounds like we'll be hard pressed to get that. Can you help any with a location for Park Pointe, and the Lester river areas? I must ask too, how big of seining nets can we use? I seen in one message a guy saids that 25ft. X 4ft. is the biggest you can have. I believe ours is only 20ft. X 4ft. but I should make sure about this. Last year when the ice was out of the bay we went right up and got there and everyone said we were about 3 days late, but that was on the Ashland side. The Jarhead Date 04/02/09
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Post by dominodave on Apr 3, 2009 8:36:30 GMT -6
Click on the general board, click on the thread about last night, scroll down on messages. In the top center of each reply there is a time and date of the the reply under it. That should help your research out. This is the same for all the threads. I'm not sure when the captain cleans out the old ones. Fear not, there is still plenty of those tasty little fishes to fill your wash tub. Besides, who needs 2 boatfulls anymore? I would hate to have to clean all those.
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Post by dominodave on Apr 3, 2009 11:39:43 GMT -6
Park Pointe is easy, go through Duluth on 35, get off at canal, go by Grandma's over the lift bridge. The road goes for a few miles with little parking lots for access to the beach on the n side (left). Park, go to the beach, wade out as far as you can, siene back to the shore, fill your buckets. H Christiansen Nets make a real good smelting siene, worth every penny. Info is on the front of this site in the info section. Lots of room out on the Pointe. Miles of beach!!! The Lester is more crowded, it's easier and more traditional that's why, elbow to elbow at times. The mouth is right off 61 ( n shore drive) north of town. Google map it. There is a small parking area, shorter walk though. Dip nets here. It's fun to see the schools come in and work their way through the crowds, they all start hoopin and hollerin. Fun enviroment usually. Has more light around it from the city. The pointe is very dark. Bring good lights. I hope this info helps. When they run good at the Lester it's a better place to bring little ones, you can catch them in as little as a foot of water there.
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Post by dominodave on Apr 3, 2009 12:33:19 GMT -6
A couple of thoughts about Ashland. I have never been there first off, so I am only reporting what I have heard through the grapevines that grow out of waders while waiting for the next run of smelt to starting finding my net. Ashland is a bay area that gets warmed by a power plant. The smelt have a consistent enviroment (and favorable) to make a good run in that area. The only problem is that it can be over in a matter of a couple days. It can be huge though. That's why you here about guys getting a 1/2 ton or more in an hour or two. Last year, by the time someone said they are running, it was over. The north shore is a bit different. The rivers that flow in warm more slowly and graduate up the the shore spreading out the run over a couple weeks or more. Once over at the Lester, you can chase it all the way up the shore into Canada if you so choose. The only problem is getting good information the further up the shore it goes. The other good thing is even when they aren't running great, it still seems like you can work hard and still get a gallon or two. Enough for a few meals, which will spark some memories of past glory years during the 70's when the N Shore was more like a carnival at this time of the year. I'm hoping for some beer batter and brews pretty quick! If there are any biologists, or old seasoned grizzled grey bearded veterans out there that need to update my understandings, I'm always open for more information, and never shy about passing it along. PS always take a old seasoned grizzled grey bearded biologists advice!!!! Unless of course he's just full of @$%#.
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Post by loco55066 on Apr 3, 2009 23:24:15 GMT -6
Well thats a world of knowledge for us as far as getting help here has been going. I appreciate all that input. I got alot of lessons in a short time when I got out of the Marines before my Grandpa passed away. He way a commercial trapper and fisherman. I did have time to hear alot of hunting & fishing stories and/or tales, after I got out, but he did teach me how to trap anything I want to trap. How to duck hunt without a 5 or 6 thousand dollar boat, and to still hunt ot stalk deer. He lived thru the depression never believed in banks, and lived by a mans word and a handshake. I take the things he told me to heart and carry those tools proudly. He tried to get me smelting with him more than the 1 time but I enlisted and had to go do my thing first. I'm just so glad I got my job done before we lost him. He hunted the Rifle River area and Gunflint Trail, fish the big waters, to trout fishing alike. The last deer hunt I went on with him we packed a tent and gear in for 4 1/2 hours in Cannon River hills, setup camp and hunted for 3 days when we both got our deer and and humped it back out. I was younger and just out of the Marines and Grandpa was 69 years old. He never missed a step in all the hiking no matter how hard I tried to get him to rest coming out. Now I'm Grandpa and I want my grandsons to get all they can to be savy and sharp so to survive this crazy world we live in today. They both can fish, cook, and clean them , hunt deer, and turkey with bow or gun, and are learning how to do canning and freezing now too. They can darn a sock and sew a patch. Mend a gill net, stretch a beaver pelt, and smoke their own hams and bacon. They'll be in school for smelting this year but next year they're both coming long, for the experience and the knowledge. Life here is much easier here. It is tougher in the big woods and those d**n big puddles up there. Thanks again and we'll be checking daily from here on. I just feel so much better when I get away from the city stuff here and start up north once I start seeing the rows of those 30 and 40 foot evergreens and when I smell that sweet smell of the big lakes. I just can't wait!! The jarhead Semper Fi
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Post by Peter Dahl on Apr 5, 2009 13:42:56 GMT -6
Where is the best place for me to start to get the heads up on the smelt run? Any suggestions on the best possibility for success, since we're from south of Red Wing and only been smelting once and was quite a disappointment. We drove from home to Ashland only to find out we were too late but the locals said it was a bad year also.Some people had been dropping nets getting the smelt out in the deeper water with nets and stopping them from getting into shore. I haven't had smelt in almost 20 years when I enlisted and now I have not a clue where to start. Is there good,better,best spot to go to increase our chances? The Brule, Point Park, Ashland? Anyone that might share their knowledge would be ever so much appreciated. Thanks!! The Jar head 04/01/2009 Smelters I think this forum is your most valuable asset to getting smelt. I used to make a report using first hand information I obtained by going out to the streams and beaches. It was hit and miss. By the time I found out about a run it was over. Fellow smelters will be going out and reporting there success or lack of it nightly. Do you part in helping out by report when you smelt. I left last season's posts up because it contains a lot of info for the new smelters. Good Luck and remember the old tradition of biting off the head of your first smelt. I will post a picture if you send me one.. Captain Peter
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Post by loco55066 on Apr 5, 2009 23:16:43 GMT -6
Well if we get up there and I get a smelt in my paws I'll bite the head off just so I can coax my grandson into it too. LOL It wouldn't be my first smelt but it would be my first at biting the head off needless to say. I'm with you on this Captain. I'll post a pic and be lookng forward to yours. I would like to thank you very much for the wonderful site and forum too. Best of luck and I'll be reading faithfully. The jarhead
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Post by dominodave on Apr 8, 2009 21:40:43 GMT -6
It won't be long now. I'm starting to twitch like my lab when I hold her ball too long. Would somebody up there give us long driver guys some info soon. Just tell us you through our smelt ball into the water and we'll be off like a bunch of psycho obsessed labs, oh boy. ;D
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Post by packers51 on Apr 10, 2009 13:00:52 GMT -6
Hey Captain Peter,
Any sign of smelt running (i should say swimming) yet? Would love to catch a couple coolers full...it has been about 15 years since i have gone...i was 11 last time i did it! Let me know...i live in Chippewa Falls, WI. About a two hour drive.
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Post by loco55066 on Apr 11, 2009 7:30:28 GMT -6
AWFULLY quiet in the forum!!!!! Everyone out smelting? Isn't there any progress reports yet? I sure hope it's progressing along soon here! Wifes driving me nuts cuz all I'm worried about is when the smelt are calling. To much honeydo and not fast enough smelt!!! LOL
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Post by woodtick on Apr 11, 2009 8:11:06 GMT -6
Its gonna be quiet for a week or so yet. Generally, its about the middle to later part of the month when they decide to swim in my net to be eaten. Last year, the 25th of April was the peek, but it was delayed because of very high water and the cold weather that never wanted to end! Some chatter will begin soon enough I suspect!
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Post by loco55066 on Apr 11, 2009 22:26:28 GMT -6
OK then I set my plate and silver!! Got the scissors sharp, and the cleaning boards ready. Wifes got the stove and pans ready. Should be about ready for smelting 101!! Got the itch real bad!!! My partners not even sleeping nites anymore I don't think!! He keeps calling and checking in. I think he's checking to see if I might try to slip away without him, but someones gotta wittness when I bite the head off that smelt for the Captain besides just the picture. LOL Thanks Woodtick Good Luck to ya!!!!!!! The jarhead
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