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Post by duluthster on Mar 23, 2010 23:06:13 GMT -6
Well what's the report? I don't suppose anyone has tried pulling a net yet. Water temps are still cold and it's still freezing at night. It doesn't look like that's going to change either. Even though this has been a super early spring and everything has all melted, I'm wondering if the cold nighttime temps will delay the run for quite a while yet.
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Post by hookertoo on Mar 24, 2010 11:30:37 GMT -6
With the ice gone already the lake should warm fast, especially if we have sunny weather. Mid May is a possibility. If anyone goes smelting, let us know, good or bad?
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Post by dominodave on Mar 24, 2010 19:19:11 GMT -6
You mean mid-April don't you? By mid-May the party will be over, unless Mother Nature really throws us a curveball. This year could be tough to predict. This early warm spell with no rain has all of us guessing already. My father has always said that we need a couple of 70 degree days in a row to get things started. And that could happen next week. What we really need is for everyone to be real honest and quick with the updates. I would hate to miss out. This time of the year the lake temp won't change much. Unless it's a shallow sandy beach. It's really the river water temps that are the key. I believe that 41 degrees is the magic number. Cool nights are not a slowing factor. It's the average daily temp, and sunny days that warm river water. the female smelt also need to have eggs that are ready for spawning as well. That's the real mystery. When will the eggs be ready? And when will the water be ready? The males could come in early and be "waiting" for the females arrival. So some early action could begin with them. I have heard that some trout are already moving into the streams. This seems very early to me as well. So who knows? .................The little smelts do! Early guess....., early spring, early start, early finish. The big lake didn't have much ice this year and it's already "off". I have dipped with the ice pack not far away and done well. Last year's weather was tough and the cold lasted forever. They were still getting them well into May last year. I'll bet not this year if the weather continues like this. April 17th peak prediction 2010. Hear me now, believe me later. Or not.
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Post by schmelty on Mar 26, 2010 14:40:39 GMT -6
I'm with you domino, If this trend continues it will be at least 2 weeks earlier than the past few. I do hesitate to call last year a "Run" more of an intermittent "trot".. Seines did better than dippers. If i remember the few times I was up it was cold & calm..no rollers to sweep 'em in.
I can almost taste the delicious bastards now!!
Get yer votes in.
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Post by dominodave on Mar 30, 2010 17:25:07 GMT -6
Like I said a couple of 70 degree days in a row. I'm thinking of making a trip up this w/e and checking things out. Peter, have you been checking any temp's on the rivers? Have you seen anybody out on the Pointe? Heard anything at all yet? I know it's early, but this weather has been crazy warm.... things should start at anytime now!
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Post by fishhunter on Apr 1, 2010 21:30:21 GMT -6
they are say in ashland they think it will start late next week they still have ice up there is starting to brake up doesnt ashland start before duluth i will be heading up to ashland next weekend if everything goes right i cant wait to get out there and get the nets wet and and some smelt in the batter
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Post by spebro on Apr 2, 2010 20:10:40 GMT -6
Looking to bring up a couple of buddies to try smelting this year. We need to find some new equipment. 1. What's the best dip net, and where can we buy one around Duluth? (I have a Cumings wire basket net from Michigan that is durable and works great - are these still around?) 2. What is the best "net" to use out on Park Point - Looking for type, size, and where to buy. 3. What's the peak time of day to be in the water? 10, 11, midnight? Thanks for the advice.
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Post by dominodave on Apr 3, 2010 19:40:19 GMT -6
1. The wire dip nets work great in the rivers, it's still the only way to go. I haven't bought one in a store for years so I couldn't answer on where to buy one. I get mine at garage sales for a couple bucks usually. Stay away from the new mesh ones, they suck!!! 2. The only siene net to buy is the one sold by Christiansen Nets that has a pocket in it. I've tried the others and they don't compare. Their number is on the main page. 3. Times are always a guessing game. Last year the Pointe was usually done by 10:30. The rivers could go on and off all night, but they are usually done by 1AM. Peter leaves all these posts up for a reason. They all have good info in them that is usually useful every year. Take some time and read through them all, make some mental notes, and you'll know where to check back for the answers. Have fun, good luck, and be safe!!
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Post by fishhunter on Apr 6, 2010 11:38:24 GMT -6
im heading to ashland tonight the report is they are starting to catch some im going up and going to give it a try i need to get the nets wet at least i will let you know how we did when i get back i can taste them already if anyone else is going out good luck and be safe ashland here i come
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Post by lobowood on Apr 6, 2010 19:17:44 GMT -6
Ok.... Does anyone have a report. I have my seines packed growing up in in the promised land ( the point ) I am hearing conditions are early. Please let me know
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Post by hookertoo on Apr 6, 2010 20:28:13 GMT -6
The smelt are starting to move into the shallows. I heard of a couple dozen in Ashland on Sun night by some commercial netters. I heard of 4 being seined on park point. My brother was on the point last night and it was sticklebacks. They are not running yet but they could start soon.
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Post by fishhunter on Apr 7, 2010 10:58:21 GMT -6
i went to ashland last night we got close to 5 gallons we work hard for them they are to running that well yet up there i talk to a few people and they said its still very slow but they are running they did not run till late we had lots of 5 and 6 untill midnight after that we where getting 40 to 60s that lasted for about and hour and a half after that it was back to the same if anyone is going up they are at least some in to get good luck and be safe
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Post by kingfisher on Apr 8, 2010 15:59:14 GMT -6
Anyone know, if they are starting to run in Ashland, how long til they move down towards the Superior, WI area?
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Post by dominodave on Apr 8, 2010 18:02:32 GMT -6
In past years not long, maybe a couple of days. It usually depends on ice out. Ashlands ice is usually gone before the Duluth area, but this year it's backwards. My bet is they will be starting any day, and go like mad for a couple weeks. I'll be up Friday night and be testing the waters and checking the rocks for some of those tell tale eggs and sniffing the air for the sweet smell of smelt! Everyone should be dragging out their deep-fryers!!!! It won't be long now!!!!! I'll get a fresh post up by early Sat morning so everyone can make some plans!
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Post by domino dave on Apr 10, 2010 2:20:34 GMT -6
Friday, April 9th update: Drove up from North Branch, Got a later start than I wanted, cause the new DNR machines were not working for one of my riders. So she didn't get her license, but still had fun being there. We stopped by the Pointe 1st at about 10:00pm. Nobody there, big rollers coming in and a steady wind out of the North at about 15-20. Not a good place to start. So we headed staight for the Lester. We got there at 10:15pm. Two cars in the lot, one guy in the water by himself. The other guy in his car reports that he was dipping Thursday for 3 hours and got one little smelt. At this point I was thinking I came up for nothing. But we had a newbie we wanted to show how it's done, so we gave the ol'e lets get in and see what happens tonight phrase. So we stroll on in at about 10:30pm with the one other guy in the water. Ask him how it's going and he says pretty good, he wasn't really ready for catching smelt, all he had was a walmart bag to put them in, and it was looking pretty full. My 1st dip, 2, next 6, I said woo hoo!!!!!!! Here we go, and we went at it for about an hour, we managed to pull out about 2 gallons worth of the delicious little bastards in an hour when they quit at 11:30pm. We had a lot of zero's, lots of 1-2's, 4's,6's, even some 12+ers!!! Now this might not sound that great to some, but this was a hell of lot better than any day I had on the Lester last year!!! And yes that guy in the lot couldn't get into his waders fast enough when he saw us filling our buckets. About a dozen more people showed up after it was over at 11:30pm and they didn't get hardly any. I did hear that 4 guys were out on the pointe the night before and pulled 5 gallons pretty quick. Conclusion: don't wait for the DNR to tell you the water needs to be "warmer" cause they are now running just fine. Pretty d**n good actually. The size surprised me as well, these were mainly really big fat females, not little males. The river doesn't smell fishy yet, so it's just starting. The rocks don't have eggs attached to them yet. So this is the beginning of the run. I think with the early and persistent warm weather we will get a strong run this year. After tonight, it could be an every night deal till their done, barring a real bad cold snap. The Lester is flowing real slow and low right now, so I think the water is warming very well during the day and cooling fast at night, therefore causing the run to slow or stop once the river waters cools down late at night, so I would be early, not 11:30pm. This is similar to what happens at the Pointe, only the larger lake cools the shallows down faster and shuts the pointe down by 10:30pm. So there's your update. My prediction of the 17th being the "peak" just might happen. I'll bet the warm weather week ahead that next weekend will be crankin! But I won't be waiting that long, I have to work the next 2 days but will be back Monday night. Anyone heading up 35 can stop in and visit the Domino's behind the McDonalds in North Branch and say hi! Have fun and be safe! PS I'll be have a smelt fry Sat afternoon with all the fixin's!!!!!! All on hunch and a little luck!!!
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