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Post by PZX Fishing Journal on Apr 7, 2015 9:08:38 GMT -6
be careful out there guys. From the looks of the wheather those waves are pretty big.
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Post by dominodaves on Apr 7, 2015 10:04:34 GMT -6
Here's what the Lester looks like right now. Pretty frozen yet! And the mouth is all rearranged again this year. Water is flowing pretty weakly and very low too. I'm sure after things defrost that will change. Attachments:
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Post by Chickenman on Apr 7, 2015 12:22:25 GMT -6
Have any of you noticed a correlation between water temp and smelting success over the years? I am following the Park Point temperature online, as I live too far away to make more than one trip up. I was wondering if temperature is useful in predicting some of the best nights to try.
Thanks for any info.
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Post by dominodaves on Apr 7, 2015 13:25:23 GMT -6
Have any of you noticed a correlation between water temp and smelting success over the years? I am following the Park Point temperature online, as I live too far away to make more than one trip up. I was wondering if temperature is useful in predicting some of the best nights to try. Thanks for any info. Your question seems so simple.....THE ANSWER IS NOT! So I understand your desire for as much info as possible. The answer seems to be different depending on where you look. The MN DNR website goes with an overnight temp in the upper 40's. To me that means 47 or above. In years past I used to wait for this temp, and follow the DNR posts on how the smelt were running. Then I would make the journey up to my favorite spots to only hear that I've already missed it! This would drive me crazy!!!!!! So I finally started keeping track of things my self. And have learned a few things; I take temps at dusk only. The temp can skyrocket during a sunny day. Or not at all with a cloudy day. And plummet at night. So which should you use. 47+ overnight is just too warm and you've waited too long. The real temp is 42-43 degrees. This will get things started for the smelt. Even a bit cooler if the ice hangs around for ever and the smelt are ready. We have seen this over the last 2 years. By 45, things will really start to crank up. The difference between 42 and 47+ could take weeks to happen, thus missing the run. Now following the water temps at the Point are a bit more tricky. The water that warms there is shallow, warms quickly, cools quickly, and if waves are rolling in never warm at all. And maybe shut down a good run for a couple days. But 42-43 seems to work pretty well here as well. I'm not sure where they take their temps here as well. In the harbor or on the beach? We need beach temps. Hear me now and believe me later! If you wait around for a specific temp to be reported or wait for the DNR to report that they are officially running, you will likely miss some of the best smelting of the year! And I also know this. Follow this site....and you won't miss out! It has been a wonderful thing for so many people, including me. Thanks to everyone who posts and helps out!
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Post by Melonstink on Apr 7, 2015 15:10:19 GMT -6
itching too much!!! I'm heading out this weekend starting friday to sunday night.. I'll let you guys know how it goes.. Dominodaves how's the beach? are all the ice out from shore yet? looks like it from these cams..
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Post by freezeman on Apr 7, 2015 15:20:38 GMT -6
Thanks for the update dominodaves
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Post by dominodaves on Apr 7, 2015 15:34:41 GMT -6
DOGS, Here's a photo from a few days ago. Looks good for seining. Attachments:
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Post by Ernest on Apr 7, 2015 18:13:49 GMT -6
Im think of going the weekend of the 18th - 19th think ill hit the rush?
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Post by shredder on Apr 7, 2015 18:19:42 GMT -6
whereas the rivers would normally be roaring at this time, they are but a trickle. For those that don't know, we are in a drought. Burning restrictions are in effect. Interesting times, dudes...
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Post by Ernest on Apr 7, 2015 18:22:55 GMT -6
How does a drought effect the smelt run? i was up north a couple weeks ago and noticed everything was low.
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Post by shredder on Apr 7, 2015 19:23:22 GMT -6
Too many variables. Tough to speculate. Wait and see. A deluge of warm rain would be nice.
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Post by chickenman on Apr 7, 2015 19:44:05 GMT -6
Thanks Dave for your thorough reply. I have been reading everything on the forum this year, so hopefully I can make a better long-distance judgment than I did last year. I can only make it on a weekend, so I have to cross my fingers. At least this year I have a dip net and a seine. A Christensen with a sock by the way, thanks to you.
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Post by Eric on Apr 7, 2015 22:51:46 GMT -6
I was in Duluth on April 2nd. Streams are flowing into the lake with some lumps of ice still blocking the major flows. Strong waves from the lake to shores. But the water was still very cold, near mid-30 degrees F or so. DNR says the water temperature has to be 40 degrees F overnight for several nights for the smelts to run. There's no way to test it. Just keep going there and checking it, I guess.
See you all next week to the week after if we can find one another in the dark.
Eric
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Post by Chickenman on Apr 8, 2015 7:17:10 GMT -6
The site I have been looking at for several days for water temp says it's taken at Latitude: N 46° 43' 52.41", and Longitude: W 92° 03' 03.03. I Googled that location and it is about mid way along Park Point, on the open water side. The temp is updated every six? hours, and has actually been very steady, just rising a degree every few days. It's at 36 today. The site says this temp is at zero inches depth. It doesn't say how they measure it.
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Post by fishman11 on Apr 8, 2015 12:16:59 GMT -6
Thanks for the insight and updates Dom. just found this site and it's been nothing but informative. I live too far to make trips up there, so this site is very helpful. I'll be taking the 18th off, so hopefully conditions are good for a run. Thanks everyone else also.
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