Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: GregE on March 02, 2014, 08:27:41 AM

Title: SMELT Report
Post by: GregE on March 02, 2014, 08:27:41 AM: That's not the past tense of smell.... ;) but a tasty fish that comes into fresh water to spawn - they don't eat in the fresh water so they need to dip netted by sporties ( netted by commercials)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv367%2FKodak45%2F31smeltdipping2_zpsc1b48b16.jpg&hash=3474f484265730d0f072197df95e7d331b4025d2)

We were on the Cowlitz S of Castle Rock and it took two cold hours in crotch deep water to get ours.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv367%2FKodak45%2F31smelting_zps2f44c604.jpg&hash=049dce948246682578345f8e9d6a591e68f4a478)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv367%2FKodak45%2F31smeltJ_zpsf6dec711.jpg&hash=dac8825d3fda8a28b39eb29835a69cad588518b0)

Several were 9.5 "

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv367%2FKodak45%2F95smelt_zps3bf0a5be.jpg&hash=062ef1a0bfde87e01dce1b003e28c24112808999)

10# carefully weighed. Guess what's for dinner?

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv367%2FKodak45%2F31smeltsink_zps5a40efe2.jpg&hash=2e5a06b2c84905d8700e139b69a14f217d449e2b)

Some eat them whole but Dinner tonight was sans heads, guts and bones. Remnants are going into the bait buckets for shrimp, crabs

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv367%2FKodak45%2F31smeltbones_zpsb5f18d62.jpg&hash=c087b3f6b8b3305665bdb4de809928d2d1956b73)
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: ICEMAN on March 02, 2014, 08:35:42 AM: GregE, you are making me so jealous! Great pics!

I sure hope they re-open for us sportsmen!

Butter fried till crispy? :EAT:
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on March 02, 2014, 08:51:21 AM: Those look real good!!! :tup:
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: TheHunt on March 02, 2014, 08:53:49 AM: Let's hope they open it up this coming weekend.
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: HntnFsh on March 02, 2014, 09:49:33 AM: I was on the Camelot side south of Castle Rock as it was a safer place for the grankids. It was steady but not great dipping. Still had a blast. Got our limits. The Hiway side at the park below Castle Rock was lights out. 1 and 2 dip limits were the norm.
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: Fishaholic on March 02, 2014, 11:10:09 AM: Your eating all the bait!!!!!
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: ICEMAN on March 02, 2014, 03:19:32 PM: :chuckle:
Quote from: ddjj1991 on March 02, 2014, 11:10:09 AM
Your eating all the bait!!!!!
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: TheHunt on March 02, 2014, 03:30:42 PM: Quote from: ICEMAN on March 02, 2014, 03:19:32 PM
:chuckle:
Quote from: ddjj1991 on March 02, 2014, 11:10:09 AM
Your eating all the bait!!!!!

Hahahaha... They open it up again I am going to find someone to go with that has a net. I am more interested in just dipping.

I might take home some bait 1 or 2 baits and try it out.
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: gasman on March 02, 2014, 03:51:12 PM: I remember as a kid going smelting on the Cow.''Dad and uncle did al the dipping, we had to stay around for them to get our limit too :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
once they got all our limits we were allowed to go play in the water or what ever we wanted :IBCOOL: :IBCOOL: :IBCOOL: then when we got home it was time to clean many buckets of smelt :bash: :bash: :bash: some were cleaned (as soon as dad got tired of cleaning them, we stopped and froze them whole :chuckle: ) Mom would fill empty ice cream buckets with fish and freeze them.

Smelt for dinner, smoked smelt, and any time mom was in the mood, she would take a bucket out of the freezer and yep, you guessed it, smelt for a week :violent1:

God do I miss those day :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash:
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: bullcanyon on March 03, 2014, 07:52:27 AM: Too funny! That's my brother and I in the first picture you took. We were only there 15 minutes tops. That was his daughters first smelting experience.
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: Encore 280 on March 03, 2014, 07:58:48 AM: I went a time or two back in the late 70's with my dad somewhere around Kelso but I can't remember where it was. I'd really like to try it again sometime but don't know where to go. I have a net so maybe I'll just have to drive down there and find where all the dippers are and give it a try.
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: TheHunt on March 03, 2014, 08:13:18 AM: Quote from: Encore 280 on March 03, 2014, 07:58:48 AM
I went a time or two back in the late 70's with my dad somewhere around Kelso but I can't remember where it was. I'd really like to try it again sometime but don't know where to go. I have a net so maybe I'll just have to drive down there and find where all the dippers are and give it a try.

I would go with you if they open it up again. I just want the experience.
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: Encore 280 on March 03, 2014, 08:16:34 AM: I don't think I can go this coming Sat. as the Kitsap guys are having a get together so might have to be the following unless "The Warden" comes up with something she wants to do.
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: TheHunt on March 03, 2014, 08:23:55 AM: I do not think it is open any more.
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: plunker01 on March 04, 2014, 12:51:49 PM: 2hrs to get ur limit! We wentboutb that morning and it took us 15 min to get 4 limits. It was packed at carnival market but with 1 or 2 dip limits most people were in and out
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: Mark0202 on March 04, 2014, 07:04:50 PM: I just read that they added this coming saturday!.
Title: Re: SMELT Report
Post by: pd on March 04, 2014, 07:07:24 PM: Fried smelt.

Deep fried in egg batter with chrysanthemum greens. Serve with mayonnaise.

I missed fishing this year--these are from the fishmonger.