Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: duckmen1 on February 01, 2015, 01:21:15 PM

Title: Smelt dipping
Post by: duckmen1 on February 01, 2015, 01:21:15 PM: Hoping to go out for the first time for smelt next weekend. Thinking it would be a good way to get bait for the year for bottomfishing. Gonna have to buy a net for it so will be looking into that. But do you think this amount of rain in the forecast will effect being able to get them?
Any tips and or tricks or info of any kind that anybody is willing to share would be greatly appreciated
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: HntnFsh on February 01, 2015, 01:22:35 PM: The only way the rain will affect the run is if it cools the river too much and keeps them out. I doubt that!
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: HntnFsh on February 01, 2015, 01:23:56 PM: I think I laid it out pretty well in here. Look through it. If you have any more questions ask away!

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,169454.0.html (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,169454.0.html)
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: duckmen1 on February 01, 2015, 01:32:02 PM: Thanks. If I can get the day to go I am really looking forward to it. Think it would be fun.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: columbiaman on February 02, 2015, 05:00:21 PM: I cannot wait to hit Cowlitz river next weekend.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: RadSav on February 02, 2015, 05:04:17 PM: Birds were really working the lower Cowlitz and Lewis when I was driving up on Saturday. That is usually a very good sign. You should have a great weekend of dipping if you can fight for a spot or speak Russian ;)
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Elk whack master on February 02, 2015, 11:24:20 PM: Thinking of taking the kids to try to get some. Any safe lowbank spots or sections of river to hit. Seen some YouTube stuff with high banks and tall grass, not good for the little ones. The only Russian you need to know is vodka. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: HntnFsh on February 03, 2015, 06:15:14 AM: Camelot area might be best for kids. Maybe gearheart gardens.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Jingles on February 03, 2015, 06:35:04 AM: Is smelt dipping here in WA like it was back in MI where all you need is a fishing license a good net and a 35 gallon garbage can to fill with smelt?
One night at singing bridges in E. Tawas fill 2 garbage cans and still be home before daylight to spend the day cleaning fish
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on February 03, 2015, 06:55:31 AM: Quote from: Jingles on February 03, 2015, 06:35:04 AM
Is smelt dipping here in WA like it was back in MI where all you need is a fishing license a good net and a 35 gallon garbage can to fill with smelt?
One night at singing bridges in E. Tawas fill 2 garbage cans and still be home before daylight to spend the day cleaning fish

10 pounds is the limit and no licence is needed.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Jingles on February 03, 2015, 07:05:46 AM: Thanks for the reply
No License is good but a 10 pound limit... well ok that'll work although I can remember when that would of been only 3 dips of the net, must be the runs here are not that spectacular as far as the shear numbers of fish
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on February 03, 2015, 07:12:28 AM: 10 pounds is about 1/3 of a 5 gallon bucket.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: TheHunt on February 03, 2015, 07:21:59 AM: depending on the bucket 1/3 to 1/4 of a 5 gallon bucket.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Jingles on February 03, 2015, 07:23:49 AM: Quote from: wildmanoutdoors on February 03, 2015, 07:12:28 AM
10 pounds is about 1/3 of a 5 gallon bucket.
Hardly makes it worth going for if that is the limit.. Heck that is barely a meal for 2 let alone a meal for 4
rolled in flour deep fried and eaten as finger food
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Dhoey07 on February 03, 2015, 07:27:12 AM: Quote from: Jingles on February 03, 2015, 07:23:49 AM
Quote from: wildmanoutdoors on February 03, 2015, 07:12:28 AM
10 pounds is about 1/3 of a 5 gallon bucket.
Hardly makes it worth going for if that is the limit.. Heck that is barely a meal for 2 let alone a meal for 4
rolled in flour deep fried and eaten as finger food

So bring a friend, or 2
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on February 03, 2015, 07:32:37 AM: Me and the wife are leaving Portland for home Sat morn. Stopping for a couple limits on the way up.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: WSU on February 03, 2015, 08:01:04 AM: I'm giving it a whirl Saturday. Anyone around Olympia have a net they aren't using? Also, anyone have a link to something that tells me what to do with them once I get them?
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: TheHunt on February 03, 2015, 08:07:00 AM: I have a friend whom I give all mine to in return he will give me some smoked and pickled. If you are on FB he is on the Fish and Game Smoke House. He will be posting how they turned out.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Encore 280 on February 03, 2015, 08:10:45 AM: I plan on going but don't know where to go. :dunno: I have a net and will share with someone who doesn't have one but knows of a place to hit. Went years ago with my dad but I don't remember where the heck it was, seems like someplace in the Kelso area. :dunno:
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: TheHunt on February 03, 2015, 08:16:18 AM: We are going to hit a place near 4 corners and Camelot. If we don't get anything we will look for rigs.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: columbiaman on February 05, 2015, 09:28:11 AM: Quote from: Jingles on February 03, 2015, 07:23:49 AM
Quote from: wildmanoutdoors on February 03, 2015, 07:12:28 AM
10 pounds is about 1/3 of a 5 gallon bucket.
Hardly makes it worth going for if that is the limit.. Heck that is barely a meal for 2 let alone a meal for 4
rolled in flour deep fried and eaten as finger food

10 Lb seems to be a lot of protein... :)
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: duckmen1 on February 05, 2015, 06:55:53 PM: Now I'm ready. Sportsmans warehouse in puyallup has nets in stock so I picked mine up. Gonna get up super early and head down. Not sure where to go that has good access being as I've never done this but am excited none the less. Then if we do well and get our 2 limits then we are headed to Portland sportsmans show. Should be fun. Being as I am going down with no time to scout out access if anyone would like to pm some general access points it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and good luck everyone. I'll be sure to post success pics.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: duckmen1 on February 05, 2015, 08:50:55 PM: Rain rain rain. Is all I see in forecast. Does anyone think that it will blow the river out and make for a tough smelt fishery on the opener?
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Jamieb on February 06, 2015, 07:18:43 AM: Quote from: duckmen1 on February 05, 2015, 08:50:55 PM
Rain rain rain. Is all I see in forecast. Does anyone think that it will blow the river out and make for a tough smelt fishery on the opener?
Some Rain wont hurt.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: TONTO on February 07, 2015, 08:52:28 AM: Well I live about 2 miles from the river, took longer to drive down the hill than it did to get my limit. Mostly large males, no need to sort them, although a couple females did seem to escape.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: duckmen1 on February 07, 2015, 08:57:29 AM: We had a great time and limited. But not near that quick. Most we got per scoop four. Some scoops empty didnt see anybody else doing any better than us and there were alot of people there.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: duckmen1 on February 07, 2015, 09:00:37 AM: Took two of us an hour and a half with one net.we maybe could have had better numbers if we fished lower but that's fine. Gave us some time to do the sport after a long drive.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Fastass350 on February 07, 2015, 09:43:12 AM: We got our 2 limits in 4 dips, had to dump some back even. First time I had ever done it. We went to riverside park, no crowds and easy access.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: ICEMAN on February 07, 2015, 10:15:53 AM: We dipped 8 limits in an hour. Got them under ice.... kids are competing in a music soloing competition at Monticello middle school as we speak. Won't be cleaning our fish until tonight.

Had fun. Taught 5 newbies to smelting today.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: buckhorn2 on February 07, 2015, 11:46:29 AM: We got three limits just above the castel rock bridge all big mails took us about 15 minutes looked like everyone there was doing good.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Jamieb on February 07, 2015, 11:51:44 AM: We got our2 limits in about 6 dips. Mostly big males. Half a limit soaking in brine will be smoked tomorrow, a few cleaned to eat tonight and a few bags in the freezer for later. If we could keep sturgeon on the Chehalis, I'd go again next weekend to get bait but we have enough for eating so I'm done.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Fimage_zpsldygyf7g.jpg&hash=326a2874f04866c39f572e1a4935acc01030fa2b) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/elkhunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsldygyf7g.jpg.html)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Fimage_zpspxtrnmb6.jpg&hash=1009bb99fbd961dccb8f6de23e2811c9e9e4fb1f) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/elkhunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpspxtrnmb6.jpg.html)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Fimage_zpslwvlxss9.jpg&hash=7f8ebe13812c9533e4088af6964d8dc48a0c9bad) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/elkhunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpslwvlxss9.jpg.html)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Fimage_zpsu16wfnna.jpg&hash=8d2775efd5503c7c424714793cb29cebecb919a7) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/elkhunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsu16wfnna.jpg.html)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Fimage_zpsmftv03hf.jpg&hash=800272994d1912430da3536aa57a28eefe643b66) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/elkhunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsmftv03hf.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: buckhorn2 on February 07, 2015, 12:11:50 PM: We watched 3 Asians packing bucket after bucket up but the good thing the fish and game must have been watching also because we saw them getting checked as we left. Finally get a chance to dip and always some ready to get it closed down for some reason or another.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on February 07, 2015, 12:15:13 PM: Quote from: buckhorn2 on February 07, 2015, 12:11:50 PM
We watched 3 Asians packing bucket after bucket up but the good thing the fish and game must have been watching also because we saw them getting checked as we left. Finally get a chance to dip and always some ready to get it closed down for some reason or another.

Hopefully they get fined heavy for their greed! :bash:
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Jamieb on February 07, 2015, 01:07:33 PM: I brought a scale so we knew when we had 10# per bucket.
Most folks were just filling their 5gal. bucket. The fine for taking over your limit must be small or the limit just isn't enforced, folks didn't even try to hide the fact that they were over limit by a bunch.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: HntnFsh on February 07, 2015, 01:33:12 PM: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 dip limits across from Carnival market. Better than what I saw at Castle Rock. Didn't start till about 10 though. In 2 limits I had 15 females. Not a lot of big males but enough. The smaller males that seemed to prevail would be awesome for pickled smelt!

Lots of limit abuse going on. Wasn't limited to race. The Gamies were busy at Rocky Point!

How many smelt does a person really need? !
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Utah on February 07, 2015, 01:56:37 PM: Quote from: Jingles on February 03, 2015, 07:05:46 AM
Thanks for the reply
No License is good but a 10 pound limit... well ok that'll work although I can remember when that would of been only 3 dips of the net, must be the runs here are not that spectacular as far as the shear numbers of fish

J, this year and last one dip would fill a 5 gallon bucket to the top fish pouring onto the ground. One dip was 2 limits today where I was. Way to easy!
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Encore 280 on February 07, 2015, 02:36:04 PM: We went to the high banks and had two limits in 5 dips. Lottsa people and game wardens. Talked to a couple wardens and there were 18 of them in the area! Saw the beds of a couple of their trucks and they were loaded with big garbage bags full of smelt they confiscated!! And then it was a down pour on I-5 on the way back.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: duckmen1 on February 07, 2015, 02:52:37 PM: Crazy. I started at 6 am and out 75 or so people I saw in castlerock area people were only pulling up three fish on a good pull.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Utah on February 07, 2015, 05:24:47 PM: Wonder what the hell the Game Dept is gonna do with all those confiscated smelt?
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: HntnFsh on February 07, 2015, 05:30:13 PM: I almost asked them if they wanted to just give the wife and I, 10 lbs, apiece so they didn't have to mess with them.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: Jamieb on February 08, 2015, 08:42:27 AM: The little chief is full
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Fimage_zpspau3m0xq.jpg&hash=157892ae119456c2d96b43b377911d12c97a97a1) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/elkhunter/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpspau3m0xq.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: scree on February 08, 2015, 09:34:28 AM: This was my first time dipping since a growing up in Michigan. The family had a blast, three limits in 15 minutes. I think we are going out next weekend to put some in the freezer for my folks. My dad can eat his weight in smelt and big runs in MI are mostly a thing of the past. They really need a limit there too.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: lokidog on February 08, 2015, 11:50:39 AM: Sounds like fun, wish I wasn't so far away. There is a guy that does educational/commmercial beach seining here in the islands, I'm going to try to join him on his next pull if he is still doing it.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: goosegetter79 on February 08, 2015, 03:54:00 PM: Saw a video yesterday on FB that someone had posted to fishing washington state or washington state fishing. It was of a gal standing in the water just grabbing them with her hands. It was probably about 1-2 minutes long and she must have grabbed 10 or so.
Title: Re: Smelt dipping
Post by: TheHunt on February 08, 2015, 05:03:56 PM: To make it pay I went down with 6 people and we all got limits in about 2 hours. We did not have the right net. But it was still fun. Cleaned them all yesterday and they are in the smoker and the canner.

I am heading down early on Saturday to make bait...