Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: Encore 280 on January 16, 2025, 07:38:18 PM

Title: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: Encore 280 on January 16, 2025, 07:38:18 PM: Looks like there could be 14 days of smelt dipping, upon approval of course. Cross your fingers!
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: CastleRocker on January 16, 2025, 07:49:22 PM: The first "pilot run" is in the Columbia by Longview now. Watched a Sea Lion come up chomping on some. The seagulls have been gathering as well.
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: Encore 280 on January 16, 2025, 08:27:11 PM: WDFW mentions all the obstacles that affects the run, except for the sea lions. :bash:
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: The Gobble-stopper on February 04, 2025, 12:00:54 AM: Were announced that the first two days, Wednesday the 5th and Saturday the 8th will be closed for dipping. Go figure!
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: Jake Dogfish on February 24, 2025, 11:56:17 PM: Anyone hear anything positive?
I bought a new net and it’s looking like this runs a bust. :dunno:
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: HntnFsh on February 25, 2025, 05:42:15 AM: Way too early to think that. The water is finally starting to warm up. Ive seen big runs of smelt all of the way through March and a couple in April. Dont give up yet!
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: CastleRocker on February 25, 2025, 05:49:50 AM: I'm thinking when the water level/flow comes back down, they'll show up.
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: C-Money on February 25, 2025, 06:29:29 AM: Is there a rod & reel season for smelt? I enjoyed catching them through the ice in Lake Erie as a kid. Wonder if some micro crappie jigs would get them to bite in the river?
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: 30.06 on February 25, 2025, 11:03:29 AM: Used to be popular to catch smelt in late February on rod and reel in Swinomish Slough La Conner. The town even had a Smelt Derby! Sabiki rig with 8 real small gold hooks.
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: storyteller on February 25, 2025, 11:07:49 AM: Been many years but I used to catch them in La Conner on rod and reel as well. Curiousity got me, I looked it up, there is still a season, year round for rod and reel. Have at it.
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: BigGoonTuna on February 25, 2025, 11:27:09 AM: I would think that hook and line fishing would be pretty tough on the lower Cowlitz, the water down there is usually pretty colored up this time of year, and especially with the Toutle puking mud after the rain we’ve been getting lately.
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: TeacherMan on February 25, 2025, 12:37:21 PM: Question, what is the difference between a smelt and a hooligan? The hooligan in AK are so thick you can get a 5-gallon bucket in one dip of the net.
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: Parasite on February 25, 2025, 01:35:27 PM: Quote from: TeacherMan on February 25, 2025, 12:37:21 PM
Question, what is the difference between a smelt and a hooligan? The hooligan in AK are so thick you can get a 5-gallon bucket in one dip of the net.

Same fish. Eulachon - Hooligan. Someones slang term for it that just too off most likely.
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: Remnar on February 25, 2025, 03:14:40 PM: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/smelt#regulations

No angling allowed in Cowlitz.

What I have seen referred to as Hooligans are a different species. They are a surf smelt. :twocents:
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: storyteller on February 25, 2025, 04:57:38 PM: This thread was mainly about Cowlitz river smelt, but I will this link, there are 7 species of smelt, all the same but different.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/01219/wdfw01219.pdf
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: DeerThug on February 25, 2025, 06:52:03 PM: I remember when I was a kid in the early 70's my neighbors would go on a smelt trip and come back with as many garbage cans as you could fit in the back of a pickup truck totally full of smelt. Everyone in our small town would come and take all they wanted.

Another example of upside down management with the sea lions etc. Control the predators at a reasonable level. Just because they are sea mammals they get a special pass does not make any common sense. For smelt to salmon etc they need a population correction. I for one would love to have a permit to take one.
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: PointBlank on March 07, 2025, 04:44:52 PM: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADFW/bulletins/3d5d34e
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: Ghost Hunter on March 07, 2025, 05:01:42 PM: I'll miss those next week. >:(
Title: Re: SMELT OPENINGS
Post by: PointBlank on March 12, 2025, 08:23:27 AM: Not missing much today… maybe Saturday