Walleye fishing and the smelt run

[SDHNTR]

Well, Since ice off the walleye fishing has been pretty decent. This last weekend they slowed down but several people reported seeing large schools of bait fish on their graphs. The walleyes that are being caught are very fat and healthy and often have been referred to as footballs. Most fish are in that 15" to 17" range.

They have opened up smelting for the smelt run for the first time in nine years. The smelt are running in Pollock now and should be running in the Mobridge area within several days.

I have never been smelting but have heard a lot of fun stories about it. I plan to make it out for my first smelting adventure soon and I will try to explain it afterwards for any others of you who have never done it either.

Also the pike fishing from shore has been pretty good since ice off too. I know of an 18, 19 and 24 pounder being caught. That too has slowed, probably due to the water temperature and the smelt run. Still a fun time and bodes well for getting to put up a nice battle with a large fish.

Until next time.

[SDHNTR]

Well, I now have experienced my first smelting expedition. It started with try to locate my waders and lantern, a big enough chore in itself. We headed out to the boat ramps near Mobridge because I learned that smelt like to spawn on a hard bottom in fairly shallow water. Well, we weren't quick enough because to many others had already thought of our spot. About 3 spots later we found a suitable spot for smelt. After watching another group make a pull with the net and only get about adozen smelt and after shining flashlights and spotlights into the water trying to find large schools of them scattering, we realized that the smelt run hasn't progressed as fast as everyone thought. So the most valuable lesson I learned is that even if the smelt aren't cooperating, just going outdoors and having a couple of beers with your buds is the biggest attraction of smelting.