Anyone ever use Smelt or Sardines for ice fishing bait?

[FishNovice101]

Has anyone ever used dead smelt or sardines for ice fishing?

I was thinking that the smell may attract fish!!

[Wookiee]

Smelt on a tip up is used quite frequently for big northerns.

[FishNovice101]

I'll try it tomorrow - where can I get some? Any ideas?

Figure it's time to try something new and crazy!!

[metrojoe]

Years ago I couldn't go tip-up fishing without smelt, but then it became tough to find for a few years so I got away from using them. The last couple years now I have been able to pick it up at local bait shops. Smelt works great for pike fishing.

[IFallsRon]

We used them for lake trout fishing.

[RiverFish]

Try your local grocery store for frozen bags of smelt.

[moose_bay_traders]

I have had great luck with smelt. I usaully freeze 4 to a pack and take them out as needed. I put them on frozen and the water thaw them out. I read somewere once that pike will rummage the soft bottom looking for frogs that are hibernating. I have the best luck with leaving them lay on the bottom.

[unotrouble2]

do you have any problems with them trying to float ???

[Steve Foss]

Fishnovice:

Smelt are among the best tip-up baits for pike and lake trout. After fishing pike hard for several years experimenting with live and dead bait, I abandoned live bait completely because smelt and cisco (tulibee) outfished live bait by far.

It's been six years since I put a live minnow on a pike tip-up. Far easier to bring along a few packs of smelt/cisco than trying to keep suckers alive in winter.

Not everybody has had the same results as I have, and I know some pike anglers who are just as adamant that live bait outfishes dead, but that's been my experience, anyway.

If you can't find them in bait stores, either check the frozen seafood section of our grocery store or get frozen cisco from the bait store. Cisco and smelt work equally well.

I experiment with depth, doing my best generally about half way down the water column, but not always.

unotrouble: They DO float when frozen and sink when thawed, but I put a couple big split shot above the quick-strike rig to make sure they sink if they're still frozen.

[Grogan]

nice I'm going to get off walleyes for the season and was going to target northerns. Thanks for the tips gents!

[FishNovice101]

Are smelt and ciscoe considered gamefish in Minnesota? If they are, is it legal to use them as bait? Or is it ok if they are dead?

[Steve Foss]

You cannot transport live smelt in Minnesota. Frozen or dead smelt and cisco can be transported anywhere in the state.

[FishNovice101]

Yes, but are they legal bait? Sounds like it to me - so many people use them.

[Steve Foss]

Dude, I would not be recommending fishing with them if they were not legal bait. Just ribbin you, you know. Yes, they are legal.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

 Originally Posted By: unotrouble2

do you have any problems with them trying to float ???

Sometimes when we use dead ciscoes for trout we will push 1/4" X 2" piece of styrofoam down their throats to MAKE them float. Add a couple of split shot to your line about a foot above the ciscoe so that they will float about 1 foot off of the bottom. I usually try both methods to see which is working best that day.

Cliff

[art321]

I've used smelt mostly for their heads on spoons and such for lakers and I use whole ciscoes for pike. I use the tail sections of the smelt for chum while I'm jigging. Pike will rummage on dead fish under the ice and on the bottom. I usually put mine about 3-5 ft of the bottom and another about 5 ft under the ice. If they're cruising they'll find it at one of those depths. And trust me, there is no bait to big for a pike if you are after the big girls.

[FishNovice101]

Dudette actually.

I am going to try them tomorrow!

I'll let you all know how it goes

[Steve Foss]

 Originally Posted By: FishNovice101

Dudette actually.

I'm busted! Sorry.

Good luck out there, and let us know how you do.

[broman]

 Originally Posted By: art321

do you have any problems with them trying to float ???

Just the other day I saw someone saying that they shoved a large nail into their smelt to weight them down.

[Steve Foss]

All you have to do is thaw them and they sink.

[NyQuiLlama]

And if you really want an experience you can try "smelting." We use large nets to catch them in lake superior. Last year I brought home several 5 gallon buckets full. They are pretty dang good as a main course, not just a bait.

[brianh]

.....and if fishing is slow, throw one between a couple of crackers. Lunch and bait in the same bucket.

[LMITOUT]

 Originally Posted By: broman

Just the other day I saw someone saying that they shoved a large nail into their smelt to weight them down.

I saw that too. I've used smelt under tip-ups for pike and never messed with any weight besides some split-shot on the line above the bait. Seemed to work just fine without the nails.

I cannot find any smelt in this area and usually have to bootleg some in from ND when I head back home if I remember.

[Doop]

I don't want my smelt to float up....I'd much prefer it to hang down...and yes those buggers do float...so I step on them and pop their air bladder. Usually does the trick.

[perch_destroyer]

I've found smelt at local grocery stores in the Moorhead area, but its tough. I had 2 call around to different ones, they sell out fast. Down in the metro you should find them at Cub Foods. I've tried it once with not much luck, but i will definately be trying it again. Good luck. the Perch