Riggin Smelt

[Huck]

I have read numerous posts here on using smelt for northerns. Since they are dead how are you rigging them, J-hook, quick strke rig, treble hook in the back like a live minnow? Last year in WI we got a new law that states you cant take live minnows off from the ice for reuse. I was thinking using smelt for bait would cut the costs of dumping bait.

[Iceboy]

Quick strike for me with two small trebles. End treble through the tail and the middle treble through the back. Pretty sure they still hang vertical, but the gators don't seem to care.

[caseymcq]

I have used kahle hooks through the back to have the bait float horizontally. I have a book on northern pike and muskies from The Freshwater Angler series that recomends using a size three or four Swedish Hook under a tip-up.

[metrojoe]

We always rigged smelt with a pike hook.

[freebledsoe]

Wow, never used or even seen a hook like that used on a tip-up. Do you run that hook thru the smelt body or something?

[caseymcq]

metrojoe-

I am glad you posted that picture. I should have added to my post that the swedish hooks I was talking about are also called pike hooks. That is exactly what I was referring to. I tried to find a picture but I couldn't so that's cool that you had one.

freebledsoe-

The book I have, with an illustration, recomends rigging that hook through the "vent"(a.k.a. p00p chute) and then up through back just behind the head. The bait will hang horizontally that way. I am assuming running the hook through the "vent" isn't absolutely necessary to achieve that type of presentation though. I think the authors of the book may just have had some issues If you do a search for the book I mentioned you can preview it in pdf format and see a picture of the rigging.

[Huck]

If there is a pic from metrojoe all I see is a red X. How to get the pic??

[FL SNIPER]

When I was younger that's all my dad would ever fish northerns with....big smelt on mustad pike hook like the one pictured....run the hook through the body so the smelt hangs horizontal....otherwise if you use a traditional hook when the smelt thaws it just droops there. We also used heavy mono line as a leader...never tried a steel leader with the hook...not sure it that would matter much or not but we pulled some real nice pike out of forest lake with that set up. One nice thing about the smelt was you just could put it in the freezer and reuse it all the time. One bad thing was the smell was rich and would stay on your hands a long time.

[metrojoe]

Wow, never used or even seen a hook like that used on a tip-up. Do you run that hook thru the smelt body or something?

[metrojoe]

If there is a pic from metrojoe all I see is a red X. How to get the pic??

It's a .jpg file I have linked through Photo Bucket. Maybe your computer is being blocked from viewing images from Photo Bucket.