Little Choke Fish!

[Jen]

Ok, I know they won't choke you, and they were really really yummy however it was the idea of eatting an entire fish, skin, bones and all that kept making me a little nervous.

 

Yesterday I got out for my first time SMELT fishing. I have heard a lot about it and was looking forward to giving it a try. They are hard little guys to catch... Firstly if you get them on your little tiny hook they have an uncanny ability to squiggle off just as you are lifting them out of the hole and then if you do manage to put them on the ice and are not fast enough they find that doorway back to the water awefully quickly.

 

All that said I devised a method of capture which worked rather well. Pole in one hand, line down only far enough to lift out and an ice scoop in the other hand to capture the little guys if they happened to slip back into the hole.

 

It was a great couple of hours in Port Colbourne, as we ended up with about 60 smelt, which was enough for dinner.

 

Can't wait to get the kids out there trying it once the cold weather returns.

 

I see a competition of how many can be caught coming between my boys.

 

Cheers,

 

Jen

Edited February 5, 2008 by Jen

[tonyb]

Have you or anyone else ever tried a Sabiki rig for Smelt? I bet it would work well...

 

 

They certainly are tasty little critters all fried up!

Tony

[Jen]

That is a really cool rig Tony! I will have to try it... and yes they were excellent dredged in flour , fried and then salted! Even the fins were good after I got over the whole "idea" of it!

[Terry]

but we would only be allowed 4 hooks on it..yes..no....

 

I never eat the back bone but the meat just peels off it when you are eating them ..smelts

been a few years..I must get some

[tonyb]

No, pretty sure it would be considered a 'lure' Terry.

[Fishmaster]

Im going to have to say your only allowed 3 hooks ..

[Roy]

You're allowed 4 hooks on a line in Ontario.

[tonyb]

Ok I had to check the hook regulations so I wasn't misleading anyone...

 

Here are the specifics:

Hook – A hook includes a single-pointed or multiple-pointed hook on a common shaft (Eg. Treble hook). The number of hooks includes any single-pointed or multiple-pointed hooks that are part of a lure.

 

Hooks and Lines – A fishing line must not have more than four hooks attached.

 

So in the picture of the Sabiki Rig, 2 of the hooks would need to be removed.

 

Sorry got a bit side tracked there...hopefully the information is helpful.

Tony

[Terry]

so, my statement is correct..yes...4 hooks