Smelt jumping at the surface

[Rod Caster]

I was trolling for lakers on a clear blue lake last nice when I noticed smelt jumping out of the water, in dozens. This lake holds Lakers, pike, whities and walleye. I assume they are fleeing from lakers or pike which were maybe rounding them up. Kind of shallow for lakers this time of year isn't it? (Timmins area). Maybe the smelt are feeding? Anybody ever target smelt in lakes?

 

Anybody experience this before? Should I be trolling the top 30 fow for lakers in the late summer?

No more questions... Ok ?

[cram]

I was trolling for lakers on a clear blue lake last nice when I noticed smelt jumping out of the water, in dozens. This lake holds Lakers, pike, whities and walleye. I assume they are fleeing from lakers or pike which were maybe rounding them up. Kind of shallow for lakers this time of year isn't it? (Timmins area). Maybe the smelt are feeding? Anybody ever target smelt in lakes?

 

Anybody experience this before? Should I be trolling the top 30 fow for lakers in the late summer?

No more questions... Ok ?

 

I see it often as well, more commonly in the fall but not necessarily late enough for the water to be cool yet......and have thrown a lot of lures in the direction hoping that a musky/pike is nearby feeding on them, but no luck thus far.

[manitoubass2]

I see it with shiners here. usually means there are active fish chasing them. Looks pretty cool though

[Terry]

I use to go out on simcoe in May and drive around till I saw the splashing on the surface

 

most times it was bass pushing the smelt into a ball near the surface and eating till they puked

 

many many many times I saw bass floating on the surface, I would grab them , they wouls be stuffed with smelt the couldn't breath smelt sticking out of their mouth and their gills..

I would remove 10 or so smelt just so they could breath then I would hold it in the water till it could swim on it's own...stupid stupid bass.......

[LucG]

Probably bass chasing the bait. Saw this the other day, casted right at where the bait fish were surfacing and caught bass. Jerk baits and senko style worms work good in this situations, not to mention top water.

[Rod Caster]

I tried an x-rap with no luck... And I don't think this lake has bass. Maybe it was pike rounding them up or Lakers??

It was neat to see open water smelt over 60 fow almost jumping into my canoe

[LucG]

Could have been any predatory fish. But it defenitly sounds like they were fleeing from something. Usually the bass will bust the surface as well, so it may just be a laker or pike.

[Rizzo]

I would remove 10 or so smelt just so they could breath then I would hold it in the water till it could swim on it's own...stupid stupid bass.......

 

that's amazing Terry. Sounds like they're as dumb as goldfish who will eat till they pretty much burst (actually also sounds a lot like my Aunt Helga)

[lew]

(actually also sounds a lot like my Aunt Helga)

 

hahahaha

[Rod Caster]

that's amazing Terry. Sounds like they're as dumb as goldfish who will eat till they pretty much burst (actually also sounds a lot like my Aunt Helga)

 

[Nipfisher]

I am pretty sure they were looking for me. Too bad I have been crazy busy working 12 hour shifts.

[Rod Caster]

I am pretty sure they were looking for me. Too bad I have been crazy busy working 12 hour shifts.

 

We'll get them in the spring... As long as your not working the midnight shift.