Mainely Outdoors: Aroostook’s biggest little gamefish

Each New Year’s day, many Maine lakes open to a fresh season of ice fishing, and anxious anglers charge off to set out tip-ups on favorite frozen waterways. Ice fishing is a much enjoyed winter pasttime throughout Maine, with salmon, trout, and togue being the most sought after species. It is amazing however, how many sportsmen seek out the state’s smallest gamefish for fun and fine eating. Some ice drillers go out specifically for the small silver darters while many more jig handlines for smelt to pass the time while watching tip-ups set out for larger fish. Regional anglers can enjoy consistent action and dependable results catching smelt on local lakes if they adhere to a few specific guidelines on location and technique.
Some local, hard-water sites for smelt anglers include Big Machias Lake near Ashland, the Fish River chain of lakes north of Caribou, Portage Lake, Squa Pan, St. Froid, Portland Lake and Island Falls’ Pleasant Pond.  Each of these frozen gems has larger species to set out flags for, as well as smelt handlining. Serious smelters will set up a shanty on their favorite lake so they can enjoy their sport in warmth and comfort. A smelt hut also allows fishermen to dangle lines at night, which is often the fastest, most dependable time to jig smelt. Vagabond ice fishermen use a portable shanty so they can wander from one smelt hot spot to another from one weekend to the next throughout the winter.
There are a number of clues regarding the best place to set up an ice hut or drill holes for handlining. The most obvious is to ask someone who regularly fishes a particular lake where to set up. Another option is to check out where most of the other shanties are located or to walk around looking for previously drilled fishing holes. Cove areas where the water is shallower than the rest of the lake are good spots, as are locations where the bottom is strewn with good-sized rocks and boulders. Gravel bars that rise up from deeper water are always optimum set-up sites.
Smelt fishing gear is simple and inexpensive. I’ve found any brand of six- or eight-pound monofilament makes the perfect line, and steelsplit shot are the only weight needed. Size 10 or 12 hooks are about right, and if you can find gold-colored ones be sure and grab them. At times, myself and other anglers have taken smelt on just a bare gold hook after a smelt has stolen the chunk of bait and the line is being raised to attach new bait. Once combined, the components can be wound onto a small piece of wood for easy storage and transportation.
I use a 12-inch length of 1-1/2 to two-inch wide lathe, cut a V-notch in both ends and drill a small hole in the center. I tie off my line in the center hole, then wind the monofilament lengthwise in the notches and sink the hook tip into the wood to hold everything in place. I then use a permanent marker to write the line strength and length on each wooden line holder. If you drop one in the fishing hole it floats, and they won’t tangle when you toss several in the packbasket.
The best smelt bait is smelt. Always leave one smelt in the fishing hut for the next outing. The smelt is filleted and then cut into small chunks with skin intact on one side. When placing the bait on the hook, by piercing the tough skin it makes it more difficult for fish to steal it without being hooked. Often one piece of bait can be used to catch several smelt. Since the smell of fresh smelt draws fish, change bait often, at least once each half hour to ensure freshness.
If it’s your premier outing or no junks of cut smelt are available, it’s time to improvise. I’ve used pieces of fresh or canned shrimp with great success, and have seen Vienna sausage, hot dog, and even junks of a marshmallow elicit strikes and catch smelt. Suet and bacon tend to stiffen in the cold water and lose aroma, but I’ve heard of anglers using scent sprays, like bass angers use on plastic worms, with acceptable results. When smelt are on a feeding tear, as I mentioned previously, I’ve actually caught a fish on a bare gold hook!
On lakes where it’s legal to use three hooks per line, be sure and tie in the extra drop lines at least two feet apart above the terminal hook and sinker. The extra baits and the chance for the three baits to be presented over as much as eight feet of depth will increase the chance of smelt finding one of your offerings.
Some smelt jiggers swear by the constantly twitching the line a few inches to attract fish, but others pull the line up a couple of feet and let it settle back only once a minute. Some winter fishermen lift their baits slowly to the surface once every five minutes, and then slowly lower it back to the bottom. Most veteran smelters set out three or four lines, each at a different depth, clove hitch a wooden match onto the line a foot over the water surface, then just wait and watch. The slightest nibble will cause the match to twitch. Experiment and see what amount of jigging works in your lake.
I tend to get a bit bored just sitting, watching and waiting on tip-up flags to fly, so I set one less trap and use that hole to enjoy hands-on jigging for smelt if the weather allows outside fishing. I occasionally catch perch, cusk, pickerel and occasionally salmon or trout on my handline for a feisty fight. This time of year, I often concentrate just on smelt, especially if I only have a couple of hours after work or between supper and bedtime and an available ice hut. Early season often offers the most dependable action on theses delicious chrome critters; so try to get out soon.