Smelts, Where to catch smelt

When I was a kid they would catch smelt on simcoe . Is there any around anymore if so. Where ?

There is roughly 17 left in the whole lake now lol it’s terrible

TRY COSTCO

Right by the big rock where it gets 10ft

The smelt population on Lake Simcoe collapsed more than 10 years ago. There are still some smelt left in Simcoe, I can confirm as I have caught a few jumbo smelt while ice fishing, but the runs are no longer or if they are still running, no one is telling where. They used to run for a week straight when the population was high, but now if they do run, it will be 1 or 2 nights at best and you really have to time it right. I enjoyed fishing for them and of course frying them with a light flour batter, back in the day.. But that's it in a nutshell..

I also remember back then going for smelts with the 6’x6’ net and trying to left out of the water from the dock with a pole, that you were struggling lifting it out of the water with so many smelts in the net. What happened to the population that they’ve decreased in size?

No one knows for certain, but speculation is the explosion of the zebra mussels in Lake Simcoe, which compete for the same food as smelt, that being plankton, reduced their population. The biomass of the organisms feeding on this food source, switched from smelt to zebra mussels.

Do we have to go in at night with a flashlight?

Do we have to go in at night with a flashlight?

Don't forget your net and bucket.

Do we have to go in at night with a flashlight?

Don't forget your net and bucket.

Let me know what time, I’m in !

THE BEST TIME AT COSTCO IS 14 OCLOCK BUT DONT BE LATE

Posts like this shouldn't be allowed lol.The dangers of posting spots or even giving general info of spots is so bad for fishing. So many lurkers.

Smelts in Simcoe are gone... if you think you found them... check again because they might be shiners... lol. Smelts technically are invasive species in most lakes. Giving out locations to fish out the invasive species is not bad. There are other areas in Ontario that still has runs. Timing is key and water temperature. Burning rubber to check can be harsh so get to know the locals better and you might save a lot of time.

I am told there is a place between Lake Erie and lake st Clair that is running right now... for me to go 3+ hours each way is out of the question. I am waiting for a call from someone else that is closer.

I do owe smelts to a few members on this board... will be in touch if I do come across them this year.

Good luck to all smelters

Ya, about 5 years ago there were a bunch of smelters at minets pt, couldn't believe how many smelt they had, turns out they were xl shiners, hahahaha.

for the last 20 years they have been stocking lake trout and whities in lake simcoe im not sure but our smelt run went south around the same time,every laker i caught had smelts in them and same for the whities guess we cant have our cake and eat it to. same happened to lake ontario,just my thought