Meat Rigs with smelt

[Scalloper 1]

I see most if not all guys are using west coast herring for their meat rigs. With a great population on smelt in Lake O why not dip smelt in the spring and use those for the meat rigs? Seems like a more natural scent and presentation. 

[J.D.]

My largest king ever ( 34 lbs.) was caught on smelt jammed  into a Rhys Davis meat head in August 1994.

 

Edited June 28, 2021 by J.D.

[Scalloper 1]

Just now, J.D. said:

My largest king ever ( 34 lbs.) was caught on smelt jammed  into a Rhys Davis meat head.

 

Super, maybe others do use smelt in their meat rigs I have just never read about it or herd of it.

As you may or may not know sewn smelt is the best option here in New England for big Atlantics, brookies and lakers. Seems like a great option for the meat rigs

[Sk8man]

I don't know if this may be a prohibitive factor but the NYS DEC regulations require proof of virus free bait where live or dead. Even commercial bait is required to have the package information available. Certified virus free bait requires a receipt from the place where purchased and is good for 10 days from the sale. It is difficult or perhaps impossible to prove that bait came from a given body of water (the only acceptable alternative to purchase) where used. To date I have never been checked for the receipt but it could happen.

Edited June 28, 2021 by Sk8man

[Scalloper 1]

18 minutes ago, Sk8man said:

I don't know if this may be a prohibitive factor but the NYS DEC regulations require proof of virus free bait where live or dead. Even commercial bait is required to have the package information available. Certified virus free bait requires a receipt from the place where purchased and is good for 10 days from the sale. It is difficult or perhaps impossible to prove that bait came from a given body of water (the only acceptable alternative to purchase) where used. To date I have never been checked for the receipt but it could happen.

Thanks for the clarification.  

[hookedupf7]

Sk8man is rite. It is a big deal in the winter ice fishing around us If a game warden comes out that is usually the second thing he ask me for is a bait receipt after fishing licence.

[Scalloper 1]

16 hours ago, hookedupf7 said:

Sk8man is rite. It is a big deal in the winter ice fishing around us If a game warden comes out that is usually the second thing he ask me for is a bait receipt after fishing licence.

Seems like they should put as much effort in bilge water from shipping vessels entering the Great Lakes

[J.D.]

The smelt I use is cleaned and frozen in a bag from the supermarket.

[Sk8man]

As long as the packaging is available shouldn't be a problem at least the way the reg is worded.

[ifishy]

Even with commercial packaged it has to be preserved by a method other than just freezing so store bought frozen smelt is not okay unless it's also salted or processed in some other way.

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[J.D.]

 

...

Edited June 29, 2021 by J.D.

[garrymny]

Seems like they should put as much effort in bilge water from shipping vessels entering the Great Lakes

ABSOLUTELY. AND THE MIGRATION OF THE ASIAN CARP

Sent from my moto z3 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Wth]

If the bait is caught and stays in the marked corridor it should not need any preserve. It's not been that easy to dip smelt in the last few years. You could just print out a fake package.

[fisherman21]

Why not just use alewives?


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[Charlie P]

Couldn't get cutbait before a trip one time used strips of whiting that I brined caught fish on it.

[Redotter]

I dip net smelt every spring on the North Shore of Superior.  I make up a herring brine and brine them and vacuum pack them in packs of 12.  I use them in regular meat Rig heads squash head a bit push in and peg with toothpick.  I use them 90% of the time time in my meat rigs on Superior for salmon and lakers and lake trout on Lake Nipigon.  They work awesome matching the hatch!