where to buy large frozen smelt reasonable?

[big eye wi]

does anyone know where i can order these from at a reasonble price???? thanks tim im looking for 8-14 inchers frozen whole the bigger the better

[Phil T.]

Look in the frozen fish section of your grocery store. If they don't have smelt, they can get them. The price will always be less than at a bait shop.

[THE BAIT SHOP GUY]

Good luck finding large, WHOLE, frozen smelt at a grocery store. By "reasonable" I assume you mean cheap. The only way to get that type of bait cheap is to catch them yourself. Grocery stores don't want smelt that are too big to fry whole. Bait wholesalers have to go through a lot of work preparing smelt before they end up at a baitshop. Yes you may pay more at the local baitshop, but is the bag boy at the IGA going to tell you were the hot bite is? Not so expensive after all.

CHRIS WAHL

[big i wi]

i cant find them anywhere !!!!! i have called every bait shop and dealer around wisconsin.yes the grocery store uasaully does have them and they were large ones ,but i called there and they said they cannot get any this year.no the guy at IGA cant tell me where to fish but i have been fishing first ice hogs for years and have sevral over 40 inches C&R. im just trying to find someone who has them. thanks, big i wi

[jim c]

how do you fish froze smelts ?

[Tom (mich)]

If you're lucky enough to get your hands on some smelt, I use the V-shaped Swedish hooks. Sorry, I can't remember their exact name. At any rate, they hold the frozen smelt horizontal in the water. The shape of the hook allows you to set the hook immediately - rarely a gut hook. I suppose a quick strike rig would be just as good, so long as you can get the bait horizontal. On those very rare occasions where I've been able to get my hands on any, frozen smelt under a tip-up have consistently out produced live bait for northerns.

[dstank13]

try genos reef bar. it is in suamico wi on green bay. they used to have them if not they can tell you were. this was 2 yrs. ago. hopefully this helps. also try. bobs bait out of green bay they can hook you up with anyone.

[Nofish]

Howdy,

I know the hooks of which you speak, but I too cannot remember thier name!! And I use them all the time!!

I also use bait Rigs quick strike rigs. And towards the end of the ice season, the softer more foul smelling smelt work better. I usually leave a bag out of the freezer, overnight in the heated garage.

I used to net my own every spring, and keep the big ones for bait. I generally was able to get a good years worth in a few nights of dippin.

The local Grocery store or fish market was the best source for bait when I had none. Did you try a fish market?

Good luck......R

[jsoukup]

The hooks are called Pike hooks and Mustad makes them. Just google Mustad Pike hooks to find them!

[Raybob]

Smelt hook for Saugeye...

-pm reply...

Pike Hook--

http://setthehook.com/pikehooks/

[jokerjim]

I beleive they were called "Swedish Hooks" years ago.

[jarhead]

does anyone know where i can order these from at a reasonble price???? thanks tim im looking for 8-14 inchers frozen whole the bigger the better


Schwartz Fish Co PH# 920 457 4486

[ffishman]

This place sells them dressed, but maybe if you call them, they will sell you some whole.

Lake Superior Fish Company
1507 N. 1st Street
Superior, WI 54880-1146
(715) 392-3101 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (715) 392-3101

[Bill Krejca]

Re: pike hooks - I seem to remember reading a few years ago that the hooks are not fish friendly regarding release. Not to be a bad guy, just passing on what the article (In-Fisherman mag?) said.

Bill