We used to head up to the Lester, Knife Rivers just north of Duluth smelting!!! Most would just stand on the bank with a long handled saine net filling tubs and buckets !!. People would get a ton of them…this was back in the early 70’s!!! many times we weren’t sure how we made it back to Mille Lacs after a nite of smelting and partying on the banks of the river! Some trips we never even fished……………..anyone else remeber those days!
O’thoughs were the days! 
I remember VERY bad morning after headaches! 
We would stay at a motel just south of Ludtson. Left one smelt in the toilet every year…and aways, aways came home with too many smelt.
The year the guy was hauling smelt in his manure spreader (it was a new one) took the cake though. 
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The year the guy was hauling smelt in his manure spreader (it was a new one) took the cake though.
Yum. 
Great cut bait I would bet! 
We made the run a few springs from Iowa. Stayed at Lambs Resort in Schroeder Mn. We used large dip nets .I was in my teens , but I can remember helping haul 2 new galvanized garbage cans full of smelt up to our Jeep Wagoneer. We had several Smelt Frys a year !!!……… the good old days 
how large are these smelt getting and how do you prepare them?
4″ or so…scissors…cut the head off, slit the stomach…slide the thumb nail through to clean them out…and dip in beer batter! 
24 at one sitting was the best I could do.
The only thing left on the plate was the backbone…and sometimes that would get eaten too.
I recall camping in the Judge C R Magney State Park (MN Arrowhead) when smelting in the Brule River years ago. It was always a good time, although I must admit to never developing much of a taste for smelt. The smelt always were, not unlike the many eyes I catch, super sized at 4 to 5 pounds each. I used to fillet them, then sauté in a fine white wine for 3 minutes per side. Next I would gently remove the fillets, toss them in the trash and finally, pour the remaining reduction in a glass and chill for 20 minutes. I have fondly dubbed this epicurean delight “S wine”, coincidently, one whiff of this concoction will provide added appreciation for the name coined! Bon Appetit, trust me here, for this is truly a treat in gustatory modality!
All you can eat smelt feed at the Grand Rapids Moose this Saturday. 
Every year I take Grandma. We have a couple of drinks and eat smelt till we can’t eat no more. She’s in her eighties and as fiesty as anyone I know.
I’m headed for a smelt fry tomorrow night (Sat) in the big town of Darfar, MN – population 137! Located near St. James, MN.
Brad…swing by Hastings for a doggie bag!!!!! 
Lucky!
First time out and we have a Rage in the Cage baby 
She was heading to the corn at 6:30 p.m. and didn’t make it 
Great job bud!! It’s great to see Francie out in the field with you too! 
1st pic looks like she made the corn 
Nice work Jason 
Keep knocking them down
Nice Job Jason! keep em coming
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1st pic looks like she made the corn
Nice work Jason
OK OK ,,, Not without a Rage in her 20 yards and down
Thatta boy !!! I gotta get out there 
Nice, and you said it was slow last night. 
Good Job Jason
That a boy GMAN!
Good job Jason! It’s nice to see you got a picture of it this time.
Nice long nose!
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Good job Jason!
I think you hit it so hard the spots fell of 
Great doe
Nice job Jason congrats
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I think you hit it so hard the spots fell of
So I take it you don’t know the dif between a Adult doe and a fawn huh 
way to go!!
There you go…back straps in the freezer! Nice job bud!
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I think you hit it so hard the spots fell of
So I take it you don’t know the dif between a Adult doe and a fawn huh
I Was being sarcastic hense “Great Doe” at the end of my post sorry for all the confusion.
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