Couple keepers...1/29/09

[Kevin Lee]

I know I said keepers, but I didn’t say what kind of “keepers”… Anyway, my wife Theresa and I tried a new spot this evening and it stunk pretty bad! We didn’t mark a single fish of any size, period. But for the first couple hours or so, we had what we thought were some of those tiny baby walleye flitting around our lures. But then Theresa finally hooked one and they turned out to be smelt. So I hurried up and put on a Hali spoon with a small piece of gulp and a couple minutes later I landed that beauty of a smelt that you see in the pictures (the bigger one). I told Theresa I don’t fish for those little ones!!! Then about ten minutes later, the smelt left and it was getting close to dark so I switched back to a Rapala (for nothing). So that sums up our trip today. I still enjoy trying new spots. Some pan out, some don’t.
Yesterday, my brother Kenneth, and Theresa and I tried a couple other spots we have never fished with a little better results. Not great, but better than today! Theresa and I were in 45 feet and she caught one throwback and lost a couple others that looked to be in the 18 inch class. I never had a bite the whole time! Kenneth was in about 42 feet of water and ended up with two keepers that went 17 and 20 inches and a couple throwbacks. These two spots warrant trying again.
While we were out fishing today, my dad took a picture of a real beauty caught by Pat McDonald of Manistique. It was 29 ¼ inches and 10 ½ pounds. Last weekend, guests Robin Thompson Jr. and his girlfriend Kim Knutson had a good morning at one our "go-to" spots. They just e-mailed me the pictures they took out on the ice. Kim caught a couple nice eaters and Robin caught a nice one that Kim is going to put on the wall for him (better hang on to her Robin). If I remember right, it was 28 ½ inches and just over 8 pounds. Congrats to all three of you. And Kim, thanks for sending the pictures…

[Kevin Lee]

And yes, my wife cleaned and ate the 2 smelt...Waste not, want not!

[anglr]

Kevin,Something you & others might like to try if smelt are abundant this spring.
2# cleaned smelt
Enough oil to fry the smelt
1 cup dry white wine
Salt
4 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp thyme
Flour or cornmeal if you prefer
1 cup white vinegar
8 peppercorns
Wash cleaned smelt & dry on paper towels,salt the smelt, dredge in flour or cornmeal shaking off excess. Fry in oil until very light gold color. Place smelts in tight layers in appropriate bowl. In a clean pan saute crushed garlic two minutes in a bit of oil. Add vinegar,wine,bay leaves,peppercorns,thyme.
Bring to a boil,then let cool 1/2 hour, pour over smelts to cover & refrigerate overnight or as long as you can stand to wait. Turn them if not completely covered. They frequently get eaten in a few hours.I like to add the juice from a jar of bread & butter pickles to the mixture. I am forced to give some away and always regret not making more. Works just as well with larger fish but they must be scaled and take a bit longer to marinate.