Syracuse.com - Spring smelt runs on the Finger Lake tributaries aren't what they used to be

[HuntingNY-News]

Times have changed and the massive smelt runs in tributaries around Owasco, Cayuga and Seneca lakes are things of the past. The strong, healthy trout and salmon populations in those lakes have decimated these tasty bait fish.

David Figura/The Post-StandardDennis Rhoads and his son, Andrew, look for smelt to net on Salmon Creek, which flows into Cayuga Lake.

Dennis Rhoads fondly remembers the times each spring when the small stream near his grandmother’s place on Owasco Lake used to be black with spawning rainbow smelt.

“My parents, my grandparents ... we went smelting Fridays and Saturdays after work,” the 50-year-old Summerhill resident said. “That’s what you did. It was a family outing.”

Times have changed and the massive smelt runs in tributaries around Owasco, Cayuga and Seneca lakes are things of the past. The strong, healthy trout and salmon populations in those lakes have decimated these tasty bait fish.

“It’s never going to be what it once was,” said David Lemon, regional fisheries director at the DEC’s Cortland office.

Regardless, when Rhoads, 50, heard reports of smelt runs this spring on Cayuga Lake he decided to introduce his 13-year-old son, Andrew, to the activity. He took him out to the mouth of Salmon Creek where it empties into the lake through Myers Park in Lansing.

He said he’s also heard reports of smelt getting caught in tributaries around Cayuga Lake this year at Taughannock, Cortland Point and on the stream near the Cargill salt mine.

David Figura/The Post-StandardSmelt average 4 to 6 inches.

“They’ll try to go up anywhere where water is flowing into the lake,” he said. “In the old days, you’d hear if they were running. Today, there’s not enough guys out to tip you off by word of mouth.”

The past couple of years, though, both Lemon and Rhoads have heard reports of decent spring smelt runs on Owasco Lake, particularly around Indian Cove. However, most of the good spots around the lake lack public access. In addition, those who take advantage are pretty tight-lipped about when and where the runs are.

Dip netting for smelt isn’t complicated.

Required gear includes hip boots or waders (depending on the depth of the stream), a lightweight, long-handled dip net (it’s usually made out of aluminum, with a mesh net) and a lantern or good flashlight. The light is required because these fish, which average 4-6 inches long, usually run up streams at night.

The usual approach is to start wading downstream and slowly work your way upstream so you approach the fish from behind. Some smelt netters simply stand in one place and net them as they swim by. Regardless, it’s a good idea to work with others, wait your turn and don’t be a hog on the stream. Just like on a golf course, there’s such a thing as stream etiquette, Rhoads said.

The trick is to quickly net them, then put them in a small bucket or other container. Rhoads said he and Andrew have been out nine times this season. On their worst night, they caught one smelt; on their best, 80.

“One thing about smelting. A couple of nights of it and you’ll get tired,” Rhoads said, adding that he and his son usually go out from about 8:30 p.m. to after 1 a.m.

“It’s hard work. Not like the old days where you had to be careful not to kill them by stepping on them in the stream,” Rhoads said.

The reward is a delicious meal. Most smelt enthusiasts prepare them by gutting them and then cutting off the head and tail and fins. Rhoads said he uses scissors for the latter chores.

“You put them in a batter. I use New Hope Mills pancake mix. Then you deep-fry them. The bones just disintegrate,” he said.

David Figura/The Post-StandardGetting even this many smelt is hard work these days, Rhoads said.

Know the law

A fishing license is required to fish/dip net for rainbow smelt. The smelt season for Owasco and Cayuga lakes started March 1 and ends May 21. Fishing/netting is allowed from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., and the daily limit is eight quarts per person. For regulations on other waterways, see the DEC fishing handbook or check out the DEC Web site.

Where to find them

Rainbow smelt populations are on the decline in the Finger Lakes. DEC aquatic biologists say they can be found in small numbers in Owasco, Cayuga, Seneca, Canandaigua, Canadice, Hemlock, Keuka and Seneca lakes. They’re not in Skaneateles or Otisco lakes. Other locations where anglers catch smelt include certain Adirondack lakes and the western part of Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and the Niagara River. In many cases, they’re caught with dip nets in tributaries during spring spawning runs. Anglers also catch them through the ice in winter.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog