Hobbies And Interests
Jig Spoons
Smelt are particularly attracted to small jigs painted in red and white. Anglers usually find the most luck with spoon jigs, which are slim and oval-shaped, meant to spin a bit in the water. The colors then flash. These jigs can be all white with just a red tag up top or a red dot in the middle. The double and triple hooks make fishing easier because the smelt's small mouth is more likely to get captured if there are more hooks to snag it.
Sabiki Rigs
If you're fishing in high surf, a Sabiki rig will draw the most attention to your line. When tossed about in the waves, the ring-like formation of the hooks circles around like a deadly jig. Cast out directly into the breaking waves and keep your arm high so that the lure jumps along the surface. Bait the hooks with blood worms. The consistency of the bait helps it to stick to the hooks through turbulent waters. Smelt love the smell of blood worms and will be attracted to the rig hooks.
Smelt Lures
As unlikely as it seems, using a smelt lure will attract other smelt. They have cannibalistic tendencies and if the lure looks like a damaged smelt fish, the school will float around it, hoping to take a bite. The smelt lures are the size and shape of a small smelt fish, with iridescent coloring that will shine in the water, reflecting the sun and attracting attention.
Colored Jigs and Lures
Whether you are using jigs or lures, they work best in two colors, with one color overwhelming the fishing tool, and the other being used as a small accent color, which will flash when it spins or hops through the water. Purple and yellow is a popular color combination, as is red and white. Chartreuse can be mixed with almost any color for success. Feather lures help to create water disruption, attracting the smelt through ripple movement. Lures and jigs that rest slightly below the water's surface attract the most smelt, and if the hook is also baited, you increase your chance of a good catch.