WHAT RAINBOW SMELT ARE

 📚Submitted by:   🎣 https://www.patreon.com/cw/original_stories

WHAT RAINBOW SMELT ARE

Rainbow smelt are small, schooling baitfish that live in cold, clean water.

They are fast-moving, highly sensitive to light, temperature, and current, and often travel in massive schools.

Smelt are a key food source for lake trout, salmon, and walleye — and they’re excellent table fare.

WHERE TO FIND RAINBOW SMELT

Smelt stay shallow compared to most cold-water species.

Best locations:

✔ Shallow bays

✔ River mouths

✔ Tributaries

✔ Sandy or gravel bottoms

✔ Near current seams

Depth guide:

Fall: 5–20 ft

Winter (ice): 5–30 ft

Spring (spawning): extremely shallow — sometimes inches deep

If you don’t find schools, you won’t catch smelt.

BEST TIMES TO CATCH SMELT

✔ Night fishing (top producer)

✔ Dusk to midnight

✔ Overcast or low-light conditions

✔ Stable cold weather

Smelt are strongly attracted to light in dark water.

BEST WAYS TO CATCH RAINBOW SMELT

❄️ ICE FISHING (MOST COMMON)

✔ Fish shallow water

✔ Use lighted holes or underwater lights

✔ Small jigging motions

✔ Multiple rods increase success

Smelt often bite quickly and repeatedly when schools move through.

🌙 DIP NETTING (SEASONAL)

✔ Popular during spring spawning runs

✔ Fish at night with lights

✔ Nets placed in current or along shore

This method can fill buckets fast where legal.

🎣 SMALL JIGGING RODS

✔ Ultralight rods

✔ Sensitive tips

✔ Small hooks and rigs

Smelt bites are light — feel matters.

BEST RIGS & BAIT

✔ Smelt rigs (multi-hook leaders)

✔ Small glow hooks

✔ Micro jigs

✔ Wax worms

✔ Maggots

✔ Small pieces of shrimp

Glow colors and light movement trigger strikes.

GEAR SETUP (SIMPLE & LIGHT)

✔ Rod: Ultralight or light

✔ Reel: Small spinning reel

✔ Line: 2–6 lb mono or braid

✔ Light source: Hole light or submersible light

Light attracts smelt — movement seals the deal.

WHY PEOPLE STRUGGLE

❌ Fishing too deep

❌ No light at night

❌ Using hooks that are too large

❌ Not following moving schools

Smelt fishing is about timing and location, not force.

THE KEY TO SUCCESS

✔ Find the school

✔ Fish shallow

✔ Use light

✔ Keep it subtle

When smelt move in, the action can be nonstop.