does anyone dipnet for smelt?

 Looking for folks that might still surfish. i never hear it talked about much.

ED

There are a few of us out here.

Post a hook up and i am sure you will have some of us crawl out of the woodwork or offer advice.

Been a while with lots of family things going on at the moment but love some perch and striper fishing.

As far as dip netting, I haven't seen that form of fishing since my days at the Klamath back in the late 70's.

There have also been hookups posted about grunion runs but have not been to one.

Al

awesome, I was just looking through my nets this morning and wondering if there is still anyone out there building A frames? there was a guy the sea buzzard but he was up there in age when I bought from him last. I am planning to make a few runs up to Westport this summer, if anyone has any info on what's been happening recently id appreciate it.

Our best year of fishing at the mouth of the Klamath was around 1979. (August) I believe they were grunion running. The surf was black with them. As teenagers we hand scooped several dozen. My dad would batter and deep fry them whole.

I actually caught about a 5-foot green sturgeon while fishing for redtail perch on the beach. The following day i lost about a 25-pound halibut. (at least) Was a great year for fishing with all the bait. Several large halibut carcasses at the old cleaning station next to Dad's camp where we stayed.

Formally know as "mad dog". When I would be walking around at the Klamath. The Yurok folks would ask me what tribe I was with.

Time flies.

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Al

Nice! Klamath used to have candle fish runs, I think they are different from Grunion.

Day fish is a true smelt that runs up here (as opposed to jack smelt), and night fish which are a smaller species. Smelt are tough to find these days, I usually will happen upon them and have to come back the next day/tide with my net. Birds are the best indicator, and we have a small group of chasers that will share if they find them up here in Humboldt. Always a blast, I've only heard of a few runs so far but haven't chased yet this year.

I don't have an A frame but I throw my cast net, super fun. A few were caught in the net at CC during the herring run this year.

Thanks for the info as to candlefish or possibly smelt. Great times at Klamath.

as a kid our family would go to Lake Michigan and throw nets for smelt all night. I mainly remember the miserable cold, but the fish were tasty, and I think the parents enjoyed the anti-freeze they drank all night.  we'd be out there all night, till just before sunrise.

I saw a mention of Grunion above, after moving to SD, we'd go after the grunion - mainly with high school friends - but nets were not allowed, hand grab only, finding the beach with a run going on was the tough part.

awesome, I was just looking through my nets this morning and wondering if there is still anyone out there building A frames? there was a guy the sea buzzard but he was up there in age when I bought from him last. I am planning to make a few runs up to Westport this summer, if anyone has any info on what's been happening recently id appreciate it.

The man that made us all want to go in the surf and stick poles under rocks at low tide makes them  https://www.seaforager.com/swag-shop/handmade-a-frame-dip-net

i couldn't believe the price of those nets. holy cow, beautiful of course but wow.

Ed15, are you looking to buy an A-frame dipnet or just looking to see if there is anyone still building them?
Local tackle shops like the one at Fort Brag harbor may have info...
Please report back on how you did at Westport

Here is a clip on youtube on Kirk Lombard fishing for night smelt, and some tips

I have three, I was just curious if anyone was still making them and thinking of picking up a new one.

That video brings back many fond memories of the mouth of the Klamath river.