Smelt for Crab bait ???????

Walleyed · 01-10-2003, 06:30 PM

Caben feaver had my hopes up for a over nighter.Thought I would hit newport and try my luck at some crab and head up river for some sturgeon.Better yet Tillamook bay
sturgeon,stealhead and crab. Well I got till morning to figure that one out but anyway I opened the freezer only to find NO SHAD.
Shad is all I have ever used.I do have lots and lots of last years smelt and was wondering if you think it might be worth a try.Hoping to need room for fresh stuff soon any way.
So any way what the heck should I do tommarow

thankful · 01-10-2003, 07:08 PM

April 1 of 02, has been the earliest time we caught shad on the Umpqua (Sawyers rapids farwest slot just 1/4 mile west from the resort) took lots home but most were males. It could be a repeat this year. I have used smelt before for crabs and done real well but a bait caged is advisable and a little squirt of Marie's famous shrimp scent should do the trick. Good luck.........

pearl · 01-10-2003, 07:09 PM

We used smelt in our sniffers inside our crab pots on the Columbia all fall. They worked great. give it a try !!

Walleyed · 01-10-2003, 07:38 PM

thanks guys.
After I did some more checking I think I'm going to pass on the crab tomarrow and just stick to fishing.
Thanks for the reply, I know that I'll be going befor I get more shad so we'll try'er out

Walleyed