There is a limited chance to dip smelt this year, just like last year. My brother, Rick, and I headed up to the Cowlitz River on February 7th, 2015 to try our luck. Each person is allowed 10 lbs. of smelt. It took us about 20 minutes to get ours. I will end up eating some, giving some away and using the rest to catch sturgeon. See my adventure gallery for some pics from dipping on February 7th and fishing on the following day. Nothing beats fresh bait for sturgeon! I also included a couple pics of last year with my daughter Macy. Don’t worry; I’ll take her again this year, as she would never let me hear the end of it. If you are interested in brined and smoked smelts, I have included a recipe that I prefer to use here:

Brined and Smoked Smelts
Total Time: 15 hr 30 min
Prep: 30 min
Inactive: 12 hr
Cook: 3 hr
Yield:4 to 6 servings
Level:Intermediate

Ingredients
24 smelts, cleaned with head and tails left on and other fins removed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 garlic clove, halved
1 teaspoon juniper berries
1 teaspoon allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 to 3 sprigs fresh dill
1 pound ice
Directions
Rinse the smelts in cool running water. Set aside.

Place all of the remaining ingredients, except the ice, into the electric kettle. Bring to a boil. Add the ice and stir until the mixture is cooled. Transfer the liquid to a 1-gallon resealable bag along with the smelts. Seal and place in a container so that all of the fish are in the brine. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove the smelts from the brine, rinse and pat dry. Place the smelts onto a paper towel-lined sheet pan, layering with paper towels in between if they won't fit in 1 layer. Allow to dry in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, place the smelts onto racks, belly side down, separating them by at least 1/4-inch and place into a smoker. Turn the smoker on so that it maintains a temperature of 150 to 160 degrees F. Adjust heat, as needed, and cook for approximately 3 hours or until desired level of doneness.

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007