Smelt fish are a versatile and delicious variety of small fish. Smelt exist in salt water, brackish water, and fresh water throughout North America, Europe, and Northeast Asia. Given its abundance and small size, this fish and every part of it has been used in different cuisines within its vast range for centuries.
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A more common fish to try is FRIED BREAM
Before I was born, my papa, grandma, mother, and my uncles would spend the couple of day period allotted to them to fish for Eulachon Smelt. Using dip nets in the rivers of Oregon to catch the anadromous (river run) smelt to fry up and eat whole. Things changed by the time I got older and became and avid fishermen. The days were gone for the average person to go smelt fishing.
The eulachon smelt fish is now protected and is suffering massive losses in numbers due to over fishing. It is sad but it is what it is. It has to be done to protect the genetics and history of this fascinating fish.
Perhaps one of these days there numbers will increase and we will get a chance to go after this historic fish. Fortunately the natives of the pacific coast still get to fish for smelt as their tradition calls for.
INFORMATION ABOUT SMELT FISH
- Most smelt fish, like salmon, are anadromous. Meaning they live most of their lives in the sea and swim inland via freshwater streams in order to reproduce in the shallow and nutrient rich waters. This is where most fishermen take advantage. The river narrows and concentrates the smelt fish allowing people to have easier access to them.
- Smelt fish of many varieties is a very popular food in Japan, China, The United States, Russia, Finland, Italy, Canada, South Korea, and quite a few other countries within its natural range.
- Some species, like the Eulachon Smelt is so oily that when dried it can burn like a candle. Thus, it has been given a common name of candlefish!
- It is not just the sea and freshwater streams which smelt are found in, the great lakes of North America also contain large populations of smelt.
HOW TO FISH FOR SMELT
- Fortunately, many smelt varieties are not protected and still run in pretty large numbers. The Delta Smelt, and the Eulachon Smelt are both protected species and it is forbidden to harvest them.
- The primary method for fishing for them in rivers is with dip nets. Dip nets are nets attached to long poles used for dipping into the water to scoop smelt fish out.
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- Ice fishing is also a very popular method of fishing for smelt fish. Using small baits and small hooks, the fish will consume bait and be pulled up individually or on long leaders with many hooks attached in order to catch many smelt at one time.
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(as of March 6, 2026 03:56 GMT -06:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)LIGHTWEIGHT COMFORT: Designed with a flexible soft toe and wide calf fit, these rubber boots offer lightweight comfort for gardening, farming, and everyday outdoor work across the U.S. 100% WATERPROOF PVC CONSTRUCTION: Made from durable PVC, these ra… read more
HOW ARE SMELT FISH USED FOR FOOD?
- Smelt has a variety of very good culinary uses. Smelt fish is most commonly fried and eaten whole with the head and tail still attached. It is especially prized when it is full of roe (eggs). Due to its thin skin and soft bones, the fish can be easily be eaten whole.
- Smelt is eaten fried, battered and fried, dried, sometimes dried smelt fish is ground into a powder, harvested for roe, eaten in soups and stews, and sometimes they are filleted and fried.
- Masago, the small orange fish eggs often seen on top of sushi is the roe of certain smelt varieties. So if you have eaten sushi, you have likely eaten the eggs of the smelt fish.
NUTRITION OF SMELT FISH
- Smelt fish are prized for being one of the healthiest fish in the sea. The reason for this are for a few reasons but smelt have one of the lowest amounts of mercury of any fish.
- Smelt fish contains high amounts of protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and vitamin B12.
SMELT FISH POPULARITY
- North American Native Americans have a deeply rooted connection to the smelt runs in the streams of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
- Many countries around the world have very prized smelt festivals!
- Lewiston, New York has a yearly 2 day smelt festival in May! During which, hundred of pounds of smelt are battered and fried. The samples are often free so you can get a good chance to try one of these Omega rich delights for free and feel free to donate to the individuals putting on the festival as it will help the local fisheries.
- For some regions in Italy, Smelt is a traditional part of Christmas Eve dinner.
- Russia holds an annual smelt festival in St. Petersburg.
- South Korea holds an annual smelt festival where they harvest and consume the Korean Pond Smelt.
LEGALITIES
- Ensure that you are familiar with local laws before you go to fish for smelt but there are still many opportunities to fish for smelt in many parts of North America and many parts of the world in its natural range.
- Do some research on location, target species, and local laws. Grab a dip net, some good muck boots, and go see what you can find!
POLITICS OF DELTA SMELT AND SMELT FISH
- Due to the endangered species act of 1971 which protected many species from becoming extinct, the Delta Smelt of California has become protected.
- As the vast wildfires of California are raging as they have done many times before, the waters that serve as estuaries to the Delta smelt have become off limits for pumping to put out the fires.
- This has driven some, including president elect Donald Trump to criticize Californias leaders. Saying instead of drain the estuaries to use the water to put out the fires, they have let the fires rage and put people and property at risk.
- It must be noted that this species is virtually extinct in the wild. Results of the political blows remain undecided.
SMELT FISH IN NATURE
- The smelt fish, including the Delta Smelt is a key indicator species for the overall health of a habitat. They have served as a key fish for the consumption by larger fish.
- Smelt feed on plankton, insects, crustaceans, and other fish.
- More information about Delta Smelt.
- More information about Eulachon Smelt.
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Hello everyone, welcome to my neck of the woods! My name is Eligh, I was born in Portland, Oregon, and I love to forage! From when I was very young, my father took me out picking mushrooms, fishing, and camping. He loved to forage for mushrooms, and so naturally, I developed a keen eye for mushroom identification. After meeting my lovely wife on the Oregon coast, I started spending all of my free time out in the woods with plant, mushroom, and tree identification books. After some time I was able to identify every tree, plant, and mushroom that I came across. I learned their uses, both by native Americans and settlers alike. At this time, I also began fishing for salmon, trout, and different species of coastal rockfish. I always felt a strong sense of pride to be able to harvest a wide variety of wild edibles to suit my palate, and then harvest some natural bait and catch a fish, even how to make hooks and line using plants and trees that grow on the river bank.
I started cooking at a very young age. In middle school, my friends and their parents would ask me to cook food for them because I could make something out of nothing. I love to cook up new concoctions and see what everyone likes. When I became of working age, I started as a buss boy at a barbecue restaurant, and then moved on to work all positions of the restaurant industry. From head chef of a Jamaican restaurant in Tulsa, OK, to sous chef at a highly accredited bistro on the Oregon coast, all before I turned 21.
I Inherited land in southeast Oklahoma and now spend my days working a Fedex delivery route and working with my wife and 3 young boys on our rural homestead. We raise many different kinds of animals and some vegetable gardens. I hunt all manor of large and small game, and butcher all of my own meat. We harvest wild edibles of all kinds and enjoy to cook with them and eat them.
I am grateful that you stopped by to see how we are doing and hope to see you again very soon. We would love to be friends and hope you enjoy all of the recipes and information that I can manage to put out.
Thank you, and much love!
-Eligh
I may receive a small commission for items purchased through affiliate links in this post at no additional cost to you.
I started cooking at a very young age. In middle school, my friends and their parents would ask me to cook food for them because I could make something out of nothing. I love to cook up new concoctions and see what everyone likes. When I became of working age, I started as a buss boy at a barbecue restaurant, and then moved on to work all positions of the restaurant industry. From head chef of a Jamaican restaurant in Tulsa, OK, to sous chef at a highly accredited bistro on the Oregon coast, all before I turned 21.
I Inherited land in southeast Oklahoma and now spend my days working a Fedex delivery route and working with my wife and 3 young boys on our rural homestead. We raise many different kinds of animals and some vegetable gardens. I hunt all manor of large and small game, and butcher all of my own meat. We harvest wild edibles of all kinds and enjoy to cook with them and eat them.
I am grateful that you stopped by to see how we are doing and hope to see you again very soon. We would love to be friends and hope you enjoy all of the recipes and information that I can manage to put out.
Thank you, and much love!
-Eligh
I may receive a small commission for items purchased through affiliate links in this post at no additional cost to you.
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