How to fish a smelt-imitating fly for salmon

It's incredibly frustrating to spend hours on the water, meticulously casting, only to come up empty-handed when targeting elusive landlocked salmon. These magnificent fish are notoriously finicky, often keying in on specific forage. If you've ever found yourself wondering how to crack the code, especially when they're gorging on rainbow smelt, then this guide is for you. We're diving deep into the art and science of fishing a smelt-imitating fly for salmon in New Hampshire, giving you actionable strategies to increase your chances of success.

Understanding the Landlocked Salmon's Smelt Obsession

To effectively fish for landlocked salmon with smelt imitations, you first need to get inside their heads – or, more accurately, understand their stomachs. In New Hampshire's major salmon lakes and rivers, rainbow smelt are often the primary forage fish. These small, silvery baitfish are absolutely crucial to the salmon's diet and growth. When smelt are abundant, landlocked salmon will often ignore other food sources, fixating almost entirely on these shimmering morsels. This behavior is what makes a well-presented smelt-imitating fly so deadly.

The Role of Smelt in the Salmon Diet

Think of smelt as the lifeblood of a healthy landlocked salmon population. They provide the necessary fat and protein for salmon to grow large and robust. From the moment the ice goes out in spring until the lakes freeze again in winter, and even during ice fishing season, smelt are on the menu. Salmon will actively hunt schools of smelt, often chasing them to the surface or herding them against structure. This predatory behavior, driven by a deep-seated instinct to feed on smelt, is what we aim to exploit with our flies. Understanding What landlocked salmon eat in New Hampshire lakes is your first step to success.

During different seasons, smelt will behave differently, which in turn influences salmon behavior. In early spring, post-ice out, smelt are often found in shallower water or near tributaries as they prepare to spawn. This brings salmon into more accessible areas. As the water warms in summer, smelt retreat to deeper, cooler water, and the salmon follow. In the fall, as water temperatures drop and spawning instincts kick in for the salmon, they may move into rivers, but still carry the memory and desire for a good smelt meal.

Seasonal Movement and Feeding Habits

Landlocked salmon are constantly on the move, shadowing smelt schools. In spring, right after ice-out, you'll find salmon cruising the upper water column and shallow bays, looking for newly active smelt. This is a prime time for smelt flies, as the salmon are often hungry and aggressive after a long winter. As summer progresses, the thermocline forms in larger lakes, and both smelt and salmon will seek out cooler, oxygen-rich waters, often suspended over deep basins or near underwater structure. This requires specialized trolling or deep stripping techniques to reach them. How deep landlocked salmon go in summer is critical knowledge for these warmer months.

Fall brings a significant shift. Salmon begin their spawning runs, often moving into rivers or along lake shorelines where tributaries enter. While their primary focus might be reproduction, they are opportunistic feeders and will still aggressively strike a smelt pattern, especially if they perceive it as a threat or an easy meal before the rigors of spawning. The key is always to consider where the smelt are likely to be, and then to present your fly in a way that mimics their natural movement and vulnerability.

Choosing the Right Smelt-Imitating Fly

Once you understand why smelt are important, the next step is selecting the right imitation. There's a wide world of streamer patterns designed to mimic these slender baitfish, and having a few key options in your fly box can make all the difference.

Popular Smelt Fly Patterns

Several classic and modern fly patterns have proven incredibly effective for landlocked salmon. These aren't just pretty to look at; they're designed to replicate the key characteristics of a smelt: its slender profile, silvery flash, and often a hint of blue or green on the back.

• The Gray Ghost: This is arguably the most famous smelt imitation, a classic streamer pattern developed in Maine. It features white bucktail belly, grey hackle for the body, and often a blue or green shoulder with jungle cock eyes. It perfectly mimics the subtle colors and sleek shape of a smelt. The Gray Ghost is a must-have for any salmon angler.
• The Supervisor: Another New England classic, the Supervisor often has a more pronounced blue or green back, silver body, and a white belly. It's often tied with bucktail and hackle, creating a lively action in the water. This pattern really shines when smelt have a noticeable blueish tint, often found in deeper, clearer waters.
• Barnes Special: This is a simpler, yet highly effective pattern, often tied with white bucktail and a touch of red or green flash. Its sparse dressing gives it a very slender profile, perfect for mimicking smaller smelt or when salmon are being particularly selective.
• Smelt patterns with epoxy or resin heads: Many modern smelt imitations incorporate epoxy or UV resin to create a more durable and realistic head, often with 3D eyes. These flies sink a bit faster and have a very lifelike appearance, especially when retrieved with erratic strips. You can find a good selection of these patterns on platforms like Amazon if your local fly shop has limited stock.
• Clouser Minnows: While not exclusively a smelt pattern, a white and grey or white and blue Clouser Minnow in a sparse tie can be an excellent smelt imitation, especially in clear water where its jigging action can provoke a strike.

Size, Color, and Material Considerations

Matching the hatch is paramount, and with smelt, this means considering size and subtle color variations.

• Size: Smelt can range from tiny 1-inch fry to larger 5-6 inch adults. Most commonly, you'll be fishing patterns in the #4 to #10 hook size range, representing smelt between 2 to 4 inches. It's wise to carry a variety, as salmon can become incredibly focused on a specific size class of baitfish. A good rule of thumb is to start with a medium size (say, a #6) and adjust larger or smaller based on fish response.
• Color: While silver and white are foundational for smelt patterns, don't overlook subtle variations. A hint of blue, green, or even pink along the back can be critical. This can change based on water clarity, light conditions, and even what the smelt themselves are eating, which can affect their natural coloration. Carry patterns with different back colors to experiment.
• Material: Bucktail is a traditional and excellent material for smelt patterns, offering a natural translucence and movement in the water. Marabou is another fantastic choice, providing a soft, pulsating action that fish find irresistible. Synthetic materials can add flash and durability, and often hold their shape well, mimicking the sleekness of a swimming smelt. Some patterns incorporate a mix of materials to achieve the desired profile and action.

Essential Gear for Smelt Fly Fishing

Having the right tackle isn't just about comfort; it's about making effective presentations and having the power to land a hard-fighting landlocked salmon. Fly fishing for salmon often requires gear that's a bit heavier than your typical trout stream setup.

Rods, Reels, and Lines

Your rod, reel, and line work together as a system, and choosing them wisely will greatly enhance your success.

• Fly Rod: For landlocked salmon, a 7-weight or 8-weight fly rod is generally ideal. A 9-foot rod is a versatile choice, offering good casting distance and leverage. This weight range provides enough backbone to cast larger, wind-resistant smelt streamers, handle strong winds common on open lakes, and most importantly, subdue a powerful, acrobatic salmon. While a 6-weight might suffice for smaller salmon or very specific situations, it often lacks the power needed to efficiently cast big flies or fight larger fish quickly, which is important for catch and release. You can explore a wide range of options, from entry-level to high-performance, on Amazon. While many articles like Best Fly Rods for New Hampshire Trout Streams might focus on lighter rods, remember to scale up for salmon.
• Fly Reel: You'll want a quality reel with a smooth, reliable drag system and a large arbor design. A large arbor helps with faster line retrieve and reduces line memory. Landlocked salmon make blistering runs, and your reel's drag is your first line of defense. Ensure it has enough backing capacity – at least 150-200 yards of 20-pound dacron backing is a good starting point.
• Fly Line: This is perhaps the most critical component for smelt fly fishing.
  • Sinking Tip Lines: These lines have a floating running line but a fast-sinking front section (tip). They are incredibly versatile for lake fishing, allowing you to get your fly down to moderate depths without a full sinking line. Different sink rates (e.g., 5-10 feet per second) allow you to target different depths.
  • Intermediate Lines: These lines sink very slowly (around 1-2 inches per second), which can be perfect for covering shallower water, especially in spring, or for fishing just below the surface during a visible smelt boil. They also excel for trolling from a boat or kayak.
  • Full Sinking Lines: For targeting deep-holding salmon in summer, especially when trolling, a full sinking line with a high sink rate (Type IV, V, or even VI) is indispensable. These lines will get your fly down to where the thermocline and the smelt are located, often 20-40 feet or more.
  • Weight Forward Floating Lines: While not typically for deep-water smelt fishing, a floating line can be useful for casting smelt patterns in rivers during a spawning run, or if salmon are slashing at the surface.

Leaders and Tippet

The connection between your fly line and your fly is crucial. It needs to be strong, subtle, and appropriately tapered.

• Leader: For smelt fly fishing, a leader around 7-9 feet in length is a good starting point. You'll generally want a heavier butt section that tapers down to your tippet. Fluorocarbon leaders are often preferred due to their invisibility underwater and abrasion resistance. A 0X, 1X, or 2X leader (roughly 10-15 lb test) provides a good balance of strength and turnover for larger flies.
• Tippet: Your tippet will match the end of your leader and connect directly to your fly. Again, fluorocarbon is the material of choice for its stealth. Start with 8-12 pound test tippet. If the water is extremely clear and the fish are spooky, you might drop down to 6-pound, but be prepared for a longer fight. Conversely, if you're fishing in murky water or in situations where snags are prevalent, you might go up to 15-pound. Always check the New Hampshire Landlocked Salmon Regulations to ensure your gear complies with any line or hook restrictions.

Techniques for Presenting Smelt Flies

Now for the fun part: making that fly dance! Presenting a smelt imitation effectively means understanding how smelt move and how salmon attack them. This varies significantly between lakes and rivers.

Lake Fishing Strategies: Trolling and Stripping

New Hampshire's vast lakes are prime territory for landlocked salmon, and whether you're in a boat or on shore, there are effective ways to present your smelt fly. Many of these techniques overlap with methods for Trolling Techniques for New Hampshire Lake Trout.

Trolling for Suspended Salmon

Trolling is perhaps the most common and effective method for covering water and finding suspended salmon in lakes.

1. Boat or Kayak Speed: Maintain a slow, consistent speed. A good starting point is around 1.5 to 2.5 miles per hour. The idea is to give your fly a lifelike swimming action, not to drag it dead through the water. Watch your rod tip; it should have a subtle pulsing action.
2. Line Type and Depth Control: As mentioned earlier, full sinking lines or sinking tip lines are essential for trolling. Experiment with different sink rates and lengths of line deployed to find the depth where salmon are actively feeding. Often, salmon will be suspended near baitfish schools, which you can locate with a fish finder. If you don't have a fish finder, start by trying different depths until you find where the fish are hitting.
3. Fly Action: A trolled smelt fly should look like an injured or disoriented baitfish struggling to keep up with the school. The natural movement of the boat will impart action, but you can add subtle twitches with your rod to make the fly dart and pause, often triggering a strike.
4. Boat Position: Troll along drop-offs, over submerged humps, near points, and across open water basins where baitfish schools are known to congregate. Pay attention to structure and contour lines on your depth sounder or map.
5. Rod Holders: Using good quality rod holders, available from stores like Amazon, will keep your rod secure while trolling and allow you to monitor multiple lines if allowed.

Stripping from Shore or Boat

Active stripping of a smelt fly can be incredibly exciting, as strikes are often violent.

1. Retrieve Techniques:
   • Steady Strip: A continuous, medium-speed strip can imitate a healthy smelt swimming along. Vary the length of your strips, from short 6-inch pulls to longer 2-foot pulls.
   • Erratic Retrieve: This often proves more effective. Mix up your strip speed and length. Add pauses (1-3 seconds) to let the fly flutter or sink a bit, mimicking a dying or injured baitfish. This can be a huge trigger for predatory salmon.
   • Fast Strips: If salmon are actively chasing bait or slashing at the surface, a very fast, aggressive retrieve can elicit a reaction strike.
2. Targeting Structure: When stripping from shore, focus on casting near points, submerged rocks, weed lines, or areas where current creates eddies. From a boat, cast towards visible structure or areas where you've marked fish.
3. Depth Control: Use sinking tip or intermediate lines to control the depth of your fly. Let the fly sink for a count before starting your retrieve to ensure you're fishing at the correct depth. Remember, salmon can be found throughout the water column, so varying your retrieve depth is key.

River Fishing Tactics: Swinging and Stripping

While many think of rivers for spawning salmon with egg patterns, smelt flies can be highly effective during migratory periods or in rivers that hold resident salmon. For rivers, many strategies similar to How to Fish a River for Smallmouth Bass can be adapted.

Swinging Smelt Flies

Swinging a streamer across the current is a classic and highly effective technique for anadromous fish, and it works wonderfully for salmon in rivers.

1. Casting Angle: Cast your fly quartering downstream and across the current. The goal is to let the current do the work, sweeping your fly in an arc.
2. Controlled Drift: As the fly swings, keep a slight tension on the line, but don't pull it back. Let it swing naturally. As it reaches the end of its swing (often directly downstream from you), the fly will hang in the current for a moment, often triggering a strike.
3. Depth and Speed: Use a sinking tip line to get your fly down to the fish. The faster the current, the quicker your fly will swing and the shallower it will run. In slower water, it will swing deeper and slower. Experiment with different sink tips to control depth and speed.
4. Target Holding Water: Focus on casting into runs, pools, seams, and behind large rocks or structure where salmon might be holding out of the main current, waiting for an easy meal to drift by.

Stripping in Rivers

Stripping a smelt fly in a river can be effective, especially in slower pools or eddies.

1. Upstream or Downstream: You can cast upstream and strip the fly back, mimicking a baitfish swimming against the current. Or, cast downstream and strip it quickly, imitating a fleeing baitfish.
2. Varying Retrieve: Just like in lakes, vary your strip speed and incorporate pauses. Salmon in rivers can be very aggressive, so don't be afraid to use an energetic retrieve.
3. Covering Water: Work your way systematically through pools and runs, making casts to different areas and depths until you find where the fish are holding.

Table: Smelt Fly Patterns for Landlocked Salmon

Fly Pattern	Primary Colors	Best Conditions/Action	Key Feature
Gray Ghost	White, Gray, Blue/Green	All-around, clear to slightly stained water	Classic, natural profile, subtle flash
Supervisor	Blue/Green, Silver, White	Clear water, when smelt have a distinct blue/green back	Brighter flash, distinct dorsal color
Barnes Special	White, Red/Green Flash	Smaller smelt imitation, subtle presentation	Sparse, very slender profile, good movement
Epoxy Smelt	Silver, Pearl, Black	Fast sink, realistic profile, durable	Realistic head, 3D eyes, quick sinking
Clouser Minnow	White, Grey, Blue	Versatile, jigging action, good for deeper presentations	Weighted eyes, great vertical jigging action
Marabou Smelt	White, Silver, Black	Pulsating, lifelike action, good in slower currents	Soft, flowing marabou for maximum movement

Remember, the goal is always to match the general appearance and behavior of smelt in the water. Pay attention to any visual cues from the water, like active baitfish, or even information from your fish finder. Success with smelt-imitating flies for landlocked salmon is often a game of persistence, experimentation, and understanding the subtle nuances of these incredible fish. Don't forget to review Best Time of Day to Catch Landlocked Salmon to further refine your angling strategy.

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Laws, prices and regulations vary by location and change over time. Consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.