Anybody used smelt or "cigar minnows" for stripers before?

[JAG107]

I just bought a bunch of these from an asian market, wanna try them out instead of the usual chovies. I couldn't find any fresh dines. The cigar minnows I've never heard of, they look like sardines kinda.
The smelt are really small, about 2-3" white and skinny.
Any thoughts?

[smokehound]

I just bought a bunch of these from an asian market, wanna try them out instead of the usual chovies. I couldn't find any fresh dines. The cigar minnows I've never heard of, they look like sardines kinda.
The smelt are really small, about 2-3" white and skinny.
Any thoughts? Sardines and anchovies work very well, because they are close relatives of shad, and smell similar. Hopefully your cigar minnows (actually a species of jack, related to yellowtail) are whole, with guts intact.

As long as they still have their guts, they should work alright. They are an oily fish, so you should catch a few schoolies at the LEAST.

BTW, long strips of mackerel with the skin on work, too.

[eddiefishtaco]

put a few of them in a bag of anchovies
to pick up thee chovie smell,
hide the hook, 6# line, mosquito hook#1
a sliding egg sinker, find a spot and you're set.

release the big ones, they're mine..lol

[dixoncider]

Yes I used smelt with no bites. At dvl

[CraigH]

Long time ago I caught several of the larger smelt that hang out in Oceanside Harbor and kept a few for bait. Chunked them up and tried using them at Lake Skinner. No luck.

[JAG107]

well I had no luck with either today (or with anything for that matter), but I gave it a hell of a try at the buoy line. Maybe next time!

[dixoncider]

Only thing I have ever caught on smelt were halibut..