Rainbow Smelt
The Rainbow Smelt has a main body that is usually greenish-tan in color, with a light shaded underside, depending upon size and water conditions such as algae, they may also be shaded other colors such as; indigo, purple, pink, silver, especially the further down the body towards the belly, thus it's name, the Rainbow Smelt.
Rainbow Smelt are not just prized by numerous anglers, but are also harvested by commercial fishermen with boats and nets, and are used for a food source for animals, such as in cat food, and other feed. Rainbow Smelt is a very tasty fish, and many anglers await the times of the year when what is called the 'smelt run' begins, to go after them with dip nets and fishing poles, while others enjoy ice fishing for them.
Rainbow Smelt are soft and are very easy to clean and prepare for eating, a lot of fishermen don't even use a knife when cleaning them, saying its easier to slice their heads off and cut their stomachs open with a pair of sharp shears, the stomach contents are easily removed with the fingers, while held under cold running water, so a huge mess of Rainbow Smelt can be cleaned and dressed in a short amount of time.
Rainbow Smelt live just fine in inland lakes, streams, rivers, and coastal inland waters and other bodies of water, they mostly travel in large schools. When ice fishing or pole fishing for Rainbow Smelt, a small hook is used, and can be baited with a worm, meal worm, wax worm, small crayfish, or even a red wiggler or other small bait. When ice fishing many anglers prefer jigging for them, using a small jigging spoon baited with a meal worm or wax worm.
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