What Meatline said, also add that its best to go before the high tide, as many smelt are caught before high, and also asx the tide goes out. Each day is different. Commercial only fishing on wed and thurs, and this early in the season it does not pay to go out until a couple of days after the commercials wipe it all out. All that said, i have found out that i am not as smart as a smelt, because every time i think i have them figured out, they do something else.