Our Vanishing Smelt

Our Vanishing Smelt

In the early 60’s, driving on Lake Shore Drive with my dad just about this time of year, we’d sometimes see the smelt fishers on the lakefront, with their bonfires going, nets flashing, dragging in reasonable quantities of fish. Somewhere on the lake this centuries old tradition may still be happening, but it seems to have all but vanished along LSD, along with the fish itself.

I had a tasty platter of tiny smelts at Vie earlier in the week (the fried fish offset by pickled tomato). Chef Virant said they were coming in from Lake Erie, which is apparently where most smelt destined for Chicagoland restaurants is harvested. Thinking there might be a radio segment here, I investigated.

At the Chicago Park District, they knew nothing about smelt fishing. The two people I spoke with did not even know what a smelt was -- as I explained it to them, I could sense they were getting faraway looks in their eyes.

I called Judith Hines, who handles culinary affairs at the Chicago Cultural Center, and she was well aware of this traditionally important foodstuff in Chicago’s culinary culture, directing me to a guy at Shaw’s who told me that their smelts are coming from Lake Erie, too.

There probably still are smelt to be had in Lake Michigan, but it’s unlikely you’ll find them at many Chicago restaurants (for a variety of reasons, I’d suppose).

So, Saturday night I’m going to meet up with a battalion of long-time smelt fishers who will once again cast their nets into the waters of Lake Michigan in hopes of pulling out dinner. There is apparently a sizeable, somewhat underground fishing community in Chicago – and get this: these fanatics have bulletin boards that they post to at all hours of the night and day, and there’s even intense competition and political infighting between members of individual boards. Unbelievable, isn’t it?



David "Where's that smelt coming from?” Hammond

http://www.chicagolandfishing.com/forum ... ight=smelt

Smelting at Belmont Harbor last night, I met a number of really cool guys, including Smelter Lenny and Smelter Paul:



Nets went in; here they are, emerging with our catch:



Can you spot the smelt?*



Smelter Dave

*Don’t try too hard; there are no smelt there. In fact, in the last four years or so, they’ve caught one or two (matter of some debate). I don’t think the smelts are coming back to our part of town.

Those are the cy-utest little croppies I've ever seen....

Smelting was one of the few good memories I have of my step dad. We would go out very early in the morning to get a spot (I cannot remember where, this was 1980 and 1981) He had made up a contraption using a canister of pressurised air, a cut down fire extinguisher and some tubing to shoot the anchor further out than the competition.

Fresh smelt smell like watermelon; we would pull them out of the water and fry them on the spot dredged a little flour. The cold spring air, the smell of the lake (this was pre mussel days so there were lots of alewife), and hot fish burning your fingers as you stood around a dutch oven with a small crowd of mostly strangers in the pre dawn black blue lakefront is one my most vivid childhood memories.

Historical note; I was sitting along the lakefront after a long day of smelting when we heard on the radio that President Reagan had been shot.

Hi,

About 14 years ago, my family and I attended the local smelt fest on the lakefront. THis is a very local event that maybe 100-200 attend. The Park District always sets up a few nets for the visitors to try their hand at it.

Typical Chicago spring, my Mom and 4-year-old niece were wearing winter coats to the smelt fest. I had to go home to call my Dad in Europe. When I returned maybe 25 minutes later, the crowd was largely gone. I found my Mom and niece in full smelt rampage. My Mom would dip the net and my niece would pluck the smelts off. Their industriousness paid off in several pounds of smelt, which I cleaned and froze. While Elizabeth and Mom warmed up over hot chocolate. We didn't eat them until my Dad returned sometime later. We were certainly proud of our collective effort.

If only I carried a camera in my purse like I do now. It is still one of our favorite memories of Elizabeth's childhood.

Regards,

I asked the Melrose Park Italian relations at dinner tonight: our Christmas Eve smelts (traditional Calabrese-American-style) come from Capri on North Avenue (2225 W. North). A quick call confirms: Lake Erie smelts.

David, count me in if you ever want to go a bit further afield to try another spot on Lake Michigan. Perhaps they've just migrated.

"Romancing the Smelt," my segment about true love, community and smelt fishing is currently scheduled to air tomorrow, April 30, on WBEZ, 91.5FM, during the 9AM and 8PM segments of 848. You can listen live or pick up a podcast anytime after the airdate at:

http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/program_848.aspx

On podcast, you can go right to the segment rather than listening to the whole show.

That's a pity they've disappeared. When I was a kid we used to catch buckets full of them on good nights. The last time I went smelting was at Monroe Harbor about 20 years ago, and did catch a few pounds that night. They are so tasty when you fry them up on the shore.

You bring up some fond memories of my childhood and smelting with my dad, uncle ,cousins and dozens of other n'eer do wells at Montrose Harbor in the 60's. And it was true that during those times we would literally pull in buckets full of them in a few hours if they "where running"

In the late 80's and early 90's when my kids where still small I began sponsoring Smelt-O-Rama ('89 '90 '91 '92 '93) at Montrose harbor for the users of the various Bulletin Board Systems (BBS's) I was operating. We would get there early in the day and setup huge canopies, windbreaks and even dropped off port-o-sans as if we owned the place. If you cruised Montrose Harbor during those years in smelt season it was very likely you saw our bright orange and blue tarps cordonning off a section of the harbor parkway. My son couldnt have been older than 9 when he bit the head off of a fresh smelt as was our tradition for smelt virgins.

But the take wasnt the same, we would barely catch one bucket full running 4 or 5 nets. We where set up to fry cook on the spot and if we lacked smelt we would cook whatever anyone brought us and share it among all. Gradually the smelt take dropped off to nothing. The old timers blamed the hard working asian fishermen and accused them of poaching. But even if they did bring in a few nets early (before sundown) I really doubt that a couple of guys fishing to feed their families cleared what seemed to be a never ending supply of smelt from Lake Mich.

Somewhere out in that 4 car disaster area I call a garage is a rubbermade full of smelt nets and trolley lines. Perhaps by the time I find them the Smelt will be back.
Bob

So Dave, you just got back from smelting. How did it go?

razbry wrote:So Dave, you just got back from smelting. How did it go?

It went great -- though we caught no smelt. I covered it on the radio. Follow this link to go to the WBEZ segment rather than listening to the whole show: http://chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=21682.

When you get to the site, you'll see a picture and the name of the piece on the right side. Just above it, click the Play button (right facing arrow) labeled Pop Out.

There just MIGHT be a new wave: check out here.

DH, we'll be expecting a report soonest from you on the new fishery!

Geo

Picked up some "Fresh Lake Smelt" at Jewel the other night and fried them very simply...delish! (My 3 year old even had some and like them, w/catsup of course) I assumed they came from Lake Michigan but I guess I'll ask if I see the fishmonger/deli person next time. Anyone else picking these up?

jmc wrote:Picked up some "Fresh Lake Smelt" at Jewel the other night and fried them very simply...delish! (My 3 year old even had some and like them, w/catsup of course) I assumed they came from Lake Michigan but I guess I'll ask if I see the fishmonger/deli person next time. Anyone else picking these up?

I'd be a little surprised if they came out of Lake Michigan, but I suppose it's possible. A lot of the smelt from hereabouts comes from Lake Erie.