<p>Does anyone know when the “smelt season” is? They are usually available for only a few weeks in our fish stores. I think sometime in the spring, but does anyone know more specifically?</p>
<p>It kind of depends on where you are – midwest is mostly late March to late April (about three to four weeks), so right about now. In the northwest it is earlier. What matters is the temperature. Smelt start spawning when temps are in the low 40’s pretty consistently. Most state have placed limits on smelt fishing, if not closing the season all together, because of the low numbers of fish, so it is getting harder to find. But fried smelt is good eating!</p>
<p>Wow! This is like a blast from the past! When I was at U of MN-Duluth in the late 70’s there were smelt fries that usually involve incredible amounts of beer ( often like 5 for 1 deals). The smelt seemed to run in March if I remember correctly. The smelt weren’t that great but the beer 
At that time the drinking age in Minn was 19 and in WI it was 18 so we just drove across the bridge into WI.</p>
<p>I am in the midwest, so I will call the fish store and check with them. I got on their weekly email list this year thinking I might find out that way, but haven’t seen any mention of it. I know they run into May some years, because I remember making my kids eat them on Mother’s Day one year when they had never had them before 
Actually, they liked them, but they weren’t so sure until they sat down and tried them…</p>