Young Girl, Catching Smelt

Another event during Winterfest in Bristol Bay, is the Smelting Contest. People don't need a contest to make them want to smelt, however. Smelt, also called Rainbow Smelt, are about 10 inches long. Anglers catch them through a hole in the ice, jigging with short poles and an artificial lure. The scoop, to the right, is for dipping slush out of the hole, keeping it clear for fishing. A popular way to eat smelt is to roll them in crumbs and fry them. They smell like cucumbers!

©Photo by Anton Littau with an Olympus Camedia C-2100 camera

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