Smelt Fishing UK

The smelt is a slim, elongate fish with a silvery, almost translucent body and a greenish back. Its most defining features are a large mouth for its size, armed with prominent, sharp teeth, and the presence of a small, fleshy adipose fin on its back between the dorsal fin and tail, a characteristic it shares with salmonids. This adipose fin immediately distinguishes it from other small, silvery fish like bleak or dace. Another key identifier is the strong, fresh smell of cucumbers, which is particularly noticeable when the fish is first handled. The lower jaw protrudes slightly beyond the upper jaw.

Smelt are anadromous, spending most of their lives in the brackish water of estuaries and coastal zones. In late winter and early spring, they undertake spawning migrations into the lower, tidal sections of clean, well-oxygenated rivers. They require specific gravel or stony substrates on which to deposit their eggs. In the UK, their populations are severely restricted and fragmented. Viable populations are known to exist only in a handful of river systems, including the Humber estuary tributaries (like the Ouse and Trent), the Thames, and certain rivers in Scotland (e.g., the Forth, Tay, and Cree) and Wales.

Smelt are predatory, primarily feeding on small crustaceans such as shrimps (especially Crangon crangon), mysids, and copepods in their estuarine and marine phases. Larger individuals will also prey on small fish, including juvenile herring, sprats, and gobies. During their brief spawning migration into freshwater rivers, their feeding activity significantly reduces, but they may opportunistically take aquatic insect larvae and other small invertebrates they encounter on their journey upstream to the spawning grounds.

1. Jan – quieter
2. Feb – good
3. Mar – good
4. Apr – good
5. May – quieter
6. Jun – quieter
7. Jul – quieter
8. Aug – quieter
9. Sep – quieter
10. Oct – quieter
11. Nov – quieter
12. Dec – quieter

The traditional coarse fishing close season (15 March - 15 June) applies to all rivers in England and Wales. However, this is largely irrelevant for smelt as they are a protected species and must not be targeted.

As a legally protected species in the UK, smelt must not be intentionally targeted by anglers. There are no legitimate angling techniques for this species. Any smelt caught accidentally, for example by anglers fishing in estuaries for flounder or targeting dace in the lower tidal reaches of a river, must be returned to the water immediately, unharmed. If one is caught, it should be handled as little as possible, preferably with wet hands to protect its delicate scales and slime coat, before being quickly released. Anglers should be aware of their protected status and avoid fishing in areas where smelt are known to be actively spawning, to prevent disturbance or accidental capture. The focus is entirely on conservation, not sport.

Smelt (Osmerus eperlanus) are a protected species in the UK under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is a criminal offence to intentionally kill, injure, or take smelt, or to damage or obstruct their spawning grounds. They cannot be legally targeted by anglers. An Environment Agency rod licence is required to fish in freshwater in England.

Rules change. Check current Environment Agency, NRW or Scottish regulations and the venue's own rules before fishing. Not professional or legal advice.

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Where to fish in the UK · Fishing conditions today

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  Korda Subline Tapered mainline

  £8.00

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  Insight

  £17.00

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  Gardner tiger line 20lb 1000m

  £120.00

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  Insight GR60 x

  £20.00

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  E-sox Hooks Treble semi barbbed extra long

  £5.50

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  E-sox Hooks Treble bait trace

  £2.75

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  E-sox Hooks Treble 8 & 6

  £2.25

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  Atomic Tackle haula 2

  £1.80