Night Smelt
(spring - summer)
AKA: "nightfish"
(In the past all smelts and smeltlike fishes were grouped under the somewhat misleading heading: "white bait")
The Meat
Oh man, I love these little guys. That should be clear from how much I've written about them on The Monkeyface News over the years. They are just such perfect little fish. Much milder than anchovies and perfect for the fry pan. The fishwife likes to bake and broil them too, the way she does with surf smelt.
Prep
Virtually every fisherman on the coast and most of the chefs who cook these fish fry them whole: heads, guts and all. They do not as a rule feed while spawning so there's nothing in their stomachs. The only problemin eating them whole is that they tend to swallow a little sand, and also there may be a few sand grains in their gills. It's no more grit than what you get in an average oyster, but I want to point it out before you guys chomp down on whole night smelt.
Gear and fishery info
Almost all night smelt are caught by A-frame dip net (see picture below), A-frame dip nets are based on a Native American design that has been used on the California coast for many thousands of years. If you want to see how this is done you can come a long with me, I do special guided trips for night smelt in the summer. I also make some pretty beautiful A-frame nets.
#KnowYourFisherman
Our night smelt are sometimes caught by me (Kirk Lombard), or Dude Gifford Dude Gifford
Fish Nerdism 101
This is a truly awesome local fishery. I have had nights out there where I am the only person fishing for many miles--and nothing makes me happier than that. Sometimes I turn the headlamp off and the lights of the squid boats are all I have to go by. That and the moon. Ah! the surf at night... the inexorable metronome of the waves... the wind whipping off the ocean... Not sure what I would do without nightsmelt. They are such a treasure. Really looking forward to providing you with these delicious, nutritious fish.
Health concerns
This is about the healthiest fish you can eat. Low on the foodchain, high in all the good stuff, low in all the bad stuff.
Parting Shots
In the spring I will likely be offering private guided trips for night smelt, so stay tuned for that. I also make and sell some fairly awesome custom A-frames for sale, check the store.
Recipes
Facts
Scientific Name: Spirinchus starksi
Habitat: Juvenile smelt rear in nearshore areas while feeding. Little is known about the movements of adult night smelt, until their return to spawning grounds.
Diet: Feeds on small shrimp-like crustaceans
Size: schooling forage fish that reach up to 9 inches in length.
Range: native to the Pacific coast of North America, spawning from Point Arguello in central California to southeast Alaska.
Class: Actinopterygii
Fresh, sparkling night smelt - what a treat! If you've ever dipped for these yourself you know how magical these little creatures are and how they smell a little bit like cucumber fresh from the sea. (Photo courtesy of Viola Toniolo)