Smelt shacks on the Kennebec River are now open for the season.
While some businesses are located on the main stem of the Kennebec, others operate on tributaries including the Cathance, Eastern and Abagadasset rivers, which are all part of the greater Kennebec River smelt fishery.
Poor ice conditions over the past three years have shortened what was once a season that ran from December through March. With climate change and the removal of a dam on the Kennebec, it now takes more sustained cold for the river to freeze solid.
Those changes have forced many smelt camp operators out of business, contributing to the decline of a longtime Maine tradition.
This winter, however, conditions look promising. Worthing’s Smelt Camps reports having 40 shacks on about 10 inches of ice. The Kennebec is a fast-moving river, which means it typically takes longer to freeze, particularly in that stretch.
Jim’s Camps, located on the Cathance River in Bowdoinham and now owned by Derek Saxton and renamed D’s Camps, is also up and running, with 17 shacks on the ice.
Saxton operated the camps last season alongside former owner Jim McPherson. This year, he is running the business himself with help from McPherson and his daughter, Katie McPherson.
McPherson said the camps are sitting on well over a foot of ice, marking the earliest they’ve been able to get onto the river since 2017.
“Last year was a short season for most of us,” McPherson said. “We barely got a month out of it, but we did manage to get on.”
But this year is different. “It’s excellent for all of us,” she said.
James Eddy Smelt Camps has 15 camps set up over about a foot of ice. For now, they’re fishing the outgoing tide, though they plan to expand to the incoming one as conditions allow.
Owner Sharon James said the business has been operating for 67 years. While it is somewhat early to have shacks on the ice, she cautioned that a warm stretch with rain in the forecast could affect conditions.
In recent years, some businesses never placed camps despite brief periods of thicker ice, as warm weather was forecast and safety was a concern.
Leighton’s Smelt Camps is the only operation not yet open. However, McPherson said she recently saw owner Steve Leighton preparing equipment and expects camps to be set up soon.
Each location has something unique to offer, making it easy for anglers to have a favorite. For many families, the biggest draw is tradition, with grandparents bringing parents, and parents now bringing their own children.
Comfort also plays a role, from camp layout to heating options. At D’s Camps, McPherson said one feature anglers especially appreciate is a heated ladies room.
At the end of the day, she said, it often comes down to personal preference. “With so few smelt camps around now, if one place is full, people usually just call the next camp on their list.”
Most camps require reservations in advance. Prices are typically about $20 per person, though some businesses rent by the shack. Depending on location, visitors may be able to rent different sizes, ranging from two to 10 people.
All shacks are heated with either a wood stove or a propane or kerosene heater, and bait is available, though it may cost extra.
The season is short even in good years, so anglers are encouraged to take advantage of the favorable ice conditions while they last. State regulations allow up to one gallon, or four quarts, of smelt to be kept per person within a 24-hour period.
Smelt shack rental options on the Kennebec River and its tributaries
Baker’s Smelt Camps, Kennebec River, Pittston: 207-582-4257
D’s Camps, Cathance River, Bowdoinham: 207-666-3049
James Eddy Smelt Camps, Eastern River, Dresden: 207-737-2596
Leighton’s Smelt Camps, Abagadasset River, Bowdoinham: 207-666-5551
Worthing’s Smelt Camps, Kennebec River, Randolph: 207-582-3199