This nighttime photo shows two men dipping smelt by lantern light in Menominee, Michigan, using a long-handled net and a bucket on the riverbank. The handwritten caption on the image reads, “Dipping Smelt, Menominee, Mich.”
Smelt runs are a spring ritual around the Great Lakes, when fish move inshore and into tributaries to spawn as water warms. Michigan Sea Grant notes runs typically kick in after spring thaw and warming rains, often when water temps reach about 42–44 degrees. In the Menominee area, local histories describe crowds and even festival-style events tied to the run, especially in the early-to-mid 1900s.
Do you remember dipping smelt here — and where was your go-to spot on the Menominee?
#Menominee #UpperPeninsula #MichiganHistory #GreatLakes #SmeltRun
