Spirinchus starksi
Encyclopedia
Night smelt is a true smelt of the osmeridae family. They are native to the Pacific
coast of North America
.
(Sprinchus thaleichthys). The maximum length
of night smelt is 9 inches. They are bright golden
to silvery
in color, and give off the distinctive odour of cucumber
.
s nocturnally, in the surf zone
, over coarse sand beaches, from Point Arguello
in central California
to southeast Alaska. Spawning generally occurs from February through August.
Night smelt are not to be confused with the California grunion
(Leuresthes tenuis), an unrelated silverside
that also spawns in the surf at night.
for night smelt over much of its range but night smelt catch is often sold as "whitebait" or "smelt" in local market
s.
net
or (rarely) by hook and line
.
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Physical characteristics
Night smelt are similar in appearance to the longfin smeltLongfin smelt
The longfin smelt, Spirinchus thaleichthys, is a smelt that is found in several estuaries and lakes along the northern Pacific coast of North America....
(Sprinchus thaleichthys). The maximum length
Length
In geometric measurements, length most commonly refers to the longest dimension of an object.In certain contexts, the term "length" is reserved for a certain dimension of an object along which the length is measured. For example it is possible to cut a length of a wire which is shorter than wire...
of night smelt is 9 inches. They are bright golden
Gold (color)
Gold, also called golden, is one of a variety of orange-yellow color blends used to give the impression of the color of the element gold....
to silvery
Silver (color)
Silver is the metallic shade resembling gray, closest to that of polished silver.The visual sensation usually associated with the metal silver is its metallic shine. This cannot be reproduced by a simple solid color, because the shiny effect is due to the material's brightness varying with the...
in color, and give off the distinctive odour of cucumber
Cucumber
The cucumber is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon. The plant is a creeping vine which bears cylindrical edible fruit when ripe. There are three main varieties of cucumber: "slicing", "pickling", and...
.
Survival
The night smelt spawnSpawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
s nocturnally, in the surf zone
Surf zone
As ocean surface waves come closer to shore they break, forming the foamy, bubbly surface we call surf. The region of breaking waves defines the surf zone. After breaking in the surf zone, the waves continue to move in, and they run up onto the sloping front of the beach, forming an uprush of...
, over coarse sand beaches, from Point Arguello
Point Arguello
Point Arguello is a headland used as a launch site by the United States Navy. Point Arguello was first used in 1959 for the launch of military and sounding rockets. It was transferred to the United States Air Force in 1964, at which time it became part of Vandenberg Air Force Base.There were 6...
in central California
Central California
Central California, sometimes referenced as Mid-State, is an area of California south of the San Francisco Bay Area and north of Southern California...
to southeast Alaska. Spawning generally occurs from February through August.
Night smelt are not to be confused with the California grunion
Grunion
Grunion are two fish species of the genus Leuresthes: the California grunion, L. tenuis, and the Gulf grunion L. sardinas...
(Leuresthes tenuis), an unrelated silverside
Atheriniformes
Atheriniformes, also known as the silversides, is an order of ray-finned fish that includes the Old World silversides and several less-familiar families, including the unusual Phallostethidae...
that also spawns in the surf at night.
Commercial
There is a minor commercial fisheryCommercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions...
for night smelt over much of its range but night smelt catch is often sold as "whitebait" or "smelt" in local market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
s.
Recreation
Recreationally, night smelt are caught in the surf zone by dip net, A-frameA-Frame
An A-frame is a basic structure designed to bear a load in a lightweight economical manner. The simplest form of an A-frame is two similarly sized beams, arranged in a 45-degree or greater angle, attached at the top...
net
Fishing net
A fishing net or fishnet is a net that is used for fishing. Fishing nets are meshes usually formed by knotting a relatively thin thread. Modern nets are usually made of artificial polyamides like nylon, although nets of organic polyamides such as wool or silk thread were common until recently and...
or (rarely) by hook and line
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
.