Ted Janes recounts the first time he went smelt fishing on an iced-over river in Maine, where he found an all-night party and ...

Bowdoinham’s Ice and Smelt Fishing Festival is a winter tradition, drawing tourists eager to fish and explore the town. However, the past two events lacked its key attraction: actual smelt fishing.

Ice shacks — a hallmark of Maine winters — have dotted lakes and rivers for decades. But in recent years, warmer temperatures made ice fishing for smelt nearly impossible for many in the Midcoast.