Take a weekend get a room on the NH Maine line in Northern NH and bye a three day license and go to Maine.. More available smelt and you won't have to kill yourself to catch your limit..
I have only gone over and watched. never tried to fish for them myself. but there is quite a crowd of guys dip net fishing the Bearcamp river on Ossipee lake the first couple of weeks after ice out. should check it out the guys there will show you anything. the ones I talked to have ben doing it for years. have 2 homemade boats with the light set up. pretty cool to watch. heard about it for years and always thought it was just talk but have ben out salmon fishing late in the afternoon around dusk and that when it starts. must be quite a tradition I have seen boatloads of guys going out. dont know how late they fish. but it sure looks like fun
There are some very strict regulations for smelt fishing. Before attempting it check the regulations. I use to do it years ago, but the area I use to go has been closed for years.
Good luck.