Tradition continues despite small catches

With the lights of Port Washington behind him, Brandon Wambach scooped a few smelt from a dip net set up on the city’s breakwater last week. Fishing for the small, tasty fish when they school in shallow waters to spawn has long been a spring tradition, but one that has changed over the years. Fishermen who used to be rewarded with buckets of smelt are now happy to find just a few in their nets, and the fish being caught now are smaller, as evidenced by the small smelt held by Danielle Jans.      Photos by Sam Arendt