The floating smelt.... Imitating stunned or injured floating smelt is a surefire way to catch that trout. Large trout will hit a shoal of smelt, invariably creating a significant vortex. Then they swim back into the vortex to pick up any smelt stunned or injured by their attack. Such smelt usually will float in a head-up attitude. This little smelt pattern is great specifically for such occasions. These little flies will catch more trout than the standard strip-retrieve patterns. Floating smelt are easy prey for a hungry trout.