Spring in Michigan is smelt time.  When I was a kid my family would go over to Pointe Pele Canada and get 5 50 gallon trash cans full of smelt.(Try cleaning those in an un air conditioned basement)  So my Dad would host a fish fry.  Here is my take on deep fried smelt.  (we would also do it to drink Molson)

1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup rice flour.
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 cup
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon hot sauce
Flour to dip smelt
Oil for frying

Heat oil to 350

In bowl mix flours, baking powder,, salt, and pepper.

Add hot sauce to milk and stir

Mix to flour mix and egg and mix

Dredge smelt in flour and dip in in pancake batter

Fry until golden brown turning once about 6 to 7 minutes You want this crunchy.