The addition of capers and a little chopped red onion before refrigeration won't hurt this dish.

Cool. 

What do fried smelts taste like? Are they more fishy or more taking the flavors of what they're with?

They are very mild and very small and it is customary to eat the tiny bones along with the flesh.

Smelt - A Fish that Tastes Much Better than its Name Might Imply

"In regard to their appearance, they actually look quite similar to very tiny salmon, with few of them reaching more than eight inches in length. They generally tend to live out most of their lives in salt water, but like many other fish, come back to fresh water to spawn. Prized for more than just their meat, smelt also produce a bright orange roe that is frequently found atop sushi."

http://atlanticseafoodmarket.com/2013/03/smelt-fish-tastes-imply/

You're right, that sounds way better than the name implies. :)

So many fish have aliases - why not smelt?

http://pandawhale.com/post/49447/the-invention-of-the-chilean-sea-bass

Perhaps we shall see smeltboy sometime soon. 

Cautionary tale of the Chilean Sea Bass (formerly toothfish): A catchy name leads to popularity and overfishing, so let's keep it smelt.  :)

(Orange Roughy transformed from SLIMEFISH!)

Good idea. No sea bass or roughy for this little fishy. We're keeping it filled with smelty goodness!