It will mostly be the same guys — and gals — but in a new year and with new smelt.

The 47th annual Cedar Rod and Gun Club smelt dinner will open its doors at 3 p.m. on Good Friday, and if history holds, a lineup will be waiting outside the Solon Township Hall.

“We usually get a pretty good rush of loyal people who want to be there right at the beginning,” said Greg Julian, an officer with the club.

The veteran crew of fryers and servers will include Fred Broghamer, Bill Chamberlain, Bob Shopieray, Rick Becktold and Kevan Newman, according to Julian.

The dinner has become synonymous with the Cedar Rod and Gun Club — and is extremely popular. Some 1,000 pounds of smelt have been ordered, about one pound for each anticipated guest.

“We’ve run out in the past, so my advice is to get there early,” said Julian. Doors officially close at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Also, tickets for a raffle that will include guns will be sold at the dinner.

Julian said the club is still determined to build a new clubhouse and education center, having raised $120,000 during the past six years. However, the amount raised will only cover about one-third of the cost to construct earlier designs of the building.

The club owns property off Sullivan Road between Maple City and Cedar where it now operates shooting ranges and occupies a small clubhouse. Club members will gather there before the dinner to clean boxes of frozen smelt.