Can someone explain how to hit ships with artillery in smoke?

I'm going back to basics and reviewing parts of my game after a rather disappointing string of personal results yesterday and I've never really studied this point.

Without radar it is incredibly difficult for me to hit ships in smoke if I didn't see them right before they ninja vanished. Usually I try and gauge this based on their gun fire and return in kind, but I've found even if they remain still I never can seem to land shells on target.

Can anyone give a good method of hitting these ships when they "reveal themselves" in this manner shooting out of smoke?

I also know that there is a trick to using spotter planes for this, and that would be greatly appreciated info as well.