Smoking Smelt

[Jeremy]

Any tips for smoking smelt? Should i throw them in the smoker (that i havent bought yet) right away or is it ok to smoke them after they have been vacum packed and frozen? Also should i clean them first? Thanks for the info. Also can all of them be smoked with success or just the ones that arent real soft?

[Tanner]

Smelt should be pan fried. Yummmm!!!!!!!!!!!
The big trick to enjoying smelt is: You must have extremely cheap beer to wash the smelt down with. Heidleberg, Hamms, Bohemian, Pabst. Those are all good beers for drinking with your pan fried smelt. YUMMMMMMMMMM

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Work is for people who have an expensive fishing habit to support.

[OR Coast Range]

My mom tells me horror stories about when she was a kid and her brother would bring home buckets full of smelt for her to clean and store (for consumption).

[Pilar]

Hey Jeremy, read your e-mail. BTW I've seen Bait Of Eggs picking up beached spawner salmon on the Trask for smoking. They're real hard to get lit up but once they start to burn you're in........

Oh yeah, you guys can have that cheap beer. Drink Widmer, **** Hamms or Oly.

The bend is your friend!!

[fisheromen]

For a little chief smoker: 2.5 lbs smelt, 1/2 cup rock salt, cover with water and refrigerate 6 hours. Smoke for 12 hrs or so with 2 or more pans of chips. Smoked smelt, contrary to what some say, are absolutely delicious. No need to clean them even those that have spawned firm up nicely - also if they've been frozen not a problem. You can eat them bone and all, or easily pull the bone out. Last weekends 30 pounds I cleaned all of them for frying but this weekend I am leaving them all whole for smoking.

[Trick]

No more rinsing out the bucket from a successful smelting trip. I'm going to market that special white smelt brine and make a mint. I'll have to cut BOE in at about 5% for the idea. Why stop there, reel grease, hair gel, hand softner, teeth whitener, cure for constipation, wrinkle remover and so many other uses. All this from the little critters that lost their loads. Their loss, my gain! http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Bait O' Eggs]

It doesnt really matter if you clean them first or not. I prefer to not clean them because it saves time. first and foremost is dont smoke any smelt until you have your bait put up for the year. Catching fish is a lot more important than smoking smelt. So once the bait is vac packed you can smoke away. I like to run a wire thru there eyes and hang them in the smoker because it is quick and easy. heat is optional. If you have a lot of time use a low heat, if you are rushed go ahead and turn the heat up. I dont brine them, When you catch a few males and put them in the bucket, they tend to lose there load http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif and that is brine enough for smoking smelt. As far as what chips to use, I hate to use the good mesquite or apple on smelt. I usually just use lawn clippings. The wet grass really smokes up a storm and get that good smokey flavor in the fish. When the fish are done remove from smoker and throw the wire and the fish into the garbage. These critters were not meant to be eaten and should be left for bait. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[fishbait]

I'm not sure if its smelt that Bait-o-eggs was smoking the other day, but it sure was a funny looking cigarette and had a kind of a sweet smell.

[finclipped]

BOE,,,LMAO...I about lost my lunch when you referenced the white brine.

[fisheromen]

All you guys making fun - give me a break, they are good. Don't knock it till you have given it an honest try. I haven't smoked em whole yet but my plan is to milk em, rinse em, and put em right in the brine.

[Gooey - Bob]

BOE - do you do the same with deer and elk just kill them and smoke you dont even skin or clean them it must be the new generation way.