I put 8 crappies in a salt brine which was 2 1/2 gal water and added canning salt until egg floated(about 1 1/2 cup). Added 1/2 bottle of liquid smoke and 1 cup brown sugar and let sit overnight. Took out of brine and let air dry for 1 1/2 hours. Put in smoker using alder and smoked for 3 hours, 1 1/2 hours at 120 then turned smoker up to 140 for 5 hours then to 160 for another 5 hours. Cabinet temp stayed around 160. Took out of smoker 12 hours later and fish was firm but really moist. Any ideas why? I used this same recipe for over 20 years in my old Brinkman charcoal smoker which just had a warm,ideal,hot gauge and the gauge always read ideal but never had moist fish like this. Like I said meat was firm but really moist.
I had a couple Brinkman Gourmet model smokers (they tended to rust out on me, but they were good smokers and very easy to replenish the water and fuel), and if I recall the "Ideal" range was temperatures from 225°F - 275°F. So you were smoking at a much higher temperature. Also some fish will get "mushy" when cooked with low temperatures. I'm not sure if crappies is one.
Put fish in frig overnight and it firm it up. Came out really good in fact.