Hot Smoked Salmon - Skin or no skin?

[DukeNukeIt]

Hey Gang,

Did some hot smoked salmon this last weekend and it came out great!  I want to do it again, and this time I want to make a larger batch and freeze the leftovers.  I was wondering if there is any benefit to leaving the skin on, or taking it off.  If the skin was off, I'm thinking it could absorb a bit more smoke flavor.  What are your thoughts?

[pikeman_95]

I do it with the skin off. I agree that it gets more smoke. Just make sure you use some frog mats with a little Pam on them. The fish will slide right off.
KC

[Quarlow]

I leave the skin on to hold it together. I get plenty of smoke on my fish and have so for 40 years since I was a little guy tending dads UPS (ugly plywood smoker). To each his own.  ;D