Hot Smoking warm water fish

[katfishcharlie]

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience hot smoking fish such as white bass, walleye, crappie, and other similar fish. In particular I'm wondering if anyone has had success at this using only fillets as opposed to whole fish. My dad and I have always smoked these fish whole and they've turned out great, but you still have to pick thru the bones. When I asked my dad why we didn't use fillets instead, he said, "Because that's the way we've always done it." 

It seems like most of the fish smoking info I find, is for cold water fish like trout and salmon. Those fish aren't available in my local creek. LOL.

Also if you do smoke fillets, do you leave the skin on, or off ? And on larger fish like walleye, have you tried cutting them into steaks?

Any advice you can pass along will be greatly appreciated.

[Caneyscud]

I do catfish filets quite often, but it is smoke cooking - nothing special like brining or curing.  I generally just sprinkle a little cajun seasoning, or some lemon pepper on the catfish along with some salt, maybe sprinkle with a little EVOO and then smoke until done.  Skin off.  I have also done halibut, and largemouth that way.  If you are talking about something like lox or gravlox, then that's a different animal.  No reason you could not use the techniques for the smoked salmon, trout, or whitefish etc.... you find on the recipe site or in the forum.  Might change up the flavors if desired.  Here is one of the brining recipes from the recipe site. http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=48
 

[Habanero Smoker]

Here is another recipe for fish in general that uses a dry brine. If you don't have Morton's Tender Quick, just leave it out of the recipe; or if you don't want to use it you don't have to. If needed the recipe can be easily reduced to half, or doubled.

A Recipe For Smoked Fish

[Carter]

Please let us know how this goes Katfish.  I'm a Walleye and Bass fisherman myself, but when it comes to cooking, I still have a pretty tough time moving away from Fillets, some bread crumbs and a few spices, too much butter, and a frying pan.

Mmmmm Walleye....droool

Carter

[katfishcharlie]

Thanks for the recipes guys. I have been using a salmon cure but it still tastes great on warm water fish. I might try these recipes too.  I think I may try scaling, then filleting, and smoking the fillets with the skin on, skin side down and see how that works. I've got a week-long fishing trip planned for next week, so if it goes well, hopefully I'll have the fish to try this on. I still welcome any comments on this subject that anyone out there has to offer.

[katfishcharlie]

Hey all, just to keep you up to date, I smoked some white bass this week and they turned out awesome. And yes, instead of smoking whole fish this time, I scaled, then filleted the fish and left the skin on.  I brined them for about 16 hours, then dried them and let them sit out for a couple hours to allow a pellicle to form. Not sure if that is enough time or not but it appeared to me that a pellicle had formed. Then I smoked in applewood, skin side down for about 3 hours. For the first two hours I had the temp at 160, then up to 180 for about 2 hours, then finished the last two hours at 200. I think I can safely say that I will never smoke a whole fish again. It was a big hit.

[sodak]

White bass is on my agenda.  Amazing how many folks out here consider that fish a substandard species...spoiled with the walleye I suppose...but, I like it and will try the smoke.  Soon.