Fishing thread.

He made 3 passes and opened a road to his private landing and the public, fish got a month off will see what pressure is.

 

Son was out ice fishing with grandson and a friend. They hooked a lake trout and let grandson bring it up ...a day to remember father, son.

 

2 walleyes between 16 guys was disappointing but we did end up with a ton of jumbo perch and a few northerns. Perch are just as good to eat as a walleye in my book so it wasn't all bad. Still recovering from the shenanigans (I can't keep up with some of those old timers).

 

So taking the wife fishing tomorrow....wish me luck. I would prefer to drive out drill the holes turn on the heat and drive back to pick her up to fish, it won't go down like that. I am going to be taking fish off baiting hooks. She does it all summer on her own in a kayak damn it.

 

You gotta have something to do when she catches all the fish and you aren’t getting any fires.

 

I have it all lined out down to the mantles in the lantern, should be seamless getting out to the spot and getting the heat on will be key. Have 4 rods rigged, 2 bobber with minnows 2 jigging rods, 3 depth finders and a cooler with her corona ultra light packed, all good to go the speaker with the music charged just need the fruit, cheese, and cracker tray packed and we will be fishing by 4.

 

I have zero intention of keeping any fish pretty much guarantees the big ones will be biting.

 

Worked out well I was out and fishing for an hour before the wife got back home and then it took her another 45 minutes to get to where I was at. I talked to a neighbor 3 doors down and has been fishing at night for the last week. I got lazy I want and set up by his fishouse rather than our usual area away from the crowd. Caught a bunch of smaller fish nothing on minnows either bare hook or jig. Pain in the ass out there you can't shovel down to the ice, so everything is wet on the inside. Drying it out and running the ozone machine should be able to fold up the house tonight when the sled is dried out.

 

Took my boys to the annual AGFC Family Trout Day Saturday morning. We caught 7. This afternoon I made smoked trout for the first time. It turned out pretty good for a first attempt. I think I will make the brine a little sweeter next time and use more wood chips to get a little stronger smoke flavor.

 

Whatever extra sugar you put in, you can back out about the same amount in salt.

 

Is there a place for brown sugar in smoking meats? Add cinnamon with BBQ.

 

Yup. Falls under the "aromatics" if you want to "cure" meat.

Can glaze with "sugar" just like hams. Or inject.

Personal experience for injecting is to go light. Start light and work up

 

Just smoked some venison 2 weeks ago.
Mixed brown sugar And dejon mustard for a glaze. Can do the same with honey

 

I have no fish to smoke.

My mouth was watering thinking about eating that.

 

Sort of. The salt is there for a reason. Don't mess with the brine. If you want it sweeter, sprinkle a little brown sugar over it when it goes into the smoker. Done right, it will create a glaze on it. Add a little cayenne for a surprise kick.

 

Yes. Most pork rubs start with brown sugar. It's what creates the bark.

 

Been doing this for 40+ years.

Thin fish can get over salted in a hurry.

It's not being prepared for sale. Don't need to "preserve" the fish. It's about flavor. The smoker or grill will cook/dry thin fillets just fine.

If someone wants to cold smoke fish, and a very small percentage of us can do that, then yes, sugar or any other flavoring should be put on the fillets just before being cold smoked.

Otherwise, brine, dry and smoke to whatever doneness is preferred.

 

salt was perfect, just needs a touch sweeter.

 

i tried this with some small Arkansas trout. The biggest was maybe 1 lb. I have some 3-4lb trout we caught in Montana last summer that I am going to smoke once I get the flavor just right.

 

I think I am going to build an old school skid shack with a wood stove. I could put barrels under it for summer usage.