Whitefish, not bad at all

[MSA]

Casting the tailrace last night I caught a 4-5lb whitefish. I've heard they're really good smoked, so decided to keep it for a taste test. Bled it out right away, got it home and started to fillet. I assumed the meat would be dark and oily, like most popular smoking fish, salmon, mackerel, etc. Wasn't the case at all. The meat was clean and white with a slight puplish tint, just like fresh bled and cleaned walleye fillets.

Decided to hell with smoking, I'm eating this goodness right now. Kept the recipe simple since I wanted to taste the fish, not the breading. Pan, butter, salt, pepper, done. It stayed together better than walleye in the pan, but had nearly the exact same texture and flavor. Very good fish, with lots of meat for their size.



Only drawback was the Y bones are offset from the center strip of dark meat, so they have to be removed separately.

 

[Kurtr]

when i was a kid we took a vacation up to twin harbors by lake superior and ate at this little place that had white fish with some kind of white sauce that you put over fresh made toasted bread and to this day it is one of the best meals i have ever ate

 

[risingsun]

Sounds like SOS but with fish

 

[guywhofishes]

when i was a kid we took a vacation up to twin harbors by lake superior and ate at this little place that had white fish with some kind of white sauce that you put over fresh made toasted bread and to this day it is one of the best meals i have ever ate

damn it - now I'm obsessed with finding a recipe for that

 

[sweeney]

i wonder how many people will start keeping them out of the "state record hole" now that they know they are edible, we must have snagged 50 of them last weekend down there, figured the wally's were munching on the smaller ones, but most were 2-5lbs.

 

[westwolfone]

When I was a kid in Montana we would dip net them below dams in the spring (It was legal).

We smoked all of ours and they are very good smoked.

 

[Kurtr]

Sounds like SOS but with fish

It was but that sauce and the taste of the fish is something i have not been able to match it.

damn it - now I'm obsessed with finding a recipe for that

being 16 i didnt pay attention but damn i wish i did. I should ask my dad he might remember that place.

Also same time there was a road side stand selling smoked salmon and me and my brother about went to blows for the last of it. I am now hungry.

 

[Migrator Man]

i wonder how many people will start keeping them out of the "state record hole" now that they know they are edible, we must have snagged 50 of them last weekend down there, figured the wally's were munching on the smaller ones, but most were 2-5lbs.

Weren’t those Cisco’s and not whitefish?

 

[sweeney]

Mostly whitefish they have the jaw like a sucker Cisco have more of a creek chub type jaw.

- - - Updated - - -

 

[MSA]

Cisco have an under bite or an even bite, whitefish have a definite over bite.

 

[sweeney]

What he said^^^

 

[WLYHNTR]

I caught about a 10" cisco in that spot sweeney

 

[snow]

whitefish is a member of the salmon family very good fried or smoked,fyi folks frying v out the dark bloodline doing so enhances the flavor

 

[sweeney]

I caught about a 10" cisco in that spot sweeney

yea we snagged a few cisco too but mostly the bigger whitefish

 

[NodakBuckeye]

Cisco, a.k.a. tullibee? They are supposed to be good eats too I hear

 

[MSA]

Cisco, a.k.a. tullibee? They are supposed to be good eats too I hear

I cleaned one to smoke once, their meat is dark and oily, brownish color. Never did get around to smoking it.

I finished off that whitefish tonight, breaded n fried, pretty awesome. I'd say slightly better than walleye, but doesn't matter since I'm lucky to catch one a year.

 

[sweeney]

I cleaned one to smoke once, their meat is dark and oily, brownish color. Never did get around to smoking it.

I finished off that whitefish tonight, breaded n fried, pretty awesome. I'd say slightly better than walleye, but doesn't matter since I'm lucky to catch one a year.

head to the heart probably snag a bunch of them still, doubt anyone will care if you snag and keep one of those no one seems to care if you snag and keep walleyes anymore can't see anyone getting worked up over fish that a lot of people thought were silver carp lol. for what it is worth I did see at least 3 whitefish hooked in the mouth.

 

[DirtyMike]

Was the fishing that bad?

 

[MuskyManiac]

Fish gravy. After pan frying, remove some oil but leave all the brown and black bits from the frying process in the pan. Add flour to the mixture and make a roux (should have equal tablespoons of oil/flour). Now add milk until your desired consistency. Put over fish and say wow.

 

[snow]

Guy,the fish monger Kurt was referring too is the Russ Kendahl fish stand in two harbors. years ago I FISHED (steelhead) every stream from duluth to grand maria always stopped at Kendahls fish stand,even tho old Russ passed away many years ago his boyz still operate,got they're brine recipe from Russ which I still use today,my fav was still is brown surgar lake trout,more moist than salmon (oily) the key is smoke ,the area they live has nothing but maple tree's thats the wood Russ told us to use,still do today how ever for less smoke flavor they started using Pecan wood? so google Russ Kendahl GUY they post inside info for old school smoking.

best home smoker I gave away was my bradley (electric n digital) bought a pellet grill/smoker gets to hot even with the hood cracked gotta keep the temps low under 150 for my liking.