Bonneville WF - finally got 'em!

[BearLakeFishGuy]

Thanks  for the report Scott, I've really been wondering how you did... sounds like you did well again... congrats... I do like smoked fish, but now I'm not in the office everyday I don't get it all used up as fast... (My co-workers used to help me get a batch taken care of pretty quick)  Do you have a way to preserve it if you need it to last for awhile?  Does it still taste good if you freeze some smoked fish and use it later?  Wish my wife would eat fish, but she won't even try it... I did get my daughter to try perch the other night and she didn't mind it... I think that's the first time she tried fish with an open mind, so hopefully I'll have someone else who enjoys it... I really like fish, but since I've been the only one in the family I don't get to eat it very often so I usually just catch and release...

How do you prepare your whitefish to smoke?  Do you use the brown sugar and salt type brine? I started using Pat's cat spice recipe dry rub on most things lately so I don't have to go through the brine mess and I've really liked that, but I miss the brown sugar flavor on whitefish and trout... Does a dry rub of brown sugar and salt work so you don't have to soak them? I need to broaden my smoking ability so looking for some good ideas... Thanks Jeff

I wrap 4 smoked fillets in foil and then refrigerate.  It will last up to a month, but it is usually eaten by then.  20 fillets don't last long even with 2-3 of us munching on them.  I have tried everything in smoking fish.  The brine is the only way, in my opinion.  I don't think it is much work.  In fact, I think it is easier than applying dry rubs.....and definitely less messy.  My brine has been perfected over the years by myself since I don't like  the fish so salty.  I also smoke at 170-190F on a Smoke Vault smoker.  I find they work better than electrics, especially in cold weather.  

My recipe is:
2 quarts of water
3/4 cup kosher salt
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons each of black pepper, onion powder

I soak fillets for 24-36 hours.  Then I dump fish into a colander and rinse with water.   Spray racks with Pam, put fillets on racks, not touching.  If you really like brown sugar, then sprinkle brown sugar on wet fillets.  I do NOT wait for a pellicle to form on fillets.  I just smoke 'em.  I don't like leather fish, so I watch them carefully after the first 2 hours.  Typically takes me about 3-4 hours to get them to the "done-ness" that like I like them.  I use a 5 gallon bucket, affectionately known as my "Brine Bucket".  If you use a bowl, I just don't feel there is enough room in the bowl to have the fish exposed to the brine.  I stir fish a few times while they are brining.  No mess, pretty dang simple.