This map shows the more popular spots for Utah anglers to target Bonneville whitefish in the fall. Some veterans have their own private little spots

Transcription

1 1 By TubeDude There are three species of whitefish in Utah. Most common are mountain whitefish, found in higher altitude streams with cold clean water. The Bonneville and Bear Lake whitefish are found only in Bear Lake straddling the Utah and Idaho border. Mountain whitefish are found in the mountain streams of several western states. They usually share their habitat with one or more species of trout and they live on the same food items mostly invertebrates but occasionally fish eggs and fry. These fish are often caught by anglers fishing for trout. They hit flies and small lures well and jigs too. Mountain whitefish have small mouths and feed mainly on small insects aquatic or terrestrial. They are well known for hitting flies but will also hit small jigs that resemble something buggy. Tiny Bear Lake whitefish seldom exceed 10 in length and are generally not a target for anglers. These smaller whitefish show up to feed on the eggs of ciscoes and the larger Bonneville whitefish so it is often caught while fishing for those species. It is a forage species for both cutthroats and macks (lake trout) but is illegal to use for bait. Bear Lake whitefish are found only in Utah s Bear Lake. They are too small to be popular with anglers but are often caught while jigging for ciscos. They swarm the cisco spawning areas and eat their eggs just before spawning themselves This picture shows how much larger a Bonneville whitefish s mouth is, when compared to its stream dwelling cousin, the mountain whitefish. Bonnevilles also live mostly on small invertebrates until reaching about 13. After that they are almost exclusively piscivorous. Since they eat larger prey they also hit larger lures.

2 2 The substantially larger Bonneville whitefish spawn in the late fall typically beginning just after Thanksgiving and running through much of December, depending on water levels and weather. They leave the deeper waters where they spend most of the year and swarm into rocky shallows around the Lake. They form schools and move in and out along shorelines that have the rocky rubble and gravel they prefer for spawning. Bank tanglers and waders find whitefish available only during the annual spawn. However, boaters and those in pontoons, float tubes or kayaks can cover a lot more water and a greater variety of depths and bottom conditions. There are plenty of suitable rubble bottom areas around the lake depending on water levels. But there are relatively few spots where shore bound or wading anglers can safely and effectively cast for whitefish. Some hardy souls prefer to wade and cast for their whitefish in the cold waters of Bear Lake. Having a good pair of insulated waders helps a lot along with enough layers of socks and thermal undies. This is one of the regulars who lives in Salt Lake but has a cabin at Bear Lake and has a couple of fave spots along the rocky east side of the lake. This is that same angler with the fruits of a morning s fishing a limit of 10 nice whitefish. He also caught and released a couple of cutts, a big rainbow and even a hefty mack all on the same small Roadrunner type jigs tipped with nightcrawler.

3 This map shows the more popular spots for Utah anglers to target Bonneville whitefish in the fall. Some veterans have their own private little spots they have searched out over the years. 3

4 4 The easiest access to Bonneville whitefish, for most folks especially those limited to casting from shore is off the rocks outside the state park marina in Garden City. Like most rocky shoreline areas, the quality of the fishing in any given year can be greatly affected by water levels and weather. But there have been a lot of whitefish caught within a few feet of these rocks both by bank tanglers and boaters. This nice female whitefish was taken just off the rocks of the State Park marina by casting into the rocks from a boat. This area can be fished from the rocks, by rock hoppers but is also popular with boating anglers who want to stay close in case of bad weather. Note the gloves and cold weather gear. It gets cold on Bear Lake during whitefish time. North of the marina are several manmade rocky reefs. Although they are fairly new, they attract more and more fish every year. They have proven to be a good spot for winter jigging for ciscos and for the Bonneville whitefish that show up for their eggs. This is a map showing the location of the man-made rocky reefs just north of the State Park marina. There are more and more fish showing up on these rock piles every year. But fishing for whitefish is better after the spawn because they are in water deeper than the fish use for spawning. The rock pile is a natural rock accumulation in deep water a mile or so offshore from Ideal Beach. It is easily reached from the State Park Marina if you have the GPS numbers or if you can see other boats working it. It also attracts whitefish during their fall spawn but they are more difficult to catch with finesse tactics in that deep water. But it can be good at other times of the year open water or ice fishing. Bear Lake only ices up once every few years and the rock pile is good for all species especially jigging for cisco. Bonneville whitefish show up for cisco omelets. Technically, the ciscoes are a type of whitefish too, but are different morphologically. So they are identified as a cisco.

5 5 When Bear Lake freezes enough for safe ice fishing, some anglers target the whitefish through the ice. They usually do best with small spoons or jigs tipped with worm or other ice fishing baits. A short distance south of the rock pile you will see Gus Rich Point. There is a well-developed marina here but useable only during high water years. There are also the remnants of an older marina destroyed by ice and winds several years ago. When water levels are right there can be excellent whitefish action along a fairly long section of this rubble shoreline. Although it is possible to access this area for casting or wading, the best fishing is usually from afloat. Lots of snags. This nice female whitefish was taken off Gus Rich Point. Note the beginnings of the rock dike of the marina in the upper right corner. Note also the rocky rubble along the shoreline and the partially submerged brush. This area can be good when water levels are right but tough to fish at other times. There are numerous access points along the eastern side of the lake that attract lots of anglers and produce lots of whitefish. You will find boat launch facilities at First Point, Cisco Beach and Rainbow Cove. However, more than a few whitefish fans launch at the State Park marina on the west side and make the run across the lake. That may actually be faster access than driving if your boat is fast and water-worthy. But even with a big motor, a wide beam and lots of freeboard you don t want to get caught on the wrong side of the lake during a westerly zephyr. As most seasoned Bear Lakers discover, that beautiful blue water can get very bumpy very fast. The east side of the lake has a faster dropoff into deeper water. It is also characterized by long stretches of rocky shoreline with the rocky cobble extending out into the lake. This makes it attractive for the whitefish and other species that spawn over rocks. It also makes for some decent shore casting or wading during years when the water levels are right and the weather is decent. Just don t tempt fate by trying to walk over icecovered rocks after a frigid arctic blast. Smoked whitefish ain t worth the risk.

6 6 This is the launch ramp and courtesy dock at First Point. It is a popular launch spot for whitefish fans who launch there and fish the best spots between it and Cisco Beach to the north. Boating whitefish chasers can launch at one of the ramps on the east side of the lake. Depending on water levels and weather conditions you can usually launch at First Point, Cisco Beach or Rainbow Cove. Once on the water you can move up and down several miles of shoreline fishing the better rocky bottom spots wherever you find fish. You can usually tell what the bottom offshore looks like by what s on shore. If you see rocks inshore there will usually be the same kind of bottom conformation for a ways out into deeper water. That is the type of bottom favored by the whitefish during the spawn. However, by watching the bottom conditions on sonar and looking for fish you can sometimes find isolated patches of fish-holding rocks where none are visible onshore. Here is a boat working along the rocky shoreline near Second Point. The best way to prospect for whitefish is to move slowly along in water about 10 feet deep and send casts from shallower to deeper water until you find the depth dujour. Cisco Beach is a popular place to launch for anglers fishing for all species on the east side. When the whitefish are in there can be quite a few boats fishing in close proximity. And they usually do well because there are good rocky bottom conditions and the whitefish show up in numbers.

7 7 Bonneville whitefish are piscivorous. They feed on their own young and the fry of other whitefish, ciscoes, carp, suckers and sculpins as well as invertebrates like small crawdads. They like meat. That means they will hit larger offerings than the smaller mouthed mountain whitefish. And adding some sweetener to your lure like a piece of worm will usually result in more action. Marabou jigs have long been favored by some whitefish anglers. They are inexpensive, easy to fish and effective. As with most lures used for whitefish, they produce better when sweetened with a little piece of nightcrawler. These represent the best colors: white, black, brown and green. Because the larger Bonneville whitefish regularly dine on silvery colored fry of ciscoes and other whitefish, marabou jigs in white with some silvery flash added are often well received by them. Whitefish spawn over rocks. If you fish for them in the right places you will get snags. However, if you use jigs crafted on wobble heads you will get fewer snags. These jigs tend to slide up and over the rocks better than ones with round or angular heads.

8 8 Small plastic tube jigs in 1.5 or 2 are the preferred offerings of many whitefish fans. They will hit larger ones but you will catch more with the smaller stuff in the aforementioned colors. Some whitefish chasers have found their own favorite color combinations in plastics. Some of these tri-colored tubes work well. Twister-tail plastics often work well for whitefish too. Use them in 2 to 3 size, on 1/16 or 1/8 oz. heads. Most of these colors will produce at times but basic black, white, pearl and silver are almost always best. Bonneville whitefish have larger mouths than other species. This one slurped up a gold Roadrunner jig with orange spots. They also hit blacks, whites and other colors. The key is to fish jigs slowly, right above the bottom, and tip them with a piece of worm.

9 9 When whities are thick in the spawning areas they will hit a wide range of lures in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. Veteran whitefish seekers throw everything from marabou jigs to small tubes to small twisters. Best colors are white, black, and crawdad colors. Whities also hit shiny lures in silver or gold including spinners, spoons or Roadrunner style jigs with little spinner blades. These are a few of the better colors of my Whitie Runners. They are specially crafted jigs with a durable painted body and a small spinner blade. They are made on 1/8 oz. heads on size 4 hooks. This combination seems just right for fishing slow in shallow water, without snagging too often. The spinner blades add flash and vibration which help to wake up and attract the fishies. They work on many species but the Bonneville whitefish love them. TACKLE AND TECHNIQUES Bonneville whitefish get much larger than mountain whitefish and are giants compared to their little Bear Lake whitefish cousins. But they don t grow huge. You don t need heavy tackle to subdue them. The upper limit seems to be about 4.5 to 5#. The average spawning female will be 2 to 3 pounds with a big one going 4. Males are smaller and thinner. But they all fight well and are great eating fried, baked or smoked. This is a representational catch for two anglers in one boat, fishing for about 3 hours in the morning when the whitefish are most active. There are 10 whitefish per angler plus one fin-clipped cutt. And there is a mix of large female whitefish and a few smaller males. On good days, when they are on the chew, it is easy to cull a limit of nothing but big females.

10 10 Although whitefish are closely related to trout, they hit differently and fight differently. Trout will often hammer your lure and may even hook themselves. Whitefish usually just peck at it. When they do take it you may only notice a bit of resistance on the rod a rubber band feel. They rarely chomp down with enough force to register as a solid hit. That means you should use a sensitive rod and no-stretch line that will help transmit everything that is going on at the business end of your tackle. And you need to set the hook with a quick wrist snap. If you wait for the fish to hook themselves you will likely not have enough for a whitefish and eggs breakfast. Veteran whitie chasers generally use high quality spinning rods of 6, 6 ½ or 7 light or medium light action. Most prefer a fast tip for pitching light lures and registering light bites. It is also good to have a rod with a more stiffness in the lower end to help deal with the occasional large cutt, mack, sucker or carp that intercepts the lures you are working for whitefish. Some fish can t read the directions. When the whitefish come in to spawn a lot of the deep water rowdies follow. Some are there to eat the eggs. Others are there to eat the small whitefish or other small fish that are there for the buffet. This nice cutt smacked the same small lure the angler was casting for whities off Second Point area. When putting together a spinning outfit for whitefish, you should choose a small light reel with ultra smooth action. If you are trying to concentrate on strike detection you don t need to be fighting a big clunky reel with erratic performance. And, while most whitefish will not be stripping a lot of line off the drag, you should still have a good drag to handle anything larger that might want to play with you on any given day. Line selection is equally important. Whitefish fans generally spool with good quality mono or fluoro 6 to 8 pound. But increasingly more are opting for braids and fusion lines for their smaller line diameter, greater casting distance, increased sensitivity and lower tendency for memory kinks and spooling off the reel. When casting for lightbiting fish you want your line to stay straight and to form a sensitive connection between you and your lures. A short leader of mono or fluoro can be added to reduce visibility. Some flyrod fans have discovered that you can catch Bonneville whitefish with flies and streamers. However, since whities seldom come up very far off the bottom you need to use a medium sinking line or a good sink tip and keep your offerings down in the zone. You will usually be fishing less than 12 feet deep so you should never need a super-fast sinking line. Small streamers or buggers in white, black or green will all work. And patterns with lots of metallic flash in gold or silver will also enhance your results. Again, Bonneville whitefish are piscivorous and susceptible to small fishy imitations.

11 Once you are tackled up with the right rod, reel, line and lures you need to find the fish. It helps to go with an experienced whitie whacker a couple of times to get the feel for what you should be looking for, in terms of bottom structure, etc. After you choose a suitable area you need to determine what depth the fish are holding or cruising and if they are active or not. Good sonar is a big help in locating fish. But in some areas of shallower water you can actually see the fish swimming around below you in the clear waters of Bear Lake. Having good polarized glasses and knowing what to look for will help. But some folks still have trouble seeing them since their back coloration is about the same as the rocks beneath them. Hint: look for moving shadows. Whitefish generally spawn and are most active in water less than 15 feet deep. Sometimes you can catch them by pitching into water only 3 to 5 feet deep. As a general rule you can start fan casting around an area beginning in about 10 feet and then working shallower or deeper until you find the active fish. As with most species, finding whitefish is no guarantee that they will bite. If you have a good assortment of lures in various sizes, shapes and colors and some sweetener (worms) you can usually work out a pattern. When casting from shore/rocks or wading you will prospect by fan casting all around the spot you start. Start with casts slightly outward but semi parallel with the shore on one side. Then cast successively further out until you have made casts all the way around to the other side of where you are set up. Once you locate the fish keep casting to the same area and/or the same depth until the fish stop biting and/or move. If you don t get any love, pack up and move down a few yards and repeat the process. Most whitefish fishing is done with small jigs or other lures. The key to getting results is to keep your offerings near the bottom without snagging. That requires a good working knowledge and proper feel of your rod, reel and line combination. It also requires the ability to keep your lures working at the right speed and depth without getting a piece of the rock. Unfortunately, whitefish do not hang out in lure-friendly places. If you don t hang up once in a while you are probably not fishing in the right place the right way. The time-proven routine is to make a cast long enough to get some distance but not so long that you lose contact with your lures. You need to stay in touch at all times from the time your lure first touches down on the bottom to when you crank it back in the last few feet to make another cast. A good practice is to stop the cast with your finger or by turning the reel handle to close the bail. That makes the lure pull the line tight and keep it tight during the sink. Start retrieving slowly as soon as it reaches the bottom. Keep slack out of the line and watch both the line and rod tip for any change in the force. Keep your wrist cocked during the retrieve and set the hook whenever there is any interruption in the feel of things. You will whiff a lot but you will also hook fish that you might otherwise never know were there. Always remember: hook sets are free. When fishing afloat you should always include some vertical jigging. Fish often swim directly beneath you. Others will follow your lure all the way in on the retrieve. So if you stop reeling and drop your lure straight down and wiggle-jig it a few times you will often get bit directly below. And sometimes those are the hardest bites you get. Fishing vertically is a good way to set up whitefish newbies or kids with limited casting ability. Experienced whitefish fans know quickly when they have hooked a whitefish, rather than some other species. There are no blistering runs or high cavorting leaps. But if you look at your bent rod tip you will notice a fast vibrating motion as the freshly hooked whitie beats its tail frantically to try to escape. They fight well and are well worth keeping. 11

12 12 Whitefish are closely related to trout and have a similar bony structure. They also have similar flesh and are good eating. Many troutaholics look at the whitefish s large scales and automatically lump them in with chubs and suckers branding them as trash fish. Nothing could be further from the truth. They are excellent when prepared like trout and are heavenly when brined and smoked. WHITEFISH PREP AND COOKING: More and more anglers are taking Bonneville whitefish home to eat, but many are not familiar with cleaning and preparing them. As close relatives of trout, whitefish have a similar bony structure with a row of small flesh bones that runs along the spinal column. To completely fillet a trout or whitefish you should locate and remove this strip of bones. The skin of Bonneville whitefish is quite different than any trout. Whities have large scales that make eating the skin unappetizing. Most whitie regulars either skin the fillets for frying or leave the skin on for smoking scales and all. The first step in preparing freshly caught whitefish is the filleting process. They do not have a tough bony structure so you can remove the fillets from the sides of the fish with any good sturdy fillet knife. However, an electric fillet knife can make the process faster, easier and more efficient producing fillets with more fish flesh and cleaner cuts. Filleting a whitefish is essentially the same as filleting almost any other fish. First make a cut behind the head down to the backbone. Then rotate the blade and cut toward the tail keeping it horizontal and parallel to the cutting board. This cuts through the rib bones and leaves them in the slabbed fillet. It is the most efficient method to recover the most fish flesh from the skeleton. A whitefish fillet, with the skin left on and rib bones intact. Use a small sharp knife to slice down under the rib bones at an angle. This helps save as much flesh as possible. Then cut through and remove excess skin. Fillet with ribs removed and skin left intact.

13 13 If you are skillful with your knife especially electric you can angle the blade slightly downward on the first half of the fish to make it ride up over the rib cage. Then bring it up flat again once you have passed the ribs. This produces a fillet with no rib bones. But it also results in slightly less flesh on the fillet and more left on the skeleton. Each angler makes their own decisions on how they plan to use the fillets for frying or smoking. As a general rule, whitefish are better when fried without the skin even if scaled. The skin adds a slight stronger flavor to the fried flesh that is a bit unappealing for some tastes. Whether or not to remove the skin for smoking is a personal matter. But, because these fish have a delicate (soft) flesh the fillets hold together better when smoked with the skin left intact. Place the fillets skin side down on the smoker racks. Then, when the smoking is done you can easily peel the flesh away from the skin. Again, as with filleting most other species, if you wish to skin your fillets you can do so as the last step in the process by flipping over the slab before cutting through the skin at the tail and then working the blade between the skin and the flesh to separate them. If you plan to remove the line of flesh bones from your skinned fillet it s best to do that before skinning. It saves having to cut under the strip as shown in the photos to follow. As members of the same fishy family as trout, whitefish have a similar skeletal structure. This includes a line of little flesh bones that runs parallel with the spine for about 2/3 of the length of the fillet. You can easily feel the tips of these bones by running your finger along the flesh of the new fillet. And if you arch the fillet outward, the bones protrude out a bit and are more visible. To remove the line of flesh bones before cooking or smoking, begin by locating them in the fillet. Run the tip of a finger just above the lateral line and you will feel the tips of the bones A more visual way to find the bones is to arch the fillet to make the tips of the bones poke outward. The fillet in this picture is from a medium sized whitefish and the bones are large enough to be seen and felt before and after cooking or smoking. Bigger fish have even bigger bones.

14 14 This is where you have an option. Should you remove the bones before cooking or smoking or should you cook the fish with the bones intact and pick them out afterward? It does require a bit of extra effort and some skill with a small sharp knife to remove the bones. But if you would rather be able to enjoy the finished product without picking and spitting it may be worth it to you. A lot of folks aren t into the fun of finding the lucky BB in a pheasant or duck. It s the same with bones in their fish. If you will be sharing with friends and family, especially with small children, removing the bones before cooking or smoking definitely improves the esthetics and adds peace of mind. I have heard others claim that deep frying or long smoking processes soften these flesh bones and make them edible without annoyance or danger. Deep frying to the point of crispy WILL make the bones crunchy. But normal pan frying will not. Ditto for baking or other moist heat cooking. If you pickle them the vinegar will dissolve the bones. And pressure cooking as in canning will also soften the bones. But I have not yet been able to render those pesky flesh bones edible in the smoker whether smoking hot and fast or cooler and slower. So I prefer to cut em out. Once you have located the line of flesh bones, make parallel cuts on either side of the bones clear down to the skin. The strip to be removed should not be very wide so there is no great waste of fish flesh. It helps to have a sharp knife, a good eye and a bit of skill. After making the cuts to separate the flesh bones, run the tip of the knife under the strip to loosen it from the skin. Then pull it up and out cutting it free at the end. Note the easily visible bones within the detached strip.

15 15 To skin a fillet that has been cut off before skinning, use a fork to hold the tail down on the cutting board and then run the knife blade horizontally between the skin and the flesh. Skinless, boneless fillets from a smaller whitefish. Perfect for frying, baking or broiling. Larger ones are better candidates for the smoker. You can cook whitefish just about any way you would prepare any other fish. However, whatever recipe you choose should be reflective of the delicate (soft) nature of their pale white flesh. They are much better when cooked fresh. They get even softer after freezing. Their flavor is not improved by the freezing process either. Many whitefish fans prefer to fry their catch within 24 hours of removing them from the lake. But they can also be oven-broiled or grilled. However, if you put them on a grill you will probably have better luck holding the fillets together if you leave the skin on or use a wire fish-cooking basket. For frying they are better without the skin. Some whitie-fry fans prefer coating the fillets in bread crumbs (Panko). Others go for a simple seasoned flour coating before they release in the grease. Still others use more exotic batters including pancake/beer batter. It s all good. Many Bear Lake regulars have a tradition of an annual celebratory whitefish and eggs breakfast. Skinless whitefish fillets, coated in seasoned flour and frying in a mix of butter, olive oil and fresh chopped garlic. The delicate flesh firms up nicely when cooked. Fried fillets are excellent when served with a couple of fried eggs a traditional meal each year for dedicated whitefish chasers. Don t forget the toast, scones or hush puppies.

16 16 STEP BY STEP WHITEFISH SMOKING: Now let s talk about smoking. Smoked whitefish is a legendary delicacy all over the country. In the Midwest it is a big thing using the large whitefish from that area s deep cold lakes. And in the west there are a whole lot of anglers who don t bother with whitefish during warmer months but who eagerly gather goodly numbers for the smoker in the winter. Those are usually mountain whitefish. As with all other methods of cooking anything there are as many different right ways to smoke fish as there are people who smoke them. Smoking whitefish is really a subjective thing subject to personal tastes, past experience and a sum total of all the good and bad advice one receives from others. Since trout and whitefish are so similar in sizes, shapes and flesh characteristics you can smoke whitefish however you like to smoke trout. If you have never smoked anything yet, you can look up a recipe for trout and apply it to whitefish. The fish will not complain. There are countless recipes for various brines and seasonings. Some are very good. Some are so-so. And some leave your smoked fish resembling salty cardboard. As a general guideline, consider what you expect of the final product. Will you be destroying the evidence quickly or the smoky stuff intended to last for a long time in the refrigerator or freezer? The sooner you plan to consume it the less salt you have to use as a preservative. For short lifespan goodies you need only add enough salt to help create the traditional smokehouse flavors and not enough to brine or pickle the consumers. Most brining and smoking recipes also include spices some for flavor and others for heat. Again, consider the potential ultimate destination of your end product. If you will be eating most of it yourself, season it according to your own personal preferences. But if you like it hot and your circle of family and friends are mostly wimps you need to make a small separate batch for yourself and mark it so that you don t incinerate any women or children or wussy fishing buddies. There are also differences of opinion on brining or not brining. Some smokeologists wouldn t think of putting anything in the smoker until it had marinated for a couple of days in some exotic brew. Others just pop fresh fillets in the smoker and then salt and season them either during the process or just after they are finished smoking. For smoking trout and whitefish I use a hybrid process. I put the fillets on the wire racks for the smoker, treat them with salt, sugar and spices, let them sit at room temperature for an hour or two to develop a glaze then smoke them low and slow. I like them with just enough salt, sugar and spice to develop a good smoked fish flavor. But I don t like over-salted, over-seasoned, over-smoked cardboard. I like poor man s lox. I recently acquired a fancy thermostat-controlled electric smoker. But until then I have done very well (and continue to do well) with a simple Little Chief smoker. It is more temperamental subject to variables with wind and cold temps but I have turned out lotsa great smoky goodies with it. You just have to watch it and rotate the racks to insure that the entire batch comes out evenly delicious. Definitely more of a hands-on approach. Having a thermostat control allows you to produce a consistent product within a narrower range of times. That is better for someone who is not familiar with all of the fudge factors and subtleties of smoking. But the main issues affecting the bottom line are always thickness of fish plus average temperature inside smoker multiplied by time in the smoker equals smoked fish. There can be a lot of variation in the time/temperature thing between a simple smoker and the higher quality thermostat controlled models.

17 17 Another consideration is the type of wood you use for smoking. Hickory is the traditional flavor for a lot of smoker fans. But a bunch of others like to use cherry, apple and other fruit woods. Alder is a Utah favorite. Don t use pine. Too resinous and nasty. Oak is okay. Ditto for mesquite but a bit strong for fish or fowl. Better for beef or pork. Try em all and stick with what you like best. Three smoker racks of whitefish fillets skin on skin side down. Note the 4 bowls with the brining and seasoning elements sea salt, white sugar, brown sugar and spices. Skinless, boneless whitefish fillets, arranged skin-side down on wire racks pre-sprayed with non-stick oil. The grooves down the middle of the fillets are where the line of flesh bones were removed before smoking. These fillets have been successively sprinkled with sea salt, white sugar and brown sugar. Unless you plan to store the smoked fish for long periods in the freezer or refrigerator you don t need to salt them too heavily. The salt and sugar serve to draw out moisture and to help preserve the fish longer.

18 18 After the salted and sugared fillets have rested at room temperature for about an hour, the moisture drawn out of the fish melts the sugar and forms a glaze. Note the drippings beside the glazed fish. Now it is ready for the seasoning. Seasoning applied to the glazed fish is more likely to stay on the flesh throughout the smoking process. If spice is added sooner, much of it will run off with the moisture drawn out of the fish by the salt and sugar. You can use any of your favorite seasonings. This super spice mix includes black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, cumin and oregano 3 parts black pepper and 1 part for each of the other spices. If you try it, be gentle at first. It packs a punch. These fillets were smoked for about six hours at about 160 to 170 degrees. That is a relatively low heat. With a thermostat controlled smoker you can get a good product in only 2 or 3 hours by smoking them at 225. You will make your own decisions about how dry or moist you want the final product and can adjust time and temperature accordingly.

19 19 Whitefish have a mild flesh that is similar in taste and texture to their relatives, the trout. Their bony structure is troutlike too. Not a lot of anglers pursue them for their table qualities but they are popular with those who like smoked fish. It is best to smoke them with the skin left on to help keep the delicate flesh intact. The skin is easily peeled off after smoking. You can peel and eat your smoked whitefish fresh out of the smoker. But layering it between paper towels and refrigerating it overnight helps firm it up even better and draws out excess moisture and oils. FINAL NOTE: Smoking is an art. It is definitely an inexact process. Sure, you can carefully measure all of the ingredients for your favorite brine and you can use a timer to ensure the precise amount of time the fish is smoking. But because there are so many variables in thickness and consistency of the fish flesh, the ambient temperature around the smoker, cooling breezes, type of wood used and how it burns, etc., there can be minor to major differences in every batch of smoked fish. That s why it becomes important to learn and know the potential differences in the outcomes by adding a little of this or that or letting the fish remain in the smoker more or less time. As they say about other things in life all smoked fish is good. Some is better than others. It takes some serious effort to ruin smoked fish but you can if you try hard enough. FINAL FINAL NOTE: As has been mentioned, the whitefish spawning run begins around the first of December each year. It is typically cold with potential for wind and snow. If you are planning a trip, be sure to double check the weather and the road conditions between Logan and Bear Lake. That is not a good drive when there is snow and ice on the road or anytime really especially while towing a boat trailer. Be sure your vehicle has good snow tires and that your antifreeze level is good for really cold temps. There is an area near the top that is known for super low temperatures. Most veteran whitie chasers dress in their ice fishing gear. It is not uncommon for early morning temperatures to be in the teens not warming much above freezing for the day just like ice fishing. There are heated restrooms at the State Park marina, with benches for changing clothes. That is a good place to layer up before heading out.