Earliest sucker run I can remember. Been catching them for a week now.

First Pic Brine Last Night, Second Pic Pulled from Brine 11 AM, Third Pic In Smoker Noon, Finished 5 PM pic is minus visitors grabbing a few.

yum!!!, they have not run here in years

Can you still get smelt in your neck of the woods Roy? I did get your way to beaver trap some last fall.

That looks great!! Made my mouth water.

Any chance you'd give up the brine recipe?

Loving the view from the smoker! Loving the view of the finished product more! Almost worth the miles on the truck to head your way for a barter.

Grandparents hit the sucker run hard canned it for sucker loaf netted them in the Ford River I believe.

Looks mighty good John. Too bad I don't live any closer. That may call for a visit.

I am getting ready to do some gallons of pickled fish in a few days. I just need to do some clean up in the shop thats needed after boning a bunch of beaver.

Hi Bob you would be more than welcome anytime, Id wait till after May as we will have the larger boat in the water.

Chagnon’s Smoke Fish Brine
½ Gallon Warm Water
Add
½ Cup Brown Sugar & ½ Cup Molasses
1 1/3 Cup Kosher Salt / Canning Salt will work
1 Tablespoon Fresh Garlic Minced
½ Cup Worcestershire Sauce
6 Heaping Tablespoons All Spice
Mix above to all dissolved.
Add ½ Gallon Cold Water
Mix Well
Add Fish
Refrigerate for 10 to 12 Hours
Remove the fish from brine 1 Hour Prior to placing in the smoker this will allow glazing
I like to smoke low heat 200 to 250 can be hours depending on size of fish. Some point during the cooking I like to see temperature 325 to 350 for an hour.
This is the same recipe my Granddad taught me as a kid in Port Austin, Michigan. At some point I think I have smoked about every type of fish in the Great Lakes. Pike and Lake Trout are my favorite. In fact the missing pieces of fish on smoker were pike we caught in the River last night.

John what is Gall Gold water???

Looks good.Growing up on the farm,,canned suckers was our "Tuna Fish".We hit the creeks with spears during the spring run.We pressure canned them,,then used just as you would Tuna.We also cooked them like you just did.Very good eating.

upstateny,

The canned suckers besides good tuna sandwiches make good fried fish patties mixed with crackers, onions and such. I bought a couple extra spears hoping to see if I can get grandkids to go with me.

Drain your canned suckers, bust the chunks up as small as you can. Add minced onions and pickles as well as a can of drained tuna and add Mayo to get a chunky consistency and eat on Ritz crackers. DELICIOUS!

What species of suckers do you all have up there?

We score ‘em and fry ‘em down here.
They aren’t much count if ya freeze them.

Mostly Red Hoarse and White Suckers. After the spring sucker run in the summer I dip baby suckers for pike and bass bait.

We have both redhorse and white suckers.

Trying to understand the filleting ?
Any special instructions to reduce the bones ?
Excellent flavored fish.

Looks great !!

Suckahs = Bait around here

In junior high we used to sell our smoked suckers to some of the teachers and staff at our school.

Only been 35 years but wow how times have changed.

Not filleted. Just cut the rib bones so they lay flat and smoke evenly.

We smoked suckers once. Flavor was really good, but those fine little bones are a real pain. Haven't done any suckers since.
Any ideas on what to do about the fine bones? Rib bones aren't a big deal, just the many fine bones are.