# STEELHEAD!



## timberjet (Jan 17, 2015)

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__ timberjet
__ Jan 17, 2015


















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__ timberjet
__ Jan 17, 2015


















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__ timberjet
__ Jan 17, 2015






Well, I had a pretty good morning. Hooked 5 and got these all the way in. Time for some brine.

My brine recipe is an old one some of you might recognize.

1 gallon water

2 cups salt

2 cups Brown sugar

4 tbsp. garlic powder

8 tbsp. onion powder

1/2 cup molasses

2 oz bottle Mapeline

Heat water and dissolve everything well. Chill brine to ice water cold. Cut filets into chunks skin on. Brine 12 to 24 hours, I like 24.

I will get to the rest of the process tomorrow or Monday after I dry and form the pellicle. I caught these 150 feet from my back door.


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## raastros2 (Jan 17, 2015)

everything looks good except that seahawks bucket.....


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## timberjet (Jan 17, 2015)

raastros2 said:


> everything looks good except that seahawks bucket.....


Hahahahaha.......













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__ timberjet
__ Jan 15, 2011






You mad Bro?


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## raastros2 (Jan 17, 2015)

haha nah but you will be tommorrow when Mr. Rodgers takes over the neighborhood!!!! bwhahaha


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## timberjet (Jan 17, 2015)




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## unclebubbas bbq (Jan 19, 2015)

Nice job on the steelies TJ. No problem with the bucket, cause where I come from this is Patriots Nation! See you guys in 2 weeks


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## timberjet (Jan 19, 2015)

UncleBubbas BBQ said:


> Nice job on the steelies TJ. No problem with the bucket, cause where I come from this is Patriots Nation! See you guys in 2 weeks


Yes, heck of a day of football huh?


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## red dog (Jan 19, 2015)

Love your crock there TJ! And the steelies too! So much for Mr. Rogers.


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## timberjet (Jan 19, 2015)

Red Dog said:


> Love your crock there TJ! And the steelies too! So much for Mr. Rogers.


I can't ever remember being that stressed, depressed, elated, deflated, thrilled......etc... In my life over a dang game. I feel like I was in a 30 car pile up and walked away without a scratch. Actually physically drained today like I was there playing. lol


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## red dog (Jan 19, 2015)

timberjet said:


> I can't ever remember being that stressed, depressed, elated, deflated, thrilled......etc... In my life over a dang game. I feel like I was in a 30 car pile up and walked away without a scratch. Actually physically drained today like I was there playing. lol


I know your pain. I had some cheese in the smoker and was ready to head out, grab a beer, and watch my cheese smoke. Very glad I decided to finish watching the game. They let the Beast loose!


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## timberjet (Jan 19, 2015)

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__ timberjet
__ Jan 19, 2015






getting some pellicle. Finally getting to this.


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## leah elisheva (Jan 20, 2015)

So beautiful!

I've been eating steelhead roe lately (come join our WINO group if you haven't yet and check out the "tease to tomorrow" thread which has some roe photos. Join the fun!

Meanwhile, YOUR fish looks incredible!

Cheers! - Leah


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## timberjet (Jan 20, 2015)

Leah Elisheva said:


> So beautiful!
> 
> I've been eating steelhead roe lately (come join our WINO group if you haven't yet and check out the "tease to tomorrow" thread which has some roe photos. Join the fun!
> 
> ...


Unfortunately Leah, the roe gets candied for more salmon, steelhead and sturgeon bait. Maybe next time i will have surplus. I will check it out though. My favorite thing in the world is perch roe.


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## gary s (Jan 20, 2015)

That looks great, wish I had some, not many trout here in Texas

Gary


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## timberjet (Jan 20, 2015)

We are just getting good runs of steelhead back these last few years. Washington state takes better care of it's wildlife than most of it's people. Glad to get lucky, twice in one weekend. hahaha..... Geez it took a long time to get good pellicle last night so I won't get to smoke them until tonight.


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## timberjet (Jan 20, 2015)

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__ Jan 20, 2015


















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__ Jan 20, 2015


















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__ timberjet
__ Jan 20, 2015






Well, I got it going on. Yes folks that is an electric blanket just in case I need it. Doing these babies with of course Apple wood. I might finish them with maple if I run out before they get to the right texture. Smoke on. Butt is going in the uds here in a minute but that is for another section of the forum.


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## tropics (Jan 20, 2015)

I'm jealous no Steelies or Salmon around here I may have to buy a Salmon one of these days.

Be waiting for it to come out from under its blanket. LOL


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## timberjet (Jan 20, 2015)

tropics said:


> I'm jealous no Steelies or Salmon around here I may have to buy a Salmon one of these days.
> 
> Be waiting for it to come out from under its blanket. LOL


It will be a while. I usually go 30 or more hours to get it right with the little chief. I may just finish them on the uds once the butt is done and I crank the temp down on it. Probably save some time but I have never cheated before. 'why start now. Too bad no steelhead or salmon over there. I have seen at least 20 fish and game guys today around here. hahaha.....


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## gary s (Jan 20, 2015)

Now that's a cool setup, and all that goodness

gary


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## timberjet (Jan 20, 2015)

gary s said:


> Now that's a cool setup, and all that goodness
> 
> gary


Thanks gary nothing I would rather be doing, well, except for fishing that is.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 20, 2015)

Nice catch and smoke! I still think that the Chief smokers are one of the best fish smokers around. Once the burner goes all you need is hot plate (getting harder to find now a days) and you're back in business!


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## timberjet (Jan 20, 2015)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> Nice catch and smoke! I still think that the Chief smokers are one of the best fish smokers around. Once the burner goes all you need is hot plate (getting harder to find now a days) and you're back in business!


Thanks case. I have replaced it once already. It seems to last longer since I built the outhouse for it. Sure works better in the wind that's for sure. I am on the lookout for a Big chief to go along with it.


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## gary s (Jan 20, 2015)

I use to fish all the time, not to much anymore. Do smoke a lot !

Gary


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 20, 2015)

timberjet said:


> Thanks case. I have replaced it once already. It seems to last longer since I built the outhouse for it. Sure works better in the wind that's for sure. I am on the lookout for a Big chief to go along with it.



I wish I'd never sold my Big Chief! They pop up pretty frequently here at garage sales. I bought two a few years ago but flipped them on Craigslist as I needed something else and I knew I could double my money quickly. Almost bought a new one a while back, but decided it was too small to live in!


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## timberjet (Jan 20, 2015)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> I wish I'd never sold my Big Chief! They pop up pretty frequently here at garage sales. I bought two a few years ago but flipped them on Craigslist as I needed something else and I knew I could double my money quickly. Almost bought a new one a while back, but decided it was too small to live in!


Hahahaha..... Yep I have had 2 in the past that were given to me and I re gifted them to other guys who didn't have anything. I am sure this spring I will find one at a yardsale around here. DaveOmak has the coolest one I have seen on here.


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## welshrarebit (Jan 20, 2015)

No salmon or trout here as well...

Looks good so far!


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## timberjet (Jan 20, 2015)

Welshrarebit said:


> No salmon or trout here as well...
> 
> Looks good so far!


I would take some of that Bluefin you guys get once in a while. No smoke needed. Or cooking for that matter.


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## woodcutter (Jan 20, 2015)

Fresh, smoked trout sounds so good.


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## timberjet (Jan 20, 2015)

Woodcutter said:


> Fresh, smoked trout sounds so good.


Tis the season here in the PNW. Big ones too. I am just waiting for the river to clear up a little bit more for hopefully a couple more limits. Unfortunately we don't get to keep the wild ones which are the hogs. These are hatchery fish. Been to the ocean though. Very fresh and hardly even smelled like trout.


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## timberjet (Jan 20, 2015)

Have to put new chips on one time an hour for any of you cheif smokers know..  a thirty plus hour smoke is what you have to do. Red wine, tequilla, schnapps, coffee. repeat. hahaha.....Beer for hydration. Ok I will go out and take a dang picture.


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## moikel (Jan 21, 2015)

Looks great fish & set up.
No salmon & trout near me either.i do catch a few fish in the river at the end of my street.













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__ moikel
__ Jan 21, 2015





Great fish battered & fried ugly but tasty.


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## welshrarebit (Jan 21, 2015)

Bluefins are rare here and any that do show up are instantly sent to Japan.

Yellowfins, bigeyes, albacores, bonitos and skipjacks are very common here. 

Here are some shibis I got in last week:








Shibi: adolescent bigeye or yellowfin tuna.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 21, 2015)

timberjet said:


> Have to put new chips on one time an hour for any of you cheif smokers know..  a thirty plus hour smoke is what you have to do. Red wine, tequilla, schnapps, coffee. repeat. hahaha.....Beer for hydration. Ok I will go out and take a dang picture.



As much as I like hydration, I'd mod that thing for a mailbox and a AMNPS or a AMNTS.


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## gary s (Jan 21, 2015)

You guys are making me jealous 

Gary


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 21, 2015)

Welshrarebit said:


> Bluefins are rare here and any that do show up are instantly sent to Japan.
> 
> Yellowfins, bigeyes, albacores, bonitos and skipjacks are very common here.
> 
> ...


I that where you got the bellies you were smoking??? Yummm!


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## twoalpha (Jan 21, 2015)

Nice trout. Looks like the skin is on in the smoker. When do you remove the skin? Pryor to packaging or just leave it on and deal with it when eating?

Larry


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## welshrarebit (Jan 21, 2015)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> I that where you got the bellies you were smoking??? Yummm!



Yup! They were delish...


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## timberjet (Jan 22, 2015)

I leave it on so the smaller pieces have less of a chance of falling through the grates. No I just deal with it when eating. Not a big deal. They are still in the smoker. I think they might be done within the hour. If not I am taking them to the oven. Out of chips. Great looking fish guys. I love sushi and miss it a lot. I think it's about 70 miles to the nearest sushi place from here. Case, You are so right. I need to think about doing that mailbox mod.


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## timberjet (Jan 22, 2015)

Moikel said:


> Looks great fish & set up.
> No salmon & trout near me either.i do catch a few fish in the river at the end of my street.
> 
> 
> ...


Oh I love me some cat fish. No matter what continent it comes from.


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## timberjet (Jan 22, 2015)

Welshrarebit said:


> Bluefins are rare here and any that do show up are instantly sent to Japan.
> 
> Yellowfins, bigeyes, albacores, bonitos and skipjacks are very common here.
> 
> ...


I lived on Kauai for a couple of years. Loved the fish there. Fresh as you get.


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## moikel (Jan 22, 2015)

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__ moikel
__ Jan 22, 2015





That's from the first floor deck,straight down the hill to the river.its about 2k to the river mouth & the ocean.
Flathead are saltwater,very tasty white fillet. Not hard to catch when they are on.Every Aussie has eaten them.
Those tuna look great,I love yellowfin .Bluefin all go to Japan. 
I used to be a trout fisherman but we just don't have the salmon you guys are blessed with.


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## gary s (Jan 22, 2015)

Wow !    nice 

Gary


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## cmayna (Jan 22, 2015)

Timberjet,

A nice 1000 watt  adjustable proctor silex fifth burner conversion into your chief is pretty easy to do.   I did it to both of my Big Chief.  Something to consider during a down time.


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## timberjet (Jan 22, 2015)

cmayna said:


> Timberjet,
> 
> A nice 1000 watt  adjustable proctor silex fifth burner conversion into your chief is pretty easy to do.   I did it to both of my Big Chief.  Something to consider during a down time.


I am looking for a big chief for that. I truly am. Hahaha..... I like to cold smoke too though. But I usually use this and it works fine.













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__ timberjet
__ Jan 17, 2015


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