# smoking bluegills,large mouth bass



## smokerjim

goodmorning, I am wondering if anyone has smoked freshwater pan fish,I have never smoked any fish,I always see smoked salmon,trout etc.I know they say you should use a oily fish.just wondering if pan fish or largemouth bass would be alright to use since i have a pond full of them and i wouldn't have to buy any. thanks  jim


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## redneck69

filet them out and treat them like salmon or trout


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## stank56

I did using some season salt and smoked them with apple and hickory, very tasty.


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## smokerjim

thanks,I'll have to go put a couple holes in the ice and catch some on a nicer day and try them out! any suggestions on brining and smoking or are the recipes basically the same.


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## shoneyboy

I usually smoke freshwater fish (Bass, Sac-au-lait, Bream, Catfish) not that I don’t like saltwater fish, it’s just that I haven’t had the opportunity to try them yet….To start, everyone has their own taste, but what I like to do is use fish filets, I have been wanting to do whole skin on, scaled (not catfish),like you see trout done up north, but just haven’t had the chance yet to do that either. Keeping them cool in a bowl, I season them with Tony’s seasonings…. Again it personal taste on how much Tony’s you use, I like mine a little spicy and the wife doesn’t so we have to take it a little easy on hers. I will dust them garlic and onion powder, then mix them well so the mixture is all over them. I usually like to have the smoker hot before putting the fish in, around 200 degrees…..I like to smoked fish with pecan , again really haven’t ventured out…why change something that works… I have an expanded metal grill in my smoker that 2’ x 2’. So once it hot, I will spray it with some type of cooking spray to keep them from sticking, then just lay them on the grill….I probably over cook them a bit, but I like the edges of my fish crispy and the fish to be firm….during the cooking process, I like to drizzle a little melted butter over each filet to keep them moist….I probably do that 2 maybe 3 times depending on much I have in the bowl. I really don’t do much more than that….I don’t flip them or really move them around too much because I don’t want them to fall apart. It really doesn’t take long depending on the thickness of the fish maybe 30 minutes….I always have one that “falls on the ground” that I use to judge by and its usually the guideline to doneness for the rest of them …. The hardest part of smoking fish is to know how much to fix….The last time I smoked fish, I smoked 10lbs of catfish and I kid you not, my 17 and 14 year olds ate most of it….they love smoked fish…..Lately I have been in school and haven’t had the time to fish like I would like to, so I have been forced into buying Guidry’s catfish filets…the filet weigh really close to 1lb and I can judge what to fix by that…..with my crew it two per person and depending on the weekend and what’s going on, I have seen them get up the next morning and eat it cold for breakfast and say it better today !!!!! One piece of advice is smoked fish is not going to stretch as far as fried fish....I can fry 2 lbs and they are done with fish left over...I can smoke 10 lbs and they look at me like a hungry dog asking for more......Hope this helps ShoneyBoy……


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## stank56

A salt brine for a few hours is also good. It doesn't take long for the gills because they are so lean.


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## smokerjim

thanks again to all, think i will do a bunch when i do them"hopefully next week" maybe i'll do 1/2 seasoned and 1/2 with salt brine see what we like the best,shoneyboy what's tony's seasoning, is it a regional thing?


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## stank56

The smoked catfish with Tony C's sounds good, I'll have to try it.


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## leah elisheva

As a woman who smokes everything "ocean" from octopus to smelt, whiting, (as in today's post), or whole sardines too; (that's right, I eat bait and I love it, smiles), I am excited about your upcoming smoke!

Do keep us posted, as it sounds tremendous!!!!!!!!

Cheers!!!!!!! - Leah


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## smokerjim

thanks, hope it goes well, have to catch them first,i will let you know how it goes.


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## Bearcarver

smokerjim said:


> thanks, hope it goes well, have to catch them first,i will let you know how it goes.


Now you gotta shovel the snow off the ice before you cut the hole.

I would smoke PA Bluegills and Bass, but I love them so much they never get past my frying pan.

If you want to smoke some, you can follow the same method I use on Salmon & Trout in my Signature below. Just click on "Smoked Salmon". Follow the Step by Step.

Bear


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## smokerjim

hopefully next week on my day off,just to cold this week,they are great with a little butter and garlic but i want to try them smoked,i'll try different methods see which one we like the best thanks again


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## shoneyboy

smokerjim said:


> thanks again to all, think i will do a bunch when i do them"hopefully next week" maybe i'll do 1/2 seasoned and 1/2 with salt brine see what we like the best,shoneyboy what's tony's seasoning, is it a regional thing?


smokerjim, Here is a picture of what I use......












Tony Chachere's.png



__ shoneyboy
__ Jan 21, 2014





.... It is a spicy creole seasoning   that we use on pretty much anything that doesn’t shake it off when we are cooking it……LOL.........I’m sorry I used the slang word for it here in Louisiana…… most everyone in Louisiana just calls it ” Tony’s”. I keep forgetting the vastness of this site....... It’s used in place of salt and pepper here. If you can’t find any locally PM me……….ShoneyBoy


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## smokerjim

ok thanks i'll let you know


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## rlk438

I am on low salt diet. I use mrs dash original seasoning. I use a aluminum grill pan with small holes in it. Had temp up about 280 and cooked till flaky. Had people that didn't eat fish try it and they loved it.  Had it in a sampler tray. Bottom right.













image.jpg



__ rlk438
__ Jan 24, 2014


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## smokerjim

ok thanks,looks good.so many ideas on this site.shoneyboy i did find the tony c's seasoning"took 5 stores but did find it" i am going to try it,weather is not looking good for this week,below zero tonight,wed,thurs possibly.hopefully weather will break soon i'm looking forward to some smoked bluegill,and bass.will let you know how i like tony c's.


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## shoneyboy

smokerjim said:


> ok thanks,looks good.so many ideas on this site.shoneyboy i did find the tony c's seasoning"took 5 stores but did find it" i am going to try it,weather is not looking good for this week,below zero tonight,wed,thurs possibly.hopefully weather will break soon i'm looking forward to some smoked bluegill,and bass.will let you know how i like tony c's.


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## smokerjim

think i'll have to get some chicken and try it in the oven for now. thanks again


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## flash

Not much chance for Freshwater fish anymore although the Suwannee River is not that far away. The Gulf of Mexico is closer some mainly Spanish Macks and Bluefish are the fish I smoke, sometimes Mullet and Jack Cravelles. I wouldn't mind trying a Freshwater Cat or Bluegills sometime though.













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__ flash
__ Aug 23, 2013


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## WaterinHoleBrew

Dang, reading this post now y'all are makin me want to :grilling_smilie: some fish.  Thumbs Up.   WHB


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## smokerjim

hey flash are blue's good smoked,, i usually get down to jersey a couple times a year fishing for strippers and blues, usually give the blue away because i tried them a couple of times and didn't like them, never had them smoked.


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## flash

smokerjim said:


> hey flash are blue's good smoked,, i usually get down to jersey a couple times a year fishing for strippers and blues, usually give the blue away because i tried them a couple of times and didn't like them, never had them smoked.


 I only do Bluefish two ways, one is Smoked (either for Dip or sitting on some form of sauce on a Ritz cracker) or blackened. Referred to as "Black 'N Bluefish".  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






    I actually prefer the Blues over the Spanish, but might you our Florida Bluefish are not as big as those NE ones are. Most of our will be in the 14 to 20 inch area. They make a right fine dip.













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__ flash
__ Nov 13, 2012


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## leah elisheva

So delicious! I make a bluefish pate that I downright adore! (Either grill or smoke the bluefish first as both ways are fabulous)! And it's healthful, simple, made without horrible gunk etc!

Happy Tuesday to all! Cheers! - Leah













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__ leah elisheva
__ Jan 28, 2014


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## smokerjim

thanks, i will try bluefish again this summer"smoked,blackened and if anyone else has a recipe, but to tell you the truth i'm not sure if i will like it. i do like all seafood so when i had blue years ago maybe it was just cooked wrong because what i remember it was terrible. thanks again


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## flash

Even heard of Jack Cravelles? They are usually feed to dogs or cats, but a friend of mine smoked some and made a dip. Very good also. As with Spanish Macks, some like them, some don't. I'd rather have a Bluefish, but both are an Oily fish and some folks just don't like a fish to taste "fishy". LOL.  I found if I cut out the blood line and skin the Macs, fry them that day as I do Spotted Seatrout, you pretty much cannot tell the difference from the trout. 

 Keep some smaller Blues and spice them up good. I like to spritz them with a 50/50 mix of lemon juice and canola oil while they are smoking. Here I use Pecan or Hickory, but mainly Pecan. My wife actually picks up a ready made French Onion Dip from a local store (we use to make our own, this is just so much easier and taste better) and I just add in chunks of fish and lots of them. NO ONE has ever turned it down after tasting it.


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## smokerjim

definitely will try them smoked,maybe that will change their flavor,don't have pecan will have to go with hickory or mesq.must be something with oily fish because i don't like fresh salmon but i do like it smoked.


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## Bearcarver

smokerjim said:


> definitely will try them smoked,maybe that will change their flavor,don't have pecan will have to go with hickory or mesq.must be something with oily fish because i don't like fresh salmon but i do like it smoked.


Yes I would say it's the oily fish problem. Everybody in my area says Blues are too oily, but they all love it smoked.

I don't care for Salmon either, unless it's smoked, probably for the same oily reason.

I also love trout made anyway you can make them, until they get over about 20"----Then they have to be smoked. IMHO

Bear


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## guruatbol

For oily fish I like to put them on a soaked cedar plank in the gas grill and they are awesome!

I have never tried to smoke them.  If I go to the local fishing derby Saturday, and catch any, I will put them in the MES and try my hand at smoked trout.

Another way to help the oily fish taste batter is to soak them in Good Seasonings Italian salad dressing for a couple hours then grill them until done to your desired texture.  I like mine over done.  Some like it flaky, some like it in between.  My daughter has a word for fish not done enough, "Slothery"

Mel


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## rlk438

image.jpg



__ rlk438
__ Jan 28, 2014






I did hickory, pecan, oak mix of wood in my stick burner.  Very good.  Although some would say hickory is to strong for fish. But I am on no salt diet. The mess I made the other day with pecan and apple were milder.


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## flash

smokerjim said:


> definitely will try them smoked,maybe that will change their flavor,don't have pecan will have to go with hickory or mesq.must be something with oily fish because i don't like fresh salmon but i do like it smoked.


 I like to spice them up some too.  Everglades heat (or some cayenne) , lemon pepper, black pepper, etc. Kick em up a notch.  Remember to take them a little longer on the smoker to kinda dry them out a bit. This is when you want to make dip out of them. Let them rest and chill them. Easier to pull apart for the adding to the dip.


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## flash

guruatbol said:


> For oily fish I like to put them on a soaked cedar plank in the gas grill and they are awesome!
> 
> I have never tried to smoke them.  If I go to the local fishing derby Saturday, and catch any, I will put them in the MES and try my hand at smoked trout.
> 
> Another way to help the oily fish taste batter is to soak them in Good Seasonings Italian salad dressing for a couple hours then grill them until done to your desired texture.  I like mine over done.  Some like it flaky, some like it in between.  My daughter has a word for fish not done enough, "Slothery"
> 
> Mel


 Our Florida Saltwater trout are just to light flavored. Usually they end up on the grill or in the Fryer. Can't see smoking them.













Cooler080.jpg



__ flash
__ Jan 29, 2014






Some of our trout and bluefish.


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## sb59

smokerjim said:


> thanks, i will try bluefish again this summer"smoked,blackened and if anyone else has a recipe, but to tell you the truth i'm not sure if i will like it. i do like all seafood so when i had blue years ago maybe it was just cooked wrong because what i remember it was terrible. thanks again


If you catch them get them into salted ice water right away. It helps keep them firm and fresh. If you can push your finger against the body and leave an imprint the fish is already losing quality. Smaller, 3lbs. or less are milder then larger,and if you want to reduce fishy taste further skin the fillets and remove the dark meat and smoke on a jerky type rack.


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## smokerjim

your all making me hungry, going to have to get out fishing soon!!! I like the "slothery" flash, that's how i feel about raw fish also,hope you don't mind i use that someday.


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## smokerjim

just an update, finally smoked some bluegill and bass did some in a salt,sugar brine and some with tony's seasoning"they both came out great but i think i used a little to much tony's seasoning as they were a on the salty side but it does give them nice flavor just need to cut back on it.smoked them with apple at 250-260 for 25 minutes, will do them again.they didn't last long!!


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## shoneyboy

smokerjim said:


> just an update, finally smoked some bluegill and bass did some in a salt,sugar brine and some with tony's seasoning"they both came out great but i think i used a little to much tony's seasoning as they were a on the salty side but it does give them nice flavor just need to cut back on it.smoked them with apple at 250-260 for 25 minutes, will do them again.they didn't last long!!


Smokerjim,
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





........ With the combination of the brine and the Tony's, I can understand were it could be salty...... I have never brined mine......ShoneyBoy


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## smokerjim

i didn't use tony's on the fish i put in the brine, i think i just used to much,i should say i really don't eat alot of salt so that could be the reason.tony's does have a good flavor just need to cut back.sorry you think it's worthless but i can't post pictures, i only have a 35mm camera and my cell doesn't have a camera,maybe someday i'll get with the times.


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## shoneyboy

Smokerjim, I was not trying to be disrecptful about the :worthless , it's just a way we pick and play with our fellow members on the site......by far I understand........ ShoneyBoy


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## Bearcarver

smokerjim said:


> i didn't use tony's on the fish i put in the brine, i think i just used to much,i should say i really don't eat alot of salt so that could be the reason.tony's does have a good flavor just need to cut back.sorry you think it's worthless but i can't post pictures, i only have a 35mm camera and my cell doesn't have a camera,maybe someday i'll get with the times.


How 'bout a pencil & a drawing pad???

Just kidding.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Bear


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## smokerjim

shoneyboy no problem like wise i wasn't trying to say tony c's was bad,it's good just have to watch amounts.i could try the pencil and pad not sure if you'll appreciate my artist skills.I'm sure there would be alot more heckling.I'm going to try getting out tomorrow morning and catch some more and try it again.


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## damunro

Bass,Perch,Sun fish, Pickeral, Pike any Freshwater Fish.

1 gal. water

3/4 cup to 1 cup pickling salt, depending on taste.

1 cup white suger

1 cup brown suger

if you have it, 1 tsp. Instacure # 1

All the spices you want, jerky seasoning etc...

24 hours in pickle.

Dry off.

Smoke for 4-6 hrs @ 200 deg. on oiled racks.

Cheers !


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## Tommy Gee

Trying to smoke large mouth for the first time. I have done just about everything except fish, though I have spent a great deal of time with some pro catfish smokers. I headed them, gutted them, scales on, in a brine of salt, worcestershire, and soy. The plan is a 20 hour soak, and an apple/cherry combination.  I left the scales on, only because the old-timers I knew that smoked alot of carp always left them on. I don't think it will make much difference. I will post the results tomorrow. Wish me luck!!


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## mds51

Good Afternoon
 I have smoked both largemouth, catfish,crappie, and bluegill with excellent results. I only brine fillets for 3 to 4 hours in a Kosher Salt and Brown Sugar brine spiced up with Orange and Lemon Sections with either Fresh Thyme or Rosemary and a few garlic cloves. Then I smoke with either Apple or Alder Dust in my AMNPS for 4 hours. They go in the fridge to vent off some of the smoke and are then vacuum sealed the next day. I use them for a kipper like dish sautéed with onions or blended with cream cheese, dill, chives , garlic and fresh ground pepper to make a smoke fish spread every bit as good as smoked trout. I have done small catfish whole without the heads and fins and then sautéed them with onions for a English breakfast of fake kippers with good results. Fresh fish combined with a good brine and smoked lightly equals good eating.
mds51


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## Bearcarver

My method & recipe worked great on every species of fish I tried, and everyone who tried it loves it:
*Smoked Salmon*
*Smoked Brook Trout & Tilapia*

Bear


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