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My family took my Mom out for her 65th birthday. 2/7 Fished our way to Jackpot, spent the night and fished our way home. Caught several planter trout at Bell Rapids to start off. Stopped at the dam at Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir but the ice was no good and the only open water was already taken. 2/8 Checked Greys Harbor the next morning but ice was iffy and no open water that you could get to. So we ended up at Niagara Springs some hours later. Avery caught a few fish at the hatchery and then we headed upstream. We decided to fish in the river at the discharge of Crystal Springs. I think thats where we were anyway, it was our first time there. Anyway I caught a nice Carp that went about 10-12 lbs that was a hoot to real in. Then my wife gets a Sucker that went almost 5 lbs. I was happy to get some bait and I always wanted to try smoking a Carp. So we are getting ready to go and my Mom starts reeling in. I can see this massive trout following her marshmallow in and tell her to stop. A second later he grabs her plain white mallow and the fight was on. After her falling down several times and me getting my leg wet we managed to get it in the net somehow. It made my Moms birthday and she giggled all the way home. It's in the smoker with my Carp right now!
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Beautiful bow-nice B-day present! I've tried eating carp - not sure how smoking will work...so little good meat and soooo many bones...let us know how that turns out!
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That's a great fish. I always hit the discharges down there there are some good fish lurking there.
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Kudos for the big trout! Yeas ago before the state took all the water from the spring that ran under the road and down the falls the big trout used to come up to the base of the falls and spawn, we use to catch some big fish then. That's where the Staner Ducktail fly worked awsome. The fish we caught then weren't planters but wild
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Well the fish are done smoking. The trout turned out good but not as good as the pink meated ones from CJ that I smoked last week. (I didn't blog about it because I didn't catch them but a friend brought me 4 trout from CJ that looked like Steelhead.) The Carp isn't bad but to soft for me. I think I should have skinned it and removed the dark meat before smoking. I still have a fillet left and will try that next. My wife also had me smoke her Succor that she caught and it turned out fantastic. I will have a hard time making catfish bait out Succors now because my wife will want to eat them.[mad]
It's fun trying new things!
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That sounds like some great eating. Do you mind my asking what recipe or brine you use?
About 10 years ago we had some suckers and some northern pike minnows that I really didn't know what to do with so I canned them. Some were lightly smoked first and some just canned. I had skinned, filleted and taken any dark meat off first. Like you, I was surprised that they turned out quite good.
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I only use a dry rub anymore, which I make up. Make enough that it last a year or so. I'll post the recipe when I'm home and can find it.
As I look online for smoked carp ideas it seems the old "add enough salt to float an egg" brine is the way to go. So I'll be trying that for carp in the near future.
Been wanting to can some squaws but just haven't got around to it. I also hear pickling them like Herring is good.
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you guys have lost it!!!
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Glad to see that you are having fun with these fish. Even though most people will look at you a little funny. Enjoy!!!
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