Hey all,
A bit of history for ya'll. Chum salmon was the preferred fish for pre-contact Coast Salish Indians(the ones from here). Other salmon were eaten fresh or perserved for special occasians(Potlatches,Winter Ceramonies). Chum meat dried readily and lasted longer through the winter. The oils from Smelt were mixed,as well as dried berries(Pemmican) to prevent them from gagging on the dry meat as well as prevent from plugging up thier poopers.
Statistically, this "smelt oil" was the most important of thier food resources, not salmon.
Larry