BW: I think that you had a defective Little Chief or are confusing cooked with a smoke flavor with smoking.

I have smoked literally thousands of pounds of salmon in a Big Chief and a Little Chief. I never had a problem getting it done. I understand that my idea of done and yours may vary. I consider it done when the flesh is no longer soft or slimy and when it flakes when broken open.

For many centries the native americans dried fish with no heat other than the sun and smoked it with almost no heat.

When I was a kid my dad smoked his salmon for seven days. It didn't get burnt becsue it never got over 120 degrees.

My dad usd to rant that fish smoked less than five days was cooked not smoked. Now I find myself sounding like him. I think the primary goal is to make a product you like. If you do you win. Is it smoked or cooked - who cares. Just my .02

BTW: I often barbeque my salmon on a low heat for 30 mins while burning lots of alder chips on the charcoal. I think that's cooking, not smoking. But it has a ncie smoky taste.