Personnelly I think the late ocean silvers smoke and taste the best because of the fat and oil in the fish before entering the rivers what do you think?

chum is great to smoke because of the oily flesh. If you catch really bright ones they also barbecue very well.

Chum are fantastic, great texture, oil and they are flippin huge. People love that!

Feeder ocean chinook (not blackmouth)...nothing else compares ot the flavor in my mind.

Belly strips from a big , mature chinook.

I stockpiled some spring chinook last season and had it smoked all in one whack, and it is the most fantastically delicious, moist, tender havenation I've ever had. <insert comments about smoking springer here>

If you start out with some quality flesh, all smoked fish is pretty tasty. I'd have to rate springer pretty high on the scale, though.

Here's a vote for smoked Alaskan Sockeye.

Quite flavorful fish that isnt overpowered by the smoke and the oilyness gives it great texture.

Well this certainly brings back memories.I'd have to say a double chambered...oh..fish..my bad Coho fresh and bright

I second the sockeye.

I brought a bunch back 2 Summers ago and smoked some up. I think that stuff made up the best smoked fish I've ever had.

I want to go back and get more.

With out a doubt belly strips off a spring Chinook. Nothing like haveing juice running down your chin. and oh so sweet I think the fat has a sweeter taste to it on a springer.

Fresh water fish would have to be a Kokanee. Them little guys are outstanding smoked.

Hands down spring chinook, especially a bright early fish. Stuff drips oil when you bring it out of the smoker and almost melts in your mouth. Flavor is incomparable.

Summer run stealhead. The fat content is amazing. It is stored up for the 6 months they will be in the rive before spawning. Yummm

Id throw my vote for chum, its plentiful, it taste great smoked, and if you screw up a batch it dosent take long to get another to test agian

Smoke the sockeye.
BBQ the springer and or smoke it.These are my two favorite to smoke.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

....What Duane said!, brite springers are the best.

Nice lookin URB there!

Maybe not my favorite, but smoked smelt are very good.

Clean them with sizzors - cut off the head and gut them....brine and smoke.

The skin and the bones makes them delightfully chewey.

I have also thoroughly enjoyed smoked ling and rockfish.

1)-Chums.....easy to stock up on...taste great....

2)-Alaskan Sockeye

3)-Fresh river Silvers-

4)- Ocean Pinks (if you bleed them properly)

Personally- I enjoy eating other fresh species of salmon from the BBQ....

smoked cheddar cheese is good too....

Smoked steelhead is pretty nummy to. I am getting hungry looking at this thread cant wait to smokle fish on Sunday !!!!!!!

Whitefish are fan-freakin-tastic smoked and there are loads of....which you need to make it worth while!

Smoked Kokanee.

I'll agree on the belly meat.

If you ever get the chance, smoked Marlin, Baracuda, and Papio(jack Cravali) is real good.

Spinger belly. LOts of our AK clients don't want the bellies withe their filleted fish. Guess who gets em

Smoked black cod is also very good. Certain recipes of smoked halibut are also yummy.

I like it all.

I wasn't interested in this thread till now.

No fair, no fair! :p

Actually I do the same thing too, TRBO. Just hang out at the fish cleaning station at the right time and "volunteer" to cut some fish in exchange for bellies and collars. On a 45-50# king, that's 8-9# of prime groceries for the smoker. The last few years, I've brought back more salvaged bellies/collars than I have actual king meat that I tagged for myself.

I'm gonna vote for hac. steelhead, think they are pretty bland solo. I just did up a bunch in the Big Chief and they are super-tasty ! I think the kings & coho's are to good eating to smoke-up. Sockeye are way to good, as for chums never had the nerve to try......

It's hard to beat Columbia River spring Chinook or sockeye from just about anywhere. Both are terrific. However, lake whitefish from Lake Superior are as good as either.

If you're not from the Great Lakes area, as I am, you might not believe it. But don't knock it until you've tried it. Lake whitefish is fantastic on the smoker.

Small feeder kings (under 15lbs.) a close second would be black cod.

Spring chinook

I like Beezer's smoked salmon!
Finger lickin good!

Is that the recipe where he smokes the fish on a plank, then throws away the fish and eats the plank SR?

4salt,
Heck I thought it was salmon meat...
Maybe it was the plank.
What ever it was, finger lickin good!

Juss wonderin how do you guys prep whitefish for being smoked? juss remove the head and gut em? Or do you attempt to fillet them mofos?