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Thank you Frank now all I have to do is find them little buggers. Would really like to try some pickled

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Pickled smelt sounds good. When should I head up? I have only dipnet the rivers. I am more than willing to help pull a net. Seining is something I'm going to check out, I understand I can find the netters at the MN or WI point. should I head up this weekend?

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You are way to early for smelt. there is still a ton of ice on the lake. It will take a week or two for them to start

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elkmandan,

Yes I have pickled smelt before. My 1st batch turned out great but I also had another batch that turned out a little on the fishy tasting side.

Depending on how the run goes this year and the time frame of things I may try to give it another shot.

To keep every ones interest up I'll bring a couple quarts of pickled Northern down to Park Point if I'm able to meet up with a few others for a night of smelting.

I have another week of schooling to attend out of town at the end of the month and into May. Hopefully the Smelt will run around my schedule laugh.gif.

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Tom I would be intrested in your recipe. I just butchered a couple head of elk and would trade some meat for some pickled smelt if you wanted to make a trade.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

Trade Elk for Smelt. Hmmm, let me answer for BD. DEAL!

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Anyone have any updated river/stream temps???? Possibly the Lester?? Thank you, any info is appreciated. WW

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Frank I will be butchering again in the end of August if your intrested. smile.gif

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Ice everywhere and waters are still COLD. Going to be a while. Hopefully before opener. crazy.gif

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Dan,

I can e-mail you my recipe if you would like or I could just post it for all to copy and paste. If you have a junk e-mail address you want to share just let me know what it is and I will let you know when I send it to you.

If I'm able to get my hands on some smelt this season I will do my best to pickle some up and I would be happy to get some to you.

I start a new tour of work tomorrow and I'm not able to access the site from there. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

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I talked to some guys while getting lunch in Brule that a few are starting to show up on the south shore already near river mouths, the Brule was 42 degrees late this afternoon.

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Tom I can't figure out how to use the private message thing mine isn't highlighted.My e-mail address is for work and I don't think it would be good to let it out. I'm in no hurry unless I would get a batch of smelt. I'm still trying to figure out how to use things on this site. Thanks for the offer.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

I happen to have BD110's recipe. Although its for pike I assume you substitute smelt for pike.

Pickled Northern:

3 lbs of Northern chunks per recipe. 3 lbs makes 3 Quarts of pickled fish.

1st step:

Mix 4 cups of water with 1 cup of canning salt (I use an ice cream bucket) Mix your 3lbs of Northern into the water and salt mixture. This step lasts for 2 Days (48 hrs) Stir the Northern chunks at least once during the 48 hrs so all parts of the fish are covered.

2nd Step:

Drain and rinse Northern chunks well. Place back into ice cream bucket and cover with white vinegar. This step takes 24 hrs. Mix chunks at least once during this step and add more vinegar if needed to keep Northern chunks covered.

3rd Step:

Make your brine. Pour 3 cups of white vinegar into a pot and add 3 of Sugar. Bring this to a boil. The brine must cool before it is put in the jars so allow yourself the amount of time you will need to do this.

4th Step: Drain the vinegar from your Northern chunks in your ice cream buckets and cut yourself at least 1 1/2 sweet onions into slices. Now pack your 3 quart jars layering them with fish and onions until the jars are full. In each quart jar add 1 Tablespoon of Durke pickling spices and fill each jar with your brine.

Cover your jars with lids and rings and place in the frig for 7-10 days and it's time to enjoy some pickled Northern.

You can also add jalapeno peppers or mild banana peppers along with each layer of onions if you would like to tang things up a bit.

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thanks for the receipt going to try it once the smelt get here the family like pickled harring so why not try smelt

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Thanks Frank I would think pickling northern or smelt would be the same process.If you get some I would give you the same deal and I would drive up and get them from you.

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Elkman Fm doesnt have PM's here. Have to e-mail eachother. Just keep your eyes on this forum and as soon as we get smelt we will let ya know. Bad thing is its so weather dependant that we may get out 1 night and then not be able to smelt for another 2-5 days.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

elkmandan, like Northlander said keep an eye on the board for the run. I'll send you and email.

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Frank,

Thanks for posting the recipe for me.

Dan,

I'll keep in touch through the site.

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For real this time? Any water temps, rivers and lake? Anyone getting any... dipping or seining?

Thanks for the info guys!! smile.gif

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Matt and Tom are you guys for real? water temps are still real cold.

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Can we get some confirmation about these reports???? I would love to come up but I need to know for sure that smelt are being netted. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks WW

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I find it hard to believe, water temp is in the high 30's....needs to warm up 5 degrees or so.

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I made some calls and this isnt a "run". No need to get excited yet. A FEW were seen but nobody netted any. Ill go down and net tonight and report back with what I find. I still think the waters are too cold. Then again I thought the same when they came in last year.

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NL - if ya need some help checking things out, lemme know. I'm a hop skip and a jump from home to get there...

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