smoked carp, anyone?

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Up here in the Niagara Region of WNY, they have a tourist/guiding business for Europeans to come down and fish for huge carp that they'd never get in their native country.  During the spring spawn run, they catch huge carp that no one around here would ever think of using.  They don't understand why we consider them a garbage fish and enjoy trout, salmon, walleyes, etc.  In Europe, carp is king.
 
Your grandpa had it right; smoked carp are delicious. Seventy years ago, when I helped two uncles who were commercial fishermen on the Mississippi River, we sent tons of carp to markets in Chicago and New York for "gefilte fish," and we smoked tons more for local Illinois and Iowa markets as well as for Chicago. We got the highest price for smoked sturgeon -- the best smoked fish there is, besides having no bones -- and so we kids did not get all the smoked sturgeon we wanted, but we got all the smoked carp we could eat.

This nonsense about "muddy taste" is coming from mouths that have never even tasted smoked carp.  The Upper Iowa River, where I sport fish now, is NOT muddy (trout water and smallmouth bass), and so carp from it would have no excuse to taste "muddy;" the Mississippi River can be muddy, but I see no difference in the flavor of smoked carp in our local supermarkets from the Mississippi.

My uncles used only apple wood to smoke fish; but, not everybody does, and I have used many different kinds of wood with good results (if somewhat short of the ideal of apple wood).  I even got a very good/special flavor using lilac wood to smoke various meats and fish.

As far as I am concerned, the bigger the carp, the better, making the bones, therefore, no problem at all.  Most of the carp I smoke are in the 10-15-pound range, but my uncles often did carp and buffalo in the 30-40-pound range. When times were extremely busy, they did not even brine the fish.  I usually salt brine in the refrigerator overnight.  I do not bother to scale the fish (smoke them scales down), and I steak them into 7-8-inch steaks split along the backbone.  Anyone who wouldn't like my smoked carp, buffalo, and sucker, wouldn't like smoked fish of any kind.

P.S. I share the view of the people who love to eat catfish.  As a teenager, I saw a fisherman at a lake in Massachusetts, throwing catfish onto the bank and leaving them to rot.  I asked if he didn't want those catfish, and he said, "Around here, we call them 'hornpout' and nobody eats them."   I said, "Well, I'm from Iowa, and there we call them catfish, and they are delicious!"  Maybe if I had mentioned how got they are fried in beer batter, he might have reconsidered his untested bias.
 
 
Your grandpa had it right; smoked carp are delicious. Seventy years ago, when I helped two uncles who were commercial fishermen on the Mississippi River, we sent tons of carp to markets in Chicago and New York for "gefilte fish," and we smoked tons more for local Illinois and Iowa markets as well as for Chicago. We got the highest price for smoked sturgeon -- the best smoked fish there is, besides having no bones -- and so we kids did not get all the smoked sturgeon we wanted, but we got all the smoked carp we could eat.

This nonsense about "muddy taste" is coming from mouths that have never even tasted smoked carp.  The Upper Iowa River, where I sport fish now, is NOT muddy (trout water and smallmouth bass), and so carp from it would have no excuse to taste "muddy;" the Mississippi River can be muddy, but I see no difference in the flavor of smoked carp in our local supermarkets from the Mississippi.

My uncles used only apple wood to smoke fish; but, not everybody does, and I have used many different kinds of wood with good results (if somewhat short of the ideal of apple wood).  I even got a very good/special flavor using lilac wood to smoke various meats and fish.

As far as I am concerned, the bigger the carp, the better, making the bones, therefore, no problem at all.  Most of the carp I smoke are in the 10-15-pound range, but my uncles often did carp and buffalo in the 30-40-pound range. When times were extremely busy, they did not even brine the fish.  I usually salt brine in the refrigerator overnight.  I do not bother to scale the fish (smoke them scales down), and I steak them into 7-8-inch steaks split along the backbone.  Anyone who wouldn't like my smoked carp, buffalo, and sucker, wouldn't like smoked fish of any kind.

P.S. I share the view of the people who love to eat catfish.  As a teenager, I saw a fisherman at a lake in Massachusetts, throwing catfish onto the bank and leaving them to rot.  I asked if he didn't want those catfish, and he said, "Around here, we call them 'hornpout' and nobody eats them."   I said, "Well, I'm from Iowa, and there we call them catfish, and they are delicious!"  Maybe if I had mentioned how got they are fried in beer batter, he might have reconsidered his untested bias.
Paleface, I agree with everything you said. The 'muddy' taste is nonsense, the bigger the better is true and the overall quality and taste of carp/buffalo is great. Right on about the Sturgeon, too. We, also got a lot more Carp than we did Sturgeon. If Salmon is the only fish you've had smoked, you are missing a lot of good eating. Where I grew up, smoked fish meant 'rough fish'. I do have to say, however, that I'm not a fan of Catfish. You're reference to the Upper Iowa River has me thinking you are in my area. I live just west of Winona, MN. And fish the Mississippi as well as the Root River. Good to hear from another real smoked fish enthusiast. Good Smoking!         Tetonka   SKOL!  VIKINGS!
 
I have an old 25 year old Weber Genesis 1000 three burner propane grill I am planning to fix up.  One of the things I plan to use it for is smoking.  Fish being one of the meats and carp in particular.  I used to get it at Ramers Fish market in Winona, MN where I grew up.  Tetonka, did you ever hear of them?  They went out of business over a decade ago, I believe.  Any way, I used to love the smoked carp and always thought it would be great to make my own.  I am not sure why I never tried it before.  Anyway, I hope to soon.  But, now that I want a carp, I cannot think of a good place or way to catch some.  I live over on the Wisconsin River, near the Wisconsin Dells, so, obviously, there are plenty around, but I can't say I ever set out to catch them before.  I am trying to think of a good place or way to catch a few of them.  I have caught plenty of them in the Mississippi, usually on crawlers or sometimes snagging them below the dams but how should I go about targeting them around here?
 
 But, now that I want a carp, I cannot think of a good place or way to catch some.  I live over on the Wisconsin River, near the Wisconsin Dells, so, obviously, there are plenty around, but I can't say I ever set out to catch them before.  I am trying to think of a good place or way to catch a few of them.  I have caught plenty of them in the Mississippi, usually on crawlers or sometimes snagging them below the dams but how should I go about targeting them around here?
Bow fishing them is the easiest way. And a lot of fun as well. 

I recently sold my old setup and am getting a whole new bow and reel setup very soon. I am in southeast Missouri the Asian carp down here are abundant and anglers will wave and thank you for bow fishing for them. I think they are missing out on a lot of fun.

Be careful it can get addicting. I have caught myself staring into a mud puddle looking for fish. 
 
The asian carp dont seem to be a big issue on the upper missiissippi river yet..

I will probably just look for a couple guys bowfishing them and ask for a couple. ...  99% of the time, they are just throwing them away any ways.  Still have to get the grill fixed up and running first.
 
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