Mystery Fish ID?

I know with Thankgiving so close most of us aren't thinking about fish, but if I don't post this while I'm thinking about it, it may never get posted at all.
When I was a kid (about 1968 or so) in the great lakes region of the USA, it was common for many delis & butcher counters to carry a type of smoked fish that I have not yet been able to identify & I'm hoping one of you folkes can do so.

Sorry, but I have no pics; the description is: A fish that looks much like a trout in general body shape & size, no scales, about 1.5ft long, black on the back & head, with a lovely golden color that starts just above the pectoral fins & goes all the way to & includes the belly area. The golden color runs from just behind the gills, very nearly to the tail. It had a slightly wrinkled look to it from the loss of moisture due to the smoking & was always gutted & smoked, the head, eyes & fins were always left on. I have no clue as to it being a fresh or saltwater fish, but since the great lakes are right there, I'd guess it was a local (freshwater) fish.

Now as far as I can tell, it's got to be a type of trout, or maybe a salmon of some sort, but damned if I know what type or where to buy it smoked like that. I suppose it's entirely possible nobody makes it anymore, I haven't even seen such a fish in probably 35 years; kind of like those smoked, unrefrigerated hams & sides of bacon that used to hang from hooks in the rafters of country stores down in KY & TN.

So if you can identify what type of fish this is, or know of anyplace that still makes them like that, I sure would like to know. Regards, GF.

Hmmm. Well, it could have simply been smoked trout. I'm not sure exactly which kind it would be. Or, possibly whitefish.

We still have smoked chubs available in most stores about here, but they are only about 10-12 inches long, and, after they are smoked, the entire fish turns golden. They are normally sold with the heads on.

Whatever it was that you remember, I think you can probably still get it if you go to a town that is right on one of the lakes.

Here you go, check this out Smoked Fish - Trout - Salmon - Whitefish - Chubs - Charlie's Smokehouse

Ice9: Thanks for the link, I'll have to place an order after Thanksgiving. Regards, GF.

Smoked salmon, lakers, or whitefish are pretty popular still. Smoked whitefish pop up more often around this time of year because they spawn in the fall and are easier to catch as they come close to shore in more concentrated numbers.

It's become more common to ditch the first day or two of deer season around here to go whitefish fishing off the pier at Tawas and Oscoda. Good luck finding a spot on the rail anymore.

Look familiar?

My vote goes to Whitefish...

I love smoked fish!

Is this it? If it is from the Michigan area, could be a Walleye maybe?

Marko73 said:

Is this it? If it is from the Michigan area, could be a Walleye maybe?

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Very rare to find smoked walleye. That's a much better baking or frying fish. Why "ruin" it by smoking it?

I wouldn't know what to do with a Walleye; I was just throwing out a Great Lakes fish.

I am from New England and Fly Fish so I really only know about cooking Trout.

Smoked whitefish is very common- as you drive along the highway, there are hundreds of signs for "smoked fish". Smoked trout (lake trout) is fairly common, too, but not as much as whitefish.

YooperBrew said:

Smoked whitefish is very common- as you drive along the highway, there are hundreds of signs for "smoked fish". Smoked trout (lake trout) is fairly common, too, but not as much as whitefish.

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My Uncle in Grand Marais has one of those stands. Day on the water, day smoking, rinse and repeat.