Ymm, Seafood

[MartyClark]

Back in the 1700s, some laborers and maids had it written into their contracts that they only had to eat salmon a certain number of days since they were so very plentiful. Too much of a good thing I guess.
There are now some salmon in the CT River as they've been re-introduced, and various organizations are removing dams to assist in the effort.

Salmon were introduced into Lake Michigan in the early 1970s to eat alewives, a type of small shad or herring, that died off in huge, smelly numbers every year.

From about 1975 to 1977, one of my friend's dad had a boat that was docked in Waukegan Harbor. We often went up and trolled for salmon. We caught some on every trip and would often grill them dockside, just delicious.

I've been gone from the Midwest for almost 40 years but read that the alewife population is in serious decline perhaps due to some invasive mussel species. I'm not sure how the salmon population is holding up.

[MartyClark]

In thinking about Lake Michigan fishing from my distant past, I also recall the annual smelt runs. We would wade into shallow waters with one guy on each end of the net and catch many small fish called smelt.

The older made us young guys go into the very cold water to catch the fish. They would deep fry them and we'd eat them within an hour of catching them. They were pretty good but most anything that is fried tastes good.

[TeacherTom]

I think they make better bait, Marty!

[weezie]

Sauteed soft shell crabs. I'm getting misty-eyed...

[MartyClark]

I think they make better bait, Marty!

You are probably right, some things seem better with the passage of time.

I don't think we even took the bones out. The fish and their bones were small enough that we'd fry them and just get a slight crunch from the bones.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Sauteed soft shell crabs. I'm getting misty-eyed...

Ooooh, you and I can be friends!

Butter, salt, pepper, lemon.

[budwom]

Salmon were introduced into Lake Michigan in the early 1970s to eat alewives, a type of small shad or herring, that died off in huge, smelly numbers every year.

From about 1975 to 1977, one of my friend's dad had a boat that was docked in Waukegan Harbor. We often went up and trolled for salmon. We caught some on every trip and would often grill them dockside, just delicious.

I've been gone from the Midwest for almost 40 years but read that the alewife population is in serious decline perhaps due to some invasive mussel species. I'm not sure how the salmon population is holding up.

Similarly, landlocked salmon have been stocked in Lake Champlain (VT) for a long time, I've caught some big ones...Alewives: I thought those were the spouses of big drinkers! ...actually, we've got alewives here too, susceptible to death when the water temp changes, and yes, they smell real nasty...