Smoking Fish 101

08/27/2026

One of our contributors sent this in and I thought it was a pretty clever setup.
He’s using a wireless plug-in adapter on his Little Chief smoker so when the chamber temperature starts climbing, he can shut the smoker off from inside the house instead of running back outside every time.
Simple idea, but a useful one for anyone using a fixed-heat smoker.
Watch the 30-second contributor video here:
https://smokingfish101.com/contributions/5ab73d94-b731-463d-9c72-1d13ef1b2996
If you use a Big Chief or Little Chief, have you ever tried something similar?

Prevent smoker from over heating.

08/24/2026

🎣 THIS is exactly the kind of tip we’re looking for.
A big thank-you to Blake Anton for sending in one of the first entries in our 48-Hour Smoking Fish Tip Challenge.

Blake shows a great way to get a little more from your salmon: after smoking the carcasses, there’s still plenty of good meat left behind. Scrape it clean, save that smoked salmon, and turn it into a salmon dip.

Simple. Useful. And something another fish smoker can actually use. 👍

Your tip doesn’t have to be complicated either.

Grab your phone, take 30 seconds or less, and show us ONE thing you do when processing or smoking fish that might help someone else.

🔪 Every eligible entry goes into the random draw for a new Victorinox fillet knife.

About 24 hours left to enter.

Upload your video here:
https://smokingfish101.com/community-creators/submit

No fancy editing needed. Just show us what you do and tell us why you do it.

Contest closes Aug. 25 at 12 PM ET.

08/22/2026

The winner of the SMOKING FISH 101 Q2 Championship Series Freshwater Edition photo contest - Travis Wood, has sent in a short video with a look at his prizes in-use on some lake trout. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBRxzN9MVfY Congrats again Travis.

So todays video is to show the products I won for a smoking fish ph...

08/20/2026

🔪 What knives do you actually need for processing fish?
I just published a new Smoking Fish 101 guide covering fillet knives, trimming and boning knives, blade flexibility, knife care, and practical Victorinox options for preparing fish for the smoker.
Full guide:

Learn which fish processing knives work best for filleting, trimming, skinning, and preparing fish for the smoker, with practical Victorinox picks.

08/14/2026

Thoroughly enjoying our stay here, and catching good numbers of walleye within eyesight of camp is always a bonus. Lots of bald eagles and deer, with both bear and wolf sightings as well. For anyone looking to have this experience I can recommend staying here. This is the morning view from their Shangri-La Cabin.
Give Brad a call and book yourself a fishing trip.
https://lacseulsreelinn.com Lac Seul's Reel Inn

08/10/2026

Happy to be back after a 20 hour drive to get here. Ontario's Sunset Country is definitely a very special place every outdoorsman must experience.

08/05/2026

An example of a way to slice king salmon using a Victorinox salmon slicer knife.
Featured Contributor: Julian Flax

08/04/2026

Hand slicing for commercial purposes takes a lot of time, patience, and practice.
Smoking is one of the oldest preservation methods there are. The curing, drying, and smoking processes make salmon a delicacy.

This week, the Smoking Fish 101 Team recognizes the fantastic work of Jair Gudino Chavez of Tulum, Mexico in setting up his new shop - Bonsai Food Boutique.

If you’re on vacation anywhere around Tulum, make sure to stop in and say Hi - and try his cold smoked salmon. Highly recommended. Bonsai Food Boutique

Have a video of your own? Share it: https://www.smokingfish101.com/community-creators/submit

08/03/2026

A quick look at Rowena DeRade's DIY Fish Drying Rack. Starting to work on our YouTube Channel now. Going to be some great tips coming up! Hit that subscribe button.

Hubby outdid himself with this DIY fish drying rack! A community co...

07/29/2026

🎣 Featured Creator of the Week: Susan Wesley
Many of you may recognize Susan from one of our previous Smoking Fish 101 photo contests after winning first place with some stunning finished product. This week, we’re recognizing her again - this time for sharing a candid look at slicing Chinook salmon into consistently sized strips before they head into her traditional walk-in smokehouse.
Consistently sized strips can promote more even smoke exposure and a more uniform finished product.
These community-submitted videos do not need to be professionally produced. The goal is to preserve and share the authentic techniques, experience, and practical knowledge found throughout this group.
When preparing salmon strips for the smokehouse, how thick do you usually slice yours?
Watch Susan’s video and read the full Editor’s Note here:
https://www.smokingfish101.com/community-creators/featured