Everything about Smelts totally explained
Smelts are a
family,
Osmeridae, of small
anadromous fish. They are common in the
North American Great Lakes and in the lakes and seas of the northern part of
Europe, and run in large
schools along the coastline during their spring migration to their spawning streams. The family consists of some sixteen
species in six
genera.
The fish usually reach only 15 cm and are a food source for
salmon and
lake trout. It is one of the few fish that sportsmen are allowed to net, using dip nets, either along the coastline or in the streams. Some sportsmen also
ice fish for smelt. Smelt are often fried and eaten whole.
Smelt has a character odour, similar to the smell of
cucumbers. Smelt
roe is bright orange in color, and is often used to garnish
sushi.
Smelt Dipping
In
Michigan and other northern states, "smelt dipping" is a common sport in the early spring months (generally late April in the
Upper Peninsula, when the stream water reaches approximately 4°C). Fish are simply spotted using a flashlight (the best smelt dipping is in the middle of the night) and scooped out of the water using a dip net made of nylon or metal mesh. To clean a smelt, simply remove the head and the entrails. Fins, scales, and bones of all but the largest of smelts will soften when the smelts are cooked and don't need to be removed.
It is often a social gathering.
On the Maine coast, smelts were also a sign of spring, with the run of these small fish up tiny tidal estuaries. Many of these 'rivers' were small enough that a person could straddle the water and, leaning over, dip a bucket and get a good catch of smelt. Also good place to find smelts are by rocks in the middle of the river and by the banks by the river bed.
Miscellaneous
Smelts have been traditionally an important winter catch in the salt water mouths of rivers in
New England and the Maritime Provinces of
Canada. Fishermen would go to customary locations over the ice using horses and sleighs. Smelt taken out of the cold salt water were much preferred to those taken in warm water. The smelt didn't command a high price on the market, but provided a useful supplemental income in times when wants were much less. The smelts were "flash frozen" simply by leaving them on the ice and then sold to fish buyers who came down the rivers on horse and sleigh. They were also an excellent winter meal. They were gutted, heads and tails removed and rinsed in cold water then dipped in flour mixed with salt and pepper and fried in butter. Served with boiled potatoes and pickled beets, they were a welcome addition to winter fare.
A variety of Smelt, the
Delta Smelt is found in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The Delta Smelt is a protected species.
Catholics of
Italian heritage on the Northeastern coast of America often eat smelts as part of
Christmas Eve dinner.
Kelso, Washington along the Columbia River in the Northwestern United States is listed as the "Smelt Capital of the World".
Further Information
Get more info on 'Smelts'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://smelts.totallyexplained.com">Smelts Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
