A couple of weeks ago, I headed over to Lake Michigan for a whole week of fishing the big lake. I had fished over there before, but this year I got the opportunity to go out with a couple of friends and do the fishing myself and not go out on a guided fishing charter. The difference between the two experiences is incredible, and as much I have enjoyed the chartered fishing trips, I much prefer doing it myself.
Over the course of the week, we managed to catch a good variety of fish. Several Coho salmon, some rainbows, some king salmon and a couple of Lake trout. I have heard a lot of mixed reviews about eating Lake trout. Some people really enjoy them, but just as many seem to think they are too oily or too fishy tasting. I fall into the category of people who enjoy eating lake trout. I don’t catch very many of them so when I do get one it is a special treat.
My first experience with lake trout came several years ago, in the Boundary waters canoe area in northern Minnesota. I wrapped a whole fish in tin foil with some lemon and bay leaves stuffed inside and seasoned it very simply with salt and pepper. I placed the whole thing on the fire and let it cook for about 10 minutes on each side. The meat flaked off the bones beautifully and was one of my most memorable backcountry meals. The next year, I went back and prepared another lake trout the same way only this time I stirred the flaked meat into a risotto for another great backcountry meal.
I had heard from a lot of people that the best way to eat lake trout was to smoke them but…
