The NW Native tribes also eat them whole. When they enter the river to spawn, they don't eat, so the insides are clean. In SW Alaska the Alaska Native Coastal people eat the relative Eulachon fish whole also. I have eaten these at cultural feasts, also head and all. Delicious. The Columbia Rivers tribes harvest and eat lamprey eel whole. They harvest these as well during the spawn. They cook theirs right in the coals and it has a singed flavor that reminds me of traditional foods from my home reservation in the Four Corners. There are foods that we savor the singed flavor from the hot fire or coals. So, it's not something new that Europeans & Asians introduced. It's been a way of life for thousands of years. Good to see you enjoying the smelt harvest and wish you and your children a long and happy life in our homelands.
Remember eating these in greece 60 years ago ..never forgot the experience..been searching how to make them without cutting off head and inards…as most videos tell you too!, knew that was not the way..so glad i came accross your video thank you !,,,cant wait to make them and bring back pleasant memories
I missed out as a kid...my mom never cooked them...she used them for fertilizer around the shrubs. I remember we went at night on the Cowlitz and it was a fun time to dip them...tons of other people doing it at same time.
We used to eat smelt as kids, but it was the tiny sand smelt. Heads off, but ate the rest whole. Sand smelt are so small that you can eat them bones and all. Delicious.
I have eaten those cooked almost the same way only with a very loose batter. Just bite them whole no pulling off the head, no pulling out the milkers. Just bite them and crunch them, so good with cabbage cole slaw and rice or potatoes. Made myself hungry.
If a fish looks at an American, while he is trying to eat them, he feels sorry for him, he will no longer want to eat it, he buys an aquarium for the fish and tries to liven it up? 😂😂
Yeah like you eat beef steaks with the picture of the cow infant of you with it's eyes look at you, that way of life we eat chicken,ham . Fish lamc. etc....
Curious the (scientific) names of these fish…we call the small ones “night fish” and the larger ones “surf fish,” but what am I really eating? Thanks for video…exactly how we eat them…but I’m going to try to clean some of the tiny things (night fish) and then leave some whole.
nice simple coating and that is all they need if not just flour and salt but i would deep fry them ,this also dries up the innerds better and just more crispy less soggy ,where did you get those one from niagara? those look big
@@bebe0928 nice, are they still safe enough to eat because i keep hearing about advisory reports on eating smelt or other fish depending what body of water they came from and recommendation for how many meals per ,month etc etc wonder if in the state you guys have similar fishing regulation or summary to follow? also when does the run start and end what months from march till may? are they still being caught in may?
@@ARCSTREAMS it's safe to eat if the fish & wild life dept open the season, which they did this February for only 1 day to preserve the fishery. In WA the smelt only runs in February, so nothing will be available in May.
@@bebe0928 you are only allowed to fish smelt for 1 day? well here in ontario canada i dont think there is any regulation on smelt and its open all year, i think the best runs found are in spring from march to may possibly
Both can be fried and eaten with the fish. Sperm is very minimal not like the eggs, also can be easily pulled away with other inners after the fish is cooked if you want to eat it
"Tails are the best part."
Ah, I see a man of culture.
The NW Native tribes also eat them whole. When they enter the river to spawn, they don't eat, so the insides are clean. In SW Alaska the Alaska Native Coastal people eat the relative Eulachon fish whole also. I have eaten these at cultural feasts, also head and all. Delicious. The Columbia Rivers tribes harvest and eat lamprey eel whole. They harvest these as well during the spawn. They cook theirs right in the coals and it has a singed flavor that reminds me of traditional foods from my home reservation in the Four Corners. There are foods that we savor the singed flavor from the hot fire or coals. So, it's not something new that Europeans & Asians introduced. It's been a way of life for thousands of years. Good to see you enjoying the smelt harvest and wish you and your children a long and happy life in our homelands.
Homelands he is in WA state eulachon fish is what he is cooking
the NE native tribes also eat them whole. Smelts are a beautiful fish. Clean and delicious. We also eat caplin whole. Smoked and dried.
Remember eating these in greece 60 years ago ..never forgot the experience..been searching how to make them without cutting off head and inards…as most videos tell you too!, knew that was not the way..so glad i came accross your video thank you !,,,cant wait to make them and bring back pleasant memories
When lived in Michigan as a boy my dad would take us to the river. I remember getting a large container full. Good eating to
Flip while it's hot....like flipping houses LOL
Great video! Thanks for sharing.
The best way to eat smelt! I love it.
I missed out as a kid...my mom never cooked them...she used them for fertilizer around the shrubs. I remember we went at night on the Cowlitz and it was a fun time to dip them...tons of other people doing it at same time.
We mostly eat them whole here in the maritime (canada) and the eggs are definitely the best part by far.
We used to eat smelt as kids, but it was the tiny sand smelt. Heads off, but ate the rest whole. Sand smelt are so small that you can eat them bones and all. Delicious.
didnt even finish the video i just head out to supermarket and started looking for this fish
Lol
I have eaten those cooked almost the same way only with a very loose batter. Just bite them whole no pulling off the head, no pulling out the milkers. Just bite them and crunch them, so good with cabbage cole slaw and rice or potatoes. Made myself hungry.
This made me hungry. I think I'll go fishing this morning.
Us Mexicans also like them with the head, tails and all. Delicious 🤤
If a fish looks at an American, while he is trying to eat them, he feels sorry for him, he will no longer want to eat it, he buys an aquarium for the fish and tries to liven it up? 😂😂
True
Yeah like you eat beef steaks with the picture of the cow infant of you with it's eyes look at you, that way of life we eat chicken,ham . Fish lamc. etc....
Absolutely fabulous video... and thank you so much for the excellent explanations. I bought smelt this morning and will be making this immediately!!
Ingot some smelt last night ice fishing gonna try them this way thanks
下次试试毛巾吸干水后，上蛋黄拌匀，然后上生粉入油锅炸金黄，效果或许就是你最想要的。
Nice video
Thanks!
We eat atherina (big scale sand smelt) whole in Greece as well. Especially when they're fresh you can't taste the guts.
I like them in tacos with cilantro, green onions, diced Serrano peppers, lime juice and sriracha
In Mexico we eat them whole too 😁
I was raised on eating them whole also.
good show...
Us eskimos in Alaska we cook them whole also. Soo good with bearded seal fat juice smelts we get are big big what I see on UA-cam are so small
I ate them whole as a kid, gut and all right in Central N.Y. but now as an adult I clean them up first.
Curious the (scientific) names of these fish…we call the small ones “night fish” and the larger ones “surf fish,” but what am I really eating?
Thanks for video…exactly how we eat them…but I’m going to try to clean some of the tiny things (night fish) and then leave some whole.
nice simple coating and that is all they need if not just flour and salt but i would deep fry them ,this also dries up the innerds better and just more crispy less soggy ,where did you get those one from niagara? those look big
Thanks! I got them from the Cowlitz river in Washington state during the annual smelt run.
@@bebe0928 nice, are they still safe enough to eat because i keep hearing about advisory reports on eating smelt or other fish depending what body of water they came from and recommendation for how many meals per ,month etc etc wonder if in the state you guys have similar fishing regulation or summary to follow? also when does the run start and end what months from march till may? are they still being caught in may?
@@ARCSTREAMS it's safe to eat if the fish & wild life dept open the season, which they did this February for only 1 day to preserve the fishery. In WA the smelt only runs in February, so nothing will be available in May.
@@bebe0928 you are only allowed to fish smelt for 1 day? well here in ontario canada i dont think there is any regulation on smelt and its open all year, i think the best runs found are in spring from march to may possibly
@@ARCSTREAMS yes one day only. This video will show you what it is like lol: ua-cam.com/video/IbHML-AvT3w/v-deo.html
I always believed fishbones would choke you. My dad (we are european) would always disprove the fact and just swallow the bones whole haha
Great video, what would you call that grinder can't find it on amazon
Mortar and Pestle
@@kzn1996 thank you!
What Alaska Tribe you from?
If you fried it enough, you can eat the whole thing. Bone and all. As the bones becomes crispy.
Natives American Indians in Alaska eat them whole too.
This is how to cook n eat the fish. Eat the whole fish from head to tail.
Guts no clean?
no need to gut them?
Did I see you at the opener in 2024?
I was at the west side of the bank lol
@@bebe0928 yes, I’m pretty sure that was you. Been waiting to see us in your video 😁
Smelt fish have white and red worm inside the meant
6
You can eat the bones
Umm no I’m not eating the innards!
"Don't worry about the black stuff" You mean the fish poop you didn't remove!
I will not eat fish guts, heads, tails. Thanks.
Croatians eat them whole.
Good video, but hey!... cut the heads off for more room in the pan. You don't eat the head do you ?? no, of course not.
My friend nice jobb butt you dispost clean interio li this’s no good you eat stoff in side the poo
Is the sperm too edible or only the eggs?
Both can be fried and eaten with the fish. Sperm is very minimal not like the eggs, also can be easily pulled away with other inners after the fish is cooked if you want to eat it