Malc

Started off quiet well offshore but just a haddock and crabs mullahing the bait. Inshore we were hitting lots codling to 3-4 lb and a cracker of a pollock for the skipper on light gear. We tried big lures, little lures, big baits, little baits and it was either mackerel hitting them on the drop or codling on the bottom little chance of getting the species we haven't got as yet in the competition apart from the haddock. Even 8/0 meat hooks with a 6" muppet and 1/2 mackerel fillets were getting codling on them. 
It was not all action all day but it was a laugh and we have a codling a piece and mackerel for bait in the winter. Tea was cod with tumbet. 

Started off quiet well offshore but just a haddock and crabs mullahing the bait. Inshore we were hitting lots codling to 3-4 lb and a cracker of a pollock for the skipper on light gear. We tried big lures, little lures, big baits, little baits and it was either mackerel hitting them on the drop or codling on the bottom little chance of getting the species we haven't got as yet in the competition apart from the haddock. Even 8/0 meat hooks with a 6" muppet and 1/2 mackerel fillets were getting codling on them. 
It was not all action all day but it was a laugh and we have a codling a piece and mackerel for bait in the winter. Tea was cod with tumbet. 

Hopefully tomorrow!

Ok, I am going to start 3 new project threads. I have a yam 55 that has not been used for several years that will be serviced and recommissioned, a trailer that has been out of use for several years, and a boat that needs recommissioning and all 3 coming together.

Smoked cheese is lovely though. But probably cold smoked rather than hot smoked goo.

No, I cut the cherry and oak and had 2x coal sacks full unfortunately I had to get rid of most of it when moving house. I found that the dry chips would catch fire too easily and you would have too much heat in the smoker, the chips would be just dust inside but damp chips and dust smouldered nicely and no appreciable difference in the food. 

I am not an expert but we have been smoking fish, fowl and vegetables for around 20 years so I hope that I can cover the basics. Our smoker was blagged by my wife when we were buying our new kitchen units and the smoker was part of a display kitchen, it's a Camerons smoker Quick search  but you could make your own with 2x roasting tins and a cake cooling rack, the heavier the better as I would expect cheaper tins to buckle. If you have a deep enough single tin you could try sealing the top with foil.

That's my set up you can easily get 2-4 mackerel fillets in it or 2 chicken breasts.
Meat and fish need to be salted before smoking as it really does enhance the flavour, brine or dry salt is used, I prefer dry as it is easier to see it working and you don't need to weigh the ingredients or wait for brine to cool, but brine is great to flavour a chicken for Sunday lunch. 
Coarse or fine salt can be used and I prefer any salt that doesn't have anti caking agents or anything else, just pure salt. You can use sugar as well as salt and I sometimes use it when doing hot smoked mackerel for a salad rather than paté, 50/50 seems to work well enough. You can also try adding other flavours (spices, chilli garlic etc) but you need to be bold as the smoke may mask subtle flavours. 
How much salt? This is the magic bit...just bung it on! Not 3" thick but a bit like a doughnut, a good covering, if you are using sugar, demerara is good, use a spoonful of each mixed together and coat the meat/fish. We have smoked sweet peppers and chilli which worked fine, no need for salt, just wash and split into two. Length of time is indeterminate, mackerel takes about 15-30 minutes and what I like to see is fluid on the plate, below is just after salting and you can see it is just dry. 

Next is about half done and the salt looks wetter, but as I said I like to see fluid on the plate that the salt has drawn out. 

After that wash off the remaining salt and dry well on kitchen paper, if you can leave it on the rack to dry further before smoking. 
Timings? How long is a piece of string?
I put it onto the smallest gas ring at 1/2 heat for about a minute or so but I wait until the top of the smoker is getting a little too hot to touch, then I turn down to lowest setting. Once I think it is half cooked I turn up to 3/4 for a minute and then turn off and leave (don't open it up) for 15 minutes or so to maximise the smokiness. Timings are not set in stone unless you have the same smoker as me, however I find that around 10 minutes cooking  for mackerel or similar size fish, 20 minutes for chicken and 30 for peppers. Leaving in the smoker gives more smoky flavour but that's just personal preference, you could take it straight out and scoff it. However always check that the food is fully cooked first, meat thermometers are good but most people can tell if you cut through the thickest part. 
Wood. I have been processing my own wood for many years and initially I ran my saw with vegetable oil instead of chain oil for a while and then cut some oak and cherry limbs and kept the chips. They were good but I also use hand saw sawdust as well. A level tablespoon dampened works well enough for fish and heaped for chicken and veg. 
You will mess up on occasions, but a couple of leather hard and blackened mackerel fillets isn't the worst thing to happen to you (we forgot to set the timer!) but over cooking is preferable to uner cooking. If it's too salty this time just use less salt next time or reduce the salting time. It isn't rocket science but it is fun and the results are tasty!
If I've missed anything or you aren't sure what I meant just ask. 

Overnight fishing seems to be the in thing at the moment, but a lot of guys just ended up sleeping 

being away from it all, back ground noise, ect fresh air and back to nature, maybe

Pics to follow…. 
But it’s big, it’s white and it’s got 2 hulls 🤩🤩🤩🤩

Managed to get out on Saturday after having had a few issues with a gearbox but now all sorted so was lovely to be out
 
sadly the forecast changed at the last minute I warned the crew we’d be in for a rough ride but tbey were keen to get out. 
 
After a rather bouncy 3 hour steam we were on the shark grounds…. First run in 30 mins. Was a decent porbeagle but sadly managed to slip the hook. Rather frustrating! 
 
we had another run which after a spirited battle we had a cute little porgie abour 100-110lb to the boat. It was wrapped up but a wave soon washed it through the door…
Quick photo, tagged and released. 
 
Anorher blue of about 80lb soon came along, again tagged and released. 
 
Sadly the crew lost another porgie just underneath the boat…. 
 
I was keen to carry on but with 4 anglers with heads over the rail they decided to head in… another 3 hour steam home in a lumpy beam on sea and we were home 🙂 
Lovely to be back out there hopefully a few more weatger windows abd can get out again 🙂 

Great post!!

I am not an expert but we have been smoking fish, fowl and vegetables for around 20 years so I hope that I can cover the basics. Our smoker was blagged by my wife when we were buying our new kitchen units and the smoker was part of a display kitchen, it's a Camerons smoker Quick search  but you could make your own with 2x roasting tins and a cake cooling rack, the heavier the better as I would expect cheaper tins to buckle. If you have a deep enough single tin you could try sealing the top with foil.

That's my set up you can easily get 2-4 mackerel fillets in it or 2 chicken breasts.
Meat and fish need to be salted before smoking as it really does enhance the flavour, brine or dry salt is used, I prefer dry as it is easier to see it working and you don't need to weigh the ingredients or wait for brine to cool, but brine is great to flavour a chicken for Sunday lunch. 
Coarse or fine salt can be used and I prefer any salt that doesn't have anti caking agents or anything else, just pure salt. You can use sugar as well as salt and I sometimes use it when doing hot smoked mackerel for a salad rather than paté, 50/50 seems to work well enough. You can also try adding other flavours (spices, chilli garlic etc) but you need to be bold as the smoke may mask subtle flavours. 
How much salt? This is the magic bit...just bung it on! Not 3" thick but a bit like a doughnut, a good covering, if you are using sugar, demerara is good, use a spoonful of each mixed together and coat the meat/fish. We have smoked sweet peppers and chilli which worked fine, no need for salt, just wash and split into two. Length of time is indeterminate, mackerel takes about 15-30 minutes and what I like to see is fluid on the plate, below is just after salting and you can see it is just dry. 

Next is about half done and the salt looks wetter, but as I said I like to see fluid on the plate that the salt has drawn out. 

After that wash off the remaining salt and dry well on kitchen paper, if you can leave it on the rack to dry further before smoking. 
Timings? How long is a piece of string?
I put it onto the smallest gas ring at 1/2 heat for about a minute or so but I wait until the top of the smoker is getting a little too hot to touch, then I turn down to lowest setting. Once I think it is half cooked I turn up to 3/4 for a minute and then turn off and leave (don't open it up) for 15 minutes or so to maximise the smokiness. Timings are not set in stone unless you have the same smoker as me, however I find that around 10 minutes cooking  for mackerel or similar size fish, 20 minutes for chicken and 30 for peppers. Leaving in the smoker gives more smoky flavour but that's just personal preference, you could take it straight out and scoff it. However always check that the food is fully cooked first, meat thermometers are good but most people can tell if you cut through the thickest part. 
Wood. I have been processing my own wood for many years and initially I ran my saw with vegetable oil instead of chain oil for a while and then cut some oak and cherry limbs and kept the chips. They were good but I also use hand saw sawdust as well. A level tablespoon dampened works well enough for fish and heaped for chicken and veg. 
You will mess up on occasions, but a couple of leather hard and blackened mackerel fillets isn't the worst thing to happen to you (we forgot to set the timer!) but over cooking is preferable to uner cooking. If it's too salty this time just use less salt next time or reduce the salting time. It isn't rocket science but it is fun and the results are tasty!
If I've missed anything or you aren't sure what I meant just ask. 

Went out with my friends to see if we could get a few more species for the competition. 
First was a try outside the piers for mackerel or launce, I had one first drop but that was it, then over rough ground for pollock and wrasse but they were being shy and my friends were getting a few codling including some stunning kelpy codling to about 4-5lb. We then tried for flats, pout and whiting over a mixed bottom but I had already scored with dabs and that's all I got, however my friends got their mackerel, so on the score board for mackerel. 
We always travel with hope and went in really close to rough ground and were flinging SP's and other things about in the hope that a bass of any size might take them but after several drifts gave it best and headed home. 
Points for all of us as we hadn't had mackerel yet, so not a waste of time but it seems that the fish are here one day and gone the next at the moment or it could be that the bait fish are not in big shoals and the fish are moving about a lot? Good fun and great company to be in as usual. 

Went out with my friends to see if we could get a few more species for the competition. 
First was a try outside the piers for mackerel or launce, I had one first drop but that was it, then over rough ground for pollock and wrasse but they were being shy and my friends were getting a few codling including some stunning kelpy codling to about 4-5lb. We then tried for flats, pout and whiting over a mixed bottom but I had already scored with dabs and that's all I got, however my friends got their mackerel, so on the score board for mackerel. 
We always travel with hope and went in really close to rough ground and were flinging SP's and other things about in the hope that a bass of any size might take them but after several drifts gave it best and headed home. 
Points for all of us as we hadn't had mackerel yet, so not a waste of time but it seems that the fish are here one day and gone the next at the moment or it could be that the bait fish are not in big shoals and the fish are moving about a lot? Good fun and great company to be in as usual. 

Tight lines! 

A few sharks before mal de mer took over….
short day, happy customers

Went out with my friends to see if we could get a few more species for the competition. 
First was a try outside the piers for mackerel or launce, I had one first drop but that was it, then over rough ground for pollock and wrasse but they were being shy and my friends were getting a few codling including some stunning kelpy codling to about 4-5lb. We then tried for flats, pout and whiting over a mixed bottom but I had already scored with dabs and that's all I got, however my friends got their mackerel, so on the score board for mackerel. 
We always travel with hope and went in really close to rough ground and were flinging SP's and other things about in the hope that a bass of any size might take them but after several drifts gave it best and headed home. 
Points for all of us as we hadn't had mackerel yet, so not a waste of time but it seems that the fish are here one day and gone the next at the moment or it could be that the bait fish are not in big shoals and the fish are moving about a lot? Good fun and great company to be in as usual. 

Went out with my friends to see if we could get a few more species for the competition. 
First was a try outside the piers for mackerel or launce, I had one first drop but that was it, then over rough ground for pollock and wrasse but they were being shy and my friends were getting a few codling including some stunning kelpy codling to about 4-5lb. We then tried for flats, pout and whiting over a mixed bottom but I had already scored with dabs and that's all I got, however my friends got their mackerel, so on the score board for mackerel. 
We always travel with hope and went in really close to rough ground and were flinging SP's and other things about in the hope that a bass of any size might take them but after several drifts gave it best and headed home. 
Points for all of us as we hadn't had mackerel yet, so not a waste of time but it seems that the fish are here one day and gone the next at the moment or it could be that the bait fish are not in big shoals and the fish are moving about a lot? Good fun and great company to be in as usual. 

Just heading out...

Just heading out...

My set up. 

At the back is the base for outdoor use, but I don't have the burner, lid on the right and on the left the main body will smoking plate and grill above.

Chips and sawdust, I use about a level tablespoon of 50/50 and dampen it before use.

Bung the chips and dust in the centre and I found that the chips got stuck to the bottom of the plate so I raised it by putting rolled up foil either side. It just helps the clean up afterwards. 
Stick the plate over the top with your food on, put the top on and place on the hob. I have it on the smallest burner but on full for about a minute to get heat into the box and start the wood smoldering, then lowest setting for however long the food needs to cook. 
For outdoor use the burner would go inside and the sides would protect it from being blown out I suppose. 

Hope it helps Mike, any relevant (you know who you are) questions please ask. 

My set up. 

At the back is the base for outdoor use, but I don't have the burner, lid on the right and on the left the main body will smoking plate and grill above.

Chips and sawdust, I use about a level tablespoon of 50/50 and dampen it before use.

Bung the chips and dust in the centre and I found that the chips got stuck to the bottom of the plate so I raised it by putting rolled up foil either side. It just helps the clean up afterwards. 
Stick the plate over the top with your food on, put the top on and place on the hob. I have it on the smallest burner but on full for about a minute to get heat into the box and start the wood smoldering, then lowest setting for however long the food needs to cook. 
For outdoor use the burner would go inside and the sides would protect it from being blown out I suppose. 

Hope it helps Mike, any relevant (you know who you are) questions please ask. 

My set up. 

At the back is the base for outdoor use, but I don't have the burner, lid on the right and on the left the main body will smoking plate and grill above.

Chips and sawdust, I use about a level tablespoon of 50/50 and dampen it before use.

Bung the chips and dust in the centre and I found that the chips got stuck to the bottom of the plate so I raised it by putting rolled up foil either side. It just helps the clean up afterwards. 
Stick the plate over the top with your food on, put the top on and place on the hob. I have it on the smallest burner but on full for about a minute to get heat into the box and start the wood smoldering, then lowest setting for however long the food needs to cook. 
For outdoor use the burner would go inside and the sides would protect it from being blown out I suppose. 

Hope it helps Mike, any relevant (you know who you are) questions please ask. 

I shall consult the time Lords and see what they say about it.