Fish should be filleted and skinned, if the skin is tough.  Cut the fillets into strips, making them as thin as possible. A good size is 1x 6x 1/4” thick. Small fish such as smelt need only be cleaned and halved (the small bones can be eaten) and they’re ready to dry.

 

Dried fish may not sound appetizing to most folk, except maybe to tough mountain men, so adding a little extra flavor will make the jerky more appealing. The fish strips can be dipped in a solution of water, salt, sweetening, and spices according to your tastes. You might want to dip the fish in soy sauce or a homemade flavoring. Soak the strips for a few minutes, drain off the excess liquid, and place in the smoker.

 

You can put the strips directly on the smoker rack or hang with toothpicks like the beef jerky. Drying fish at a low temperature preserves more nutrients than drying at a high temperature. If the temperature is too high you’ll end up with baked fish.