I got my smoker for my birthday and father's day gift..
I've tried a smoked salmon fillet per Dave's recipe. Good but too salty, I will adjust next time.
Did a pork roast. Good on the outside from the rub and smoke but no penetration of flavor. Overall plain.
I've been reading some recipes and maybe you all have experience to answer some questions.

Do all fish need to be brined?
What type of brining is good for smoking a whole fish? The kind you rub on or the kind you soak the fish in?

I'm reading it's good to keep the skin on so the fish doesn't stick to the rack. But I think the scales need to be removed so the fish is clean. Am I wrong?

Questions about meat:

Is there a specific mix you use to rub your meat?(KY) Do you make up your own rub? Do you just find a store bought rub you like?

I read that you can brine meat. Is that a thing?

Any tips will be helpful. I want to try smoking a whole fish and Cassie said try beef ribs.

Thanks.

It was a very windy morning when I launched my kayak at 7:30, at least 20 mph winds and I was hesitant whether I wanted to go out. But it did calm down and got really nice by 10:00 or so and I was able to catch my first bass in the last few days of being skunked. I also fished the cove where I caught the jumbo catfish a few days ago and they appeared to be moving to deeper water and were gone. This pound and a half Largemouth came on my new Fenwick rod with Pflueger President reel I just received yesterday so it was great nice combination. Also using my Ozark Trails chartreuse Square Bill always seems to deliver. The water has gotten very clear the last day or two and I'm sure that affects fishing.

Or you could simply eliminate all that noise and use an electric trolling motor. You can get one off Craigslist for likely less than twice what you will pay for the plate, and have the added advantage of saving gas as well as being able to enjoy your surroundings in blissful near-silence.
I'm pretty sure that those "plates" aren't all that desirable or even practical....there's 3 listed on our local Craigslist "Boat Parts" today, a usual circumstance, it seems.
Good luck on this.

I wish the photo quality was better but I had quite a morning in the South Bay of Mesquite Bay at Havasu. Around 10:00 this morning I threw out a Senco Texas rigged blue worm and what I hooked was quite amazing, the biggest catfish I've ever seen gave me well over a 10-minute battle. It was probably 8 or 9 minutes in before even got to see him. At about 5 minutes he went down below me and just sat and I tried my best to pump the rod tip to getting up without setting the drag too tight and breaking 12 lb leader but at least my knots were tied good.
My Google pixel phone/camera was acting up so I only have photos and video of the second fish. I'm guessing the first was over 20 lb crazy big. I broke him off at the kayak and then tied on a wacky rig, green pumpkin color worm cast to the same spot and literally within minutes hooked into a second one and again was a monster catfish. He was an easier fight to get up to the kayak and I'm guessing he was 12 lb or so. What on earth makes catfish go after plastic worms I have no idea, is this something that's common? It sure had me excited this morning, what a day.
I'm laughing as I download the pictures as he's one homely sob with that cigar sticking out of his mouth!

We all have a mama, you just can't deny it,
To say you don't's dumb, and no one should buy it.
We started as babies, us here on the Stage,
We tell fishin stories on page after page.
Alot of us here are seniors in life,
With memories to share, some joyful, some strife.
Some mama's are gone, mine is and I miss her.
If she were still here, I'd happily kiss her.

As a kid here on Table Rock, I watched mom fish with dad, using her Ambassadeur 5000, throwing her favorite lure, the Reaper. Her fried fish recipe is one that'll make folks who don't eat fish want a second piece. Now I'm hungry. 🙄

Happy Mothers' Day Stage family.