After my first few visits to New Jersey’s Round Valley Recreation Area I came home with an empty creel.  Finally, a friend helped show me the skills and we were able to set a few hooks in Lake Trout. The fish were biting around 80 to 90 feet deep on a mix of jigs and baitfish.  Turned out their stomachs were mostly full with scuds and the scud clouds could even be seen on the fish finder.

After the catch, I put some of the trout into The Little Chief Smoker with a pan or two of alder wood chips and it came out awesome! Both plain and marinated in a mix of soy sauce, sugar, garlic power and chili powder.

Trout in Little Chief Smoker

Smoked Trout Meat

Smoked Trout

Smoked Trout Meat