Salmon Jerky! (2008 Smoker of the Year Contest entry)

August 9, 2008

Mr. Iluv Cheeseheads sent in this chrome beauty of a king to be entered into ourSmoker of the Year Contest.

Mr. Cheeseheads said that the fish fought, well, kinda like an old gym sock but…being a huge fan of salmon jerky, he was really excited about the fact that the fish was ready to eat as soon as he got it ashore.

The fish bit an egg pattern William calls the “Skunge Scraper,” which he says is murder on kelts, sore tails and cheese heads.

Written by JD · Filed Under Smoker of the Year Contest

The Unknown Basser: 2008 Smoker of the Year Conest entry

July 3, 2008

A fellow named, um, The Una-Basser (he wouldn’t provide his name), sent in this photo of himself to be entered into our 2008 Smoker of the Year Contest.

U.B. says that he lives in California and, with all the salmon closures this year, he won’t be able to inhabit his favorite perch at the infamous “Wall” in the Nimbus Basin on the American River, where he had been a fixture — and 20-foot leader and bead flossing specialist — for the past decade.

“No Wall means no black beauty kings to submit this year,” he says. “So, I thought I’d enter this wretched, sorry excuse for a fish…though in all honesty, I’d probably never soil the grates of my smoker with one of these things. There’s not enough brine in the world to make one taste good!”

Written by JD · Filed Under Smoker of the Year Contest

European Big-Scaled Salmon (2008 Smoker of the Year Contest Entry)

June 9, 2008

Regular FishwithJD reader, Kenton Nichols of Eagle River Alaska, sent in this photo of himself from a recent trip to visit family in Pennsylvania where he and the gang did a little fishing for “European Big-Scaled Salmon” on the “Kenai of the Northeast,” the Juanita River.

This beautiful Smoker of the Year Contest entry was taken on a dog turd marinated in donkey’s blood.
Read more

Written by JD · Filed Under Feature 3, Smoker of the Year Contest

Prince of Darkness (2008 Smoker of the Year Contest entry)

February 27, 2008

A couple days back, I established myself as the King of Smokers, but thanks to a couple strong entries, we’ve got a new up-and-comer on our hands here…Jerry Lampkin of TNG Motorsports Guide Service seems to have a real way with big, salty bucks (some would say it takes one to know one!).

He nailed this bruiser on the Sacramento River just downstream of downtown Sacramento — back when we used to have salmon in this part of the world (just two years ago!).

Lampkin said that he used his excellent cedar plank recipe with this fish.

It goes like this:

Written by JD · Filed Under Smoker of the Year Contest

Ask JD (Special Edition): Yes, I am the King of the Smokers!

February 23, 2008

This is one of the best questions ever sent in by a reader, so without further adieu, a very special edition of Ask JD…

Question: JD, As the all-Big Enchilada and host of the Smoker of the Year Contest, I was recently wondering if you know of what you speak. After all, all I see you holding in pictures on this site and in the various magazines I see you in are chrome fish. I mean, what gives, dude? What are your qualifications? — Tom H., Redding, CA

Answer: Well I’m glad you asked, Tommy Boy! I probably should have posted my resume a long time ago when I first started the Smoker of the Year thing, but better late than never.

Well, here’s the deal. Though I have long since been reformed, I was quite the accomplished bead fisherman in my youth. Back then, my home away from home was the infamous “Wall” in the Nimbus Basin of the American River. That place was the epicenter of Smokers — it was to dark fish what Greenwich Village was to folk music. In the mid 80’s I was an unstoppable force in the field of catching dark fish…sort of the Joe Montana of sore tails.

Need some proof? I offer you this, a trip through my “dark” history…

Our trip down memory lane begins with this nearly 30-pound slab of “the other white meat” from 1987 (which I’ll add to the 2008 contest entries). This black buck was typical of the quality of fish I used to bring home. In those days, I made my fish even more “flavorful” by never bleeding them, keeping them (dead) on a stringer all day, throwing them in the back of my truck in 80- to 95-degree weather for the 45-minute drive home and then freezing them in tinfoil wrappers! YUM!!

But wait, there’s more…a lot more. I have quite a body of work from my days at the Wall. Read on!!

Written by JD · Filed Under Ask JD, Smoker of the Year Contest

The rarely-seen Golden Salmon (2008 Smoker of the Year Contest entry)

February 3, 2008

Here’s our first Smoker of the Year Contest entry of the 2008 season!

Yuri Beighsnagger and his pal ZeeZeetopski sent in this photo of a rare and seldom-seen species of salmon (aren’t they all these days??) that they caught a while back on the River De Plume, near their homeland of Palermosa

As is customary in their country, whoever catches ones of these cherished beasts immediately starts gnawing a chunk of flesh from the fish’s back, just ahead of the dorsal fin. Meat from that portion of the Golden Salmon is said to give that person good luck with the ladies (though it’s rumored that better personal hygiene is truly the secret and the key to the hearts of the women of Palermosa).

Palermosians also believe that it is extremely rude not to share your good fortune with friends. Judging by his gestures, ZeeZee is not terribly happy with the way Yuri is hording the fish. Apparently what happened next is not suitable for showing here in this forum.

To learn more about the Smoker of the Year Contest, click here: Smoker of the Year Contest

Written by JD · Filed Under Smoker of the Year Contest

The 2008 SMOKER OF THE YEAR Contest…Let the Games Begin!!

January 10, 2008

Well kiddies, after exciting finish in the 2007 Smoker of the Year Contest, it’s time to kick off this year’s competition! Going into the ‘08 season, Harrison Ibach is the guy to beat…he finished 1st and 3rd last season…making him the Sultan of Smoke, the Lord of Darkness, the Secretary of Skank or maybe just Captain Cheesehead. In any case, Ibach seems to have a gift and everyone else is going to have to step up their game a bit to have a chance at besting him.

Contest Info
To enter the Smoker of the Year Contest, email us pictures of the darkest, nastiest fish you catch this season…black kings, chums that look like alligators, spent, snaky steelies…whatever. Click on the Smoker of the Year category on the left side of the page to see last year’s entries if you need some inspiration. The more ragged fins and fungus the better!

The Contest will run through December and then will be judged by a combination of a popular vote of the people and then by my panel of dirty rotten scaliwaggs.

This year, we’ve got some more exciting prizes in the works, so I’ll fill you in on that later. For now, however, send us your darkies!

Let’s get it on!

Written by JD · Filed Under Smoker of the Year Contest

2007 Smoker of the Year WINNER!!!!

December 31, 2007

Hi folks, I’m Biff Wiggleman…welcome to the 2007 Smoker of the Year Awards Ceremony!!

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for all year and I know you’re all itching to see who this year’s winner is, but you’ll have to wait until the end of our show.

First off, let me tell you a little bit about how the Smoker of the Year voting took place.

First off you, the angling public, voted and narrowed the 20 entries from 2007 down to the top 4.

Then, our panel of river rats, pirates and poachers (aka: “The Judges”) took over from there and have declared a winner.

The final standings are currently in a locked, guarded vault under the stage and nobody but the judges and a representative of the accounting firm, Dewy, Cheatum and Howe know the results.

Okay, let’s take a commercial break here and we’ll be right back. The results are coming up on the next page….

Written by JD · Filed Under News, Smoker of the Year Contest