My question is if the indians are so worried about keeping the treaties because of TRADITION then why are all of the salmon sold?? (or wasted) And now a statement about netting.... IF the WDFW spends all this money on salmon recovery why can't they give each Indian a choice of a lump sum or the right to net..... Which do you think they will take??? A few grand so they dont have to work for the money, I have nothing against indians, i have a lot of friends that are indian, but it is not about the treaty, it is about the money.

HappySteelie, Not all the salmon are sold. I grew up on fish head soup. How many fish heads have you eaten or wasted by throwing away? On the other hand can you really eat Salmon everyday? Indians always traded salmon for others items needed. As for the second part of your statement, some probably would take the money but I know many who would never sell out their fishing rights. Just my 2 pennies worth.

I was not saying that ALL of them would take the money... i was stating that over time the younger indians would rather take the easy money rather than going out and pulling nets, cause i know some old timers would not give it up..... and I have seen many salmon wasted, many, and i dont know of many indians keeping more than a few salmon a year to smoke for their own consumption ..... and no i have not had fish head soup....nor do i wish to have it... no offense but i would much rather have the fish (excluding head and internal organs) BBQ'D.

You at least have to try the cheeks on your next king salmon. Cut them out and either fry them or boil them (need salt). They have a real good flavor!

Letty,
Would you mind posting or e mailing me your recipe for fish head soup??? I have tried some from some Pacific Islander friends that I know. It was good, but made with salmon it should be better. The only thing I have ever used the heads for is crab bait.
Thanks and tight lines, Jeff

[This message has been edited by salmonhead (edited 06-20-2000).]

Salmon cheeks? never tried it..... recipe???

SalmonHead, Fish head soup is real simple.
(your name on here and this recipe, is that weird or what) Cut off the fish head, chinook are best. Remove gills. Split head lengthwise and wash. Boil potatoes and any other veggies you want with the fish heads. Serve in a bowl with 1 or 2 halves of the head in each bowl. The cheeks are the best part, the brave also eat the eyes.

HappySteelie, the cheeks are located by feeling the soft area of the chinook head behind the eyes. They are about silver dollar size, about an 1 1/2 inch thick. Cut out and peel off the skin. Boil or dredge in flour and fry in butter.

Thaks Letty. Ya I heard the Twilight Zone music while I was writin the post. dododododododo!!!!!
Tight lines, Jeff

Letty, how long to boil? Crock pot it all day, or just until everythings cooked.

I did the Federal Observer thing in the 80s on board Japanese factory trawlers fishing in the Bering Sea. They served a rockfish head soup that was amazing. Couldn't get a recipe because of the language barrier. Thanks

Put the fish heads in the pot about 10 minutes before the veggies are done. They only take 10 minutes to cook. You can skim off the top if you have a weaker stomach. If you have fish eggs, you can cut them up and boil also. Most sport fishermen would never agree to this though.

HappySteely, I didn’t intend for your post to take off in this direction. My thoughts are that there are fishing traditions. From sockeye on a cedar stick cooked for family and friends, fish soup, the letting go of the first salmon, prayers offered at the river, salmon bones placed in the river, all are important to Indians. I hope that it always will be.

Sorry about that i didn't mean that all the indians were about the money... i know that there is a lot of tradition in the native salmon fishery and i also know that there are a lot of younger indians(not all!) that are just there because they were born native and are there for the quick money, i also know that there are a lot of people that are married into the tribe(like i said not all) that dont care about any ritual just the fact that they can get money for it. i am sorry for anyone who got offended by my first statement and i hope there are no hard feelings about the misunderstanding.

Duke

And on that salmon cheek recipe.... how long do you fry them, till they are brown or what?? Thanks!

Duke

I usually split one open to see if it's done in the middle, you'll be able to tell by the color of the center compared to the outsides.

Howdy,
One boss I used to turn wrenches for(a music promoter running a tune-up shop?) would get upset if I didn't save the heads from my Salmon/Steelhead for him, fishhead soup was his favorite food in the world.
As far as wastage, I can remember how upset I was finding a large amount of sliced open Chum carcasses up on the N.F. Stilly for the first time. I now realize the importance of spent adult fish in stream/riparian foodchains. This ingredient was overlooked (still is with max. sustained harvest policy) until a few years ago. The importance of woody debris was recognized around the same time I believe. More quality fishing should result from the emphasis on stream protection. Salmon don't care if they spawn in urban conditions, as long as we make it possible.

Cheeks are wonderful. When I was little my dad and I used to fight over the cheeks from our trout catches (you need lots of trout...it was a long time ago). I like the cheeks from steelhead too. I highly reccomend them to anyone willing to try. I'd argue they are the tastiest piece of the fish. YUMMY!

i also have nothing against indians. i think that they would take the money because they could use it a lot better than fish. the state should give them the fish because the state already gives them enough money with the welfare checks they send the Native Americans.

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