Smoked fish should be consumed within two weeks. It can be stored for longer periods in the freezer, but the texture of the meat may become softer and moister. If you've never tried smoked fish, your first batch, if properly prepared, will be a surprising treat. Although special brine recipes abound that use sugar and spices, many experienced fish smokers feel that flavor can be fine-tuned most easily by the proper choice of hardwoods. A sharp, pungent smoke is produced by woods like hickory, beech, oak, birch, ash, and alder.
Fruit woods including apple, cherry, and pear produce sweet-tasting smoke.
Many smokehouse operators prefer to mix hardwoods and fruit woods. Avoid using softwoods like pine, spruce, and cedar. Resins from these conifers will leave a very unpleasant taste on the fish. The size of wood chunks you will use depends upon your smoker's heat source. Sawdust or small chips work best with electric hot plates.