In this episode, Sharon and Marie take “The Fish Dish” to the water for a charter fishing experience on Lake Superior. One foggy morning, they visited Isle Royale National Park where they signed up for a fishing charter provided by the Rock Harbor Lodge on this wilderness island. The “Fish-o-Licious” part of the show is a little different this time. We hear from the charter captains about their favorite way to prepare fish, and then Marie and Sharon discuss the delicious dinner they had from the lake trout they caught. Yes, here’s a spoiler, they did catch fish on their charter, but they weren’t so sure there for a while. Listen to discover the secret ceremony they performed to catch fish and what kinds of lake trout they caught.

The Fish Dish hits the road again when Marie and Sharon travel to the North House Folk School for a day-long Lake Superior fish-cooking class. You’ll meet University of Wisconsin-River Falls instructor Karalyn Littlefield who taught the class six new fish dishes, and you’ll be privy to Karalyn’s secret tip for cooking fish properly. The “Fish-o-Licious” part of the show brings you into the class for two of the recipes: a smoked fish spread and a salt-encrusted cisco (herring). One of these dishes employs use of a hammer. Find out why! You’ll also hear from two of Sharon and Marie’s classmates about their learning experiences. Now, let’s get cooking!

The Fish Dish hits the road when Marie and Sharon take a trip to the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wisconsin, where they tour the facilities and gardens and meet Emmett Brown, its executive director. The Hall of Fame’s mission is to preserve the historical artifacts, heritage and history of freshwater sport fishing, but there’s much more to it, including sasquatch replicas and a giant muskellunge. In the “Fish-o-Licious” part of the show, Sharon and Marie cook a rainbow trout recipe called, “Dad’s Mushroom Masterpiece.” They are joined by a mysterious special guest for the taste test.

In this episode, we meet Daniel Grooms, business manager for the Red Cliff Fish Company in Red Cliff, Wisconsin. Red Cliff is at the top of Wisconsin’s Bayfield Peninsula and is the home of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The company processes and sells fish caught from Lake Superior by tribal fishers. In fact, it’s entirely owned and operated by the Band. In the second, “Fish-o-Licious” part of the show, Sharon and Marie cook a frozen whitefish fillet in the microwave. Plus, they cover topics like fish dessert, author Stephen King’s attempt at microwaving salmon, and share the secret to evenly cooking a fillet of various thicknesses.

Sharon and Marie interview Ryan Lepak, a research limnologist at the Environmental Protection Agency in Duluth who studies mercury. He’s also an avid fisherman. In the second, “Fish-o-Licious” part of the show, Ryan helps us make sushi for the first time with Lake Superior fish. We even try to have a competition for the best sushi, with the emphasis on TRY. Who will win this friendly sushi competition?

Sharon and Marie discover there are different camps that can get a little feisty when it comes to cooking this traditional holiday fish. Wisconsinites of Swedish and Norwegian descent feel strongly about their favorite preparation methods for lutefisk. We were invited into the home of Mary Childs in Port Wing, Wisconsin, to talk about cooking options, along with Mary’s friend Marge Ogren. We also discuss other holiday fish dishes. In the second, “Fish-o-Licious” part of the show, we actually eat a lutefisk lunch with Mary and Marge.

Eat Wisconsin Fish Outreach Specialist Sharon Moen spent part of her summer visiting aquaponics and aquaculture facilities in Wisconsin. One of them was Lake Orchard Farm in Sheboygan, run by Nate Calkins. He shares his beginnings in the business, fascinating statistics about his operation, plus his dreams for the future. In the “Fish-o-licious” part of the show, we cook colorful Pan-Seared Tilapia with Mango Salsa. Also, Sharon and Marie share their experiences trying to raise fish and attending fish boils (in more ways than one).

Eat Wisconsin Fish Outreach Specialist Sharon Moen spent part of her summer visiting commercial fishers and fisheries managers in the Bayfield, Wisconsin, area. One of them was Craig Hoopman of Craig Hoopman Fisheries. He shares his beginnings in the business, current challenges, plus his dreams for the future. In the “Fish-o-licious” second part of the show, we cook Greek-Style Lake Whitefish at Craig’s recommendation. Also, Sharon and Marie share their backgrounds in fishing and introduce listeners to what Eat Wisconsin Fish is all about.