Surprise catch while smallie fishing

Always make an Erie smallie trip in October to end my fishing season.  Fishing out of Northeast.  While trolling crankbaits in 18-22 ft we caught (6) nice bass, all 3lbs to 4lbs.  Then this guy hit my crankbait.  Quite the adventure on light tackle, 35" / 18lbs.

 
Those bass are 17-18"

 
Need help.  How do I cook the laker?  Can you share any favorite recipes?  Or is smoking the only preferred method for this size.
 
Thanks,
Jerry
 
 
 

Nice catch!!! Are you from Grove city Ohio? I'm from Westerville and will be headed up next weekend. I have never fished Northeast and am curious to the location of a boat ramp and the kind of structure for smallie? We usually fish just outside presque isle bay? Any info would be great. God Bless..hock31

eyesandgillz

...close up the foil and throw on a hot grill until the fish just barely starts to flake.  

 

Let me guess...you tossed the fish and ate the foil?

Everyone, thanks for the advice although it saddens me to hear it.  I hate to kill such a magnificent fish for nothing.   Since there are many charter boats fishing for lakers, I had assumed they were ok table fare. Last night I did look at the PA F&B consumption warnings and lakers were in the same catagory as walleye, steelhead, salmon, bass, etc.. at one meal a month.
 
Hock,
I am from Grove City PA. 
Northeast marina http://www.northeastmarina.com/  
I really do not target any specific structure.  Just go west of the marina and stay in the 17-23 ft range and you will find the rocky structure that smallies love.  About 5 miles west is a known hotspot called the "Ws".  You will see a distant point to the west when you launch from Northeast.  The "Ws", high dirt banks on the shoreline with Ws (more like Vs) carved into, are just past that point.   Although the complete shoreline from the marina to Ws holds many smallies.
 
One warning though before you make a long drive to Lake Erie.  The odds of you getting a fishable lake on any particular day is slim this time of year.  Monitor the link below before you go, although this forecast is not guaranteed and it has failed me many times.
http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/forecasts/marine/near_shore/le/lez149.txt
I have been watching the waves for the last two weeks before I got a day I felt safe with my 17 ft boat.  I will try making the trip if the forecast is "2ft or less" or "1 to 3 ft".  Anything bigger, I stay home.
Jerry
 

Fry the Laker in a pan with Olive Oil.  Cook for 5-8 hrs. When done throw out the Laker and eat the pan.

Jerry,
 
Awesome fish, congrats.  I too would have probably kept it not knowing any better.  I have heard they are not the best tasting, but didn't realize how old that fish would be, or contamination that bad.  When you go to smoke it, I'd suggest skinning it, and trimming all fat and lateral line dark meat.  The fishing handbook has a diagram that shows how to get rid of much of the contaminated meat.  Most of the belly meat should probably be disgarded too.  I wouldn't give any to small kids or pregnant women, or any women planning on conceiving.  Other than that, I'm sure that you will be fine.  It might get a little dry while smoking, but shouldn't be too bad.  I skinned the last steelhead that I caught and were just fine.  Not only will it get rid of the contaminants in the skin, but allow a good bit of the melted fat that is holding much of the cantaniments to drip out as well.

eyesandgillz

It actually wasn't too bad, to tell you the truth.  

I was only joking.  My point is really just that with a lake full of walleye and perch, what's the point in eating lakers, especially if you need to do this to make it palatable:
 
What we did was fillet it out, skin the fillet as best you can and trim off all fat and blood lines, etc. Soak the fillet in some buttermilk or reg. milk for a 1/2 hr or longer if you want. Spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with some PAM and take the fillet out and dry it off and place it on the foil. Add whatever seasonings you like. We usually added some homemade Italian dressing (the one you made from the packets) and then layered the fillet with some sliced onions, green/red peppers, some minced garlic and a few lemon or lime slices. Add some fresh cracked pepper and sea salt to taste, close up the foil and throw on a hot grill until the fish just barely starts to flake. It was pretty decent that way but FRESH caught only and we were usually doing it with 8-10 lbers. I wouldn't freeze it and then try to eat it this way.
 
Also, I didn't want to come across as one of those guys that sanctimoniously lecture people about keeping fish that they are legally allowed to keep.  There are a lot of lakers out there to catch and enjoy, however, lakers grow very slowly and live a long time.  I encourage folks to release lakers, especially the old girls, but in the end, it's really none of my business what people choose to keep. 
 
I figured Jerry, the OP probably didn't have much choice in releasing her anyway since it was probably a long fight on bass gear and probably wouldn't have revived well.
 

Porktown
It might get a little dry while smoking, but shouldn't be too bad

 
Lakers are very oily so it shouldn't dry out too much.
 

JerryS

I am from Grove City PA. 

 
Good to hear we have someone from Grove City here! I went to Grove City College and just graduated this past spring. I would always spend my weekends fishing up around Lake Erie, it's an awesome study break! Nice to see you got into a big laker. Those big girls fight.

Nice fish

Catchabigone

No matter if you can eat it or not It"s still a nice fish and a wall hanger
Congrats

 
I thought the fish was a lot heavier on the boat.  When I bought a new digital scale last winter my choices were a 50lb or 15lb scale.  Since I never catch fish over 15lb .....  Not accustomed to holding fish that size, I had estimated 23-25lb.  When I stopped at the bait store to weigh the fish, two employees estimated 22-23 lbs.  Compared to the length, we were all surprised at the 18lb weight.  They thought it was a male.
 
Jerry