smoked steelhead

Here's my recipe, been handed down from the generations.
Make the brine-
1/4 cup of sea salt or Kosher salt ( do not use table salt )
2 cups of brown sugar
Put fish in a container that it barely fits in, add salt, brown sugar and warm water until the fish is covered over.
Let brine work for at least over nite in the fridge. Soak too long and fish will taste too salty.
Remove fish from brine and RINSE it off with cold water.
Get smoker fired up to 160 degs. and try not to go over 180 degs. ( you dont want to cook it )
Put smoker chips in ( soak your chips in water first ) ( I use a mix of apple and mesquite ) and put the fish on dry for a half an hour.
Fill your pan with water and add more chips.
I smoke 8 to 12 hours depending on the size of the fish adding chips all day
This wont be a real strong smoked flavor but man if you wont be able to eat the whole thing and a whole pack of crackers.
 
BH
 

I also let mine dry before putting it on the smoker. Some Cajun seasoning in the brine, then a light dusting before it goes on the smoker is nice sometimes. I also usually do 50/50 salt to sugar. Some oak seems to give it a much smokier flavor as well.

+1 on smoking with a dry brine.  If I'm cooking it to eat as a hot meal then I'll do a wet brine, but when smoking it to actually cure the fish then a dry brine is much better.  The whole idea behind smoking/curing is to get all the moisture out of the fish and preserve it.  Here are some dry brine instructions I put together for a friend.  I use this with excellent results every year.   
 
Most of this info comes from an article on smoking fish written by a seafood quality specialist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks:
 
 
Dry Brine -  4 parts dark brown sugar, 1 part non-iodized canning/pickling salt.   Apply generously so that the fish is completely coated and has a thick crust all around it.  Refrigerate 12 – 24hrs. 
 
* Avoid rock salt, sea salt, and iodized salt because these contain impurities and additives that can cause bitterness and off flavors. Curing salts should also be avoided since they contain nitrites.
 
 
Drying – Lightly rinse the brine off of the fillets.  Place fillets on a rack with a small table fan blowing over them on low for 30mins – 2hrs, until a shiny glaze (pellicle) forms on the fish.  This should be done at room temperature just prior to smoking.
 
* Drying accomplishes two things. It allows the salt to penetrate and to become evenly distributed throughout the flesh of the fish (equili­bration). Secondly, the surface of the fish dries to form a “pellicle” or tough shiny coat. The pellicle seals in moisture and makes the appearance of the finished product much better.
 
 
Smoker Temp - Smoke at low heat, 150-175 tops.  Do not let smoker get too hot. If the fish cooks quickly it will not turn out right.  Do not get your heat up to 200.  It will cook, barely get any smoke flavor, and will taste like you grilled it for 10 minutes.  Not what you are going for when you smoke fish.  You want the fish to absorb smoke and go through the process. If it gets too hot it will cook quickly and then you may as well take it out because it will not absorb any more smoke flavor. 
 
* Fish that is smoked too quickly and at 200-250, will taste like a baked filet with liquid smoke poured on.  
 
Target Internal Fish Temp - 160 degrees for 30 minutes within 6 – 8 hrs.
* Wait at least 5 hours minimum before bringing the internal temp up to 160.
 
 
Storage - After the fish has been smoked, allow it to cool to room temperature (this will prevent condensation) and then do one of the following:
 

• Wrap and refrigerate below 38°F until con­sumed. Use a good plastic wrap and/or alumi­num foil. Smoked product can last as long as 14 days in the refrig­erator.  * I prefer storing in a brown paper bag, which helps wick the moisture away, and replace the paper bag every few days. 
  
• Wrap and freeze. Use a good freezer wrap and aluminum foil to protect the product, or vacuum seal.  Properly protected smoked salmon will last for 2 to 3 months.