Great Fish from the Great Lakes!

Did you know that if you stood on the moon you would be able to identify all of our Great Lakes and the mitten between them? The Great Lakes have about one-fifth of the world’s fresh surface water supply and 9/10s of the U.S. supply. Spread out over the lower 48 states, we’re talking 10 feet deep. What an incredible resource! What a bounty and variety of delicious fish!

At Monahan’s we have always carried lots of the Great Lakes fish—spring, summer, fall and even some mild winters—whitefish, lake trout and smelt from Lake Superior and Lake Michigan; and lake perch, walleye and white bass from Lake Huron and Lake Erie (one of the biggest walleye fisheries on earth!) We also carry some great smoked whitefish and smoked whitefish sausage from Petoskey and Mackinac City. Whether you’re serving simply broiled whitefish or lake trout, fried smelt or lake perch with lemon and tartar sauce, or sautéed or broiled walleye, these are some of the world’s tastiest fish.

We hear a lot of questions and concerns from our customers about toxins in Great Lakes fish. At our market, we sell the younger, smaller sized fish, not the older fatty fish. Along with the fact that the lakes have cleaned up a lot since the Great Lakes Water Quality Act and Clean Waterways Act of the 70’s were enacted, eating our lake fish once or twice a week is a healthy treat where the health benefits far outweigh any risk. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has some helpful information here.

Our own family has eaten fish from the Great Lakes at our house along with a big variety of sea fish and shellfish. The key is to enjoy a varied, healthful diet, with everything in moderation and not just eating the same thing over and over. If there are minute risk factors in any food, be it ocean fish, lake fish or land-based meats, mixing it up is the best bet.

Our Great Lakes fish have so much to offer aside from supporting our local Michigan fisheries. We have such an amazing resource right here on this great pair of penninsulas.

Here’s a great whitefish recipe for you.