Grand Marais – Planked fish has been around for centuries. Historians widely accept that the first records of planked fish came from the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest, where they would attach salmon to cedar planks and cook by a fire. European settlers quickly adopted the practice, incorporating it into their own culinary traditions. As westward expansion brought more people into contact with abundant freshwater fisheries, planked trout dinners became a staple of outdoor gatherings and celebrations. These communal meals fostered a sense of community and shared heritage. It is not uncommon to find cookbooks from the 18th century that include recipes for planked fish, and George Washington held planked shad cookouts at Mount Vernon (shad is a type of fish).
Along the North Shore, serving and eating planked fish such as trout or whitefish has been documented as early as 1893. The 1895 Tourist’s and Sportsman’s Guide to Duluth, Superior, and Vicinity stated “If the opportunity arises do not fail to order the celebrated Planked White Fish [at local restaurants].”
In an oral history interview found in the Minnesota Digital Library, Roy Oberg, in an interview with Barbara Sommers, described his family’s involvement in commercial fishing for over three generations, beginning in 1889.
Oberg tells Sommers that payment for fish was low in the early 1900s, but they’d get paid slightly more for jumbo whitefish. “You see, the rich people would buy these large whitefish for planking…a special way of cooking them on an open fire with planks.”
In more recent years, it’s traditional in this area to use whitefish or lake trout for planked dinner. The Lake Superior Steelhead Association has hosted “planking parties” for its members for almost 40 years, where they serve around 50-60 lake trout.
In 2007, the Cook County Historical Society started an “old-new” tradition by hosting planked trout dinners (formerly hosted by the Grand Marais Lion’s Club). Since then, the mostly annual event has taken place in downtown Grand Marais. The event not only serves as a nod to history, but also as a fundraiser for the Historical Society.
This year, the event is making its return after a hiatus due to COVID on Saturday, August 17 in the Grand Marais RV Park Recreation Hall from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Along with delicious plank-cooked lake trout, potatoes, salad, bread, dessert, and beverages will be served.
Tickets are available at www.cookcountyhistory.org in advance (recommended) or at the door.
For more information, call 218- 387-2883 or email history@boreal.org.
