Burning Man on ice

February 25, 2010 12:59 PM

The 31st Annual Eelpout Festival wrapped up in Walker, Minnesota, last weekend. The eelpout is an large, ugly, slimy freshwater cod.

Part Mardi Gras, part Burning Man, the festival is dedicated to ice fishing for (and catching) the lowly eelpout. But also to partying on the ice.

As with Burning Man, elaborate camps spring from the playa ice.

There is also the tradition of pulling things across the ice with ATVs. Things like couches, hot tubs, and, you know, stuff.

This year, in honor of the Olympics, there was even an eelpout curling tournament (fast forward to 6:00).

More photos here, here, and here.

Photos likely to feature bikinis, pasty white men in bathing suits, and/or idiotic displays of the confederate flag. NSFW-ness to be determined by the beholder.

posted by mudpuppie (16 comments total)

What is the deal with Minnesotans / Norwegians and their love for awful fish?
posted by entropicamericana at 1:04 PM on February 25, 2010

Hey, some of us Norwegians read this site!

My first thought was whether or not this would be tasty.
posted by cjorgensen at 1:10 PM on February 25, 2010

I thought an eelpout was that scrunchy face thing teenage girls do in Myspace photos.
posted by JackarypQQ at 1:14 PM on February 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

It's the face I make when I find out a sushi restaurant is out of unagi or anago.
posted by kmz at 1:23 PM on February 25, 2010

My wife is a quarter Norwegian, and is from Minnesota. I admit to thinking that pickled herring is actually not bad. My wife said she would kill me if I ever brought home lutefisk, even if it was a joke.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:26 PM on February 25, 2010

The only acceptable 8-letter scrabble words that form from EELPOUT + a blank are
EELPOUTS
OUTSLEEP

There are no 7 letter bingos from EELPOUT
posted by lalochezia at 1:41 PM on February 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Regarding tastiness, the preferred cooking method is to strap the eelpout to a board, preferably cedar, cook at 275 degrees for 8 hours, basting regularly.

Discard the fish, eat the board.

They can also be smoked.

Lutefisk isn't terrible, it just smells terrible because of the lye. It tastes like nothing-flavored gelatin. I used to work at a greasy-spoon diner that served lutefisk as a nightly special every wednesday between thanksgiving and christmas. We packed the place with Scandinavians. Made my best tips on those nights.
posted by craven_morhead at 1:47 PM on February 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Burbot is actually pretty tasty.
posted by fshgrl at 1:57 PM on February 25, 2010

Eelpout is freshwater cod, so it makes sense that it would be tasty. I've heard it referred to as "poor man's lobster." Of course, I've never been lucky enough to catch one.
posted by norm at 2:15 PM on February 25, 2010

No nudity, I'm guessing?
posted by longsleeves at 2:17 PM on February 25, 2010

As I always say:

"Them's good eatin'"
posted by Windopaene at 2:19 PM on February 25, 2010

I should mention that the board joke was generally told by (relatively) snooty walleye fishermen. YMMV.
posted by craven_morhead at 2:33 PM on February 25, 2010

@lalochezia - what about peelouts?

As in "Hey, why don't jump in the Trans Am and do some peelouts?"
posted by kcds at 2:43 PM on February 25, 2010

Oh, coz it would't work in Scrabble the way you were saying ... doy
posted by kcds at 2:45 PM on February 25, 2010

So THAT'S what that "poor mans lobster" I ate is! Its not bad, mainly a flavoless vehicle for butter, but mushier than our familiar crustation.
posted by keep_evolving at 3:26 PM on February 25, 2010

I forget: is it eelpout or bullheads that you skin by first nailing their head to a board? (A pliers is used to remove the skin because it's tougher than a welding glove.)

With ice-fishing and the State Fair as tent-poles in the calendar, growing up in Minnesota was the best.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:58 AM on February 26, 2010