Planked Trout Dinner Returns to Cook County

According to the Cook County Historical Society, serving and eating planked fish such as trout or whitefish has been documented as early as 1893 on the North Shore. The 1895 Tourist’s and Sportsman’s Guide to Duluth, Superior, and Vicinity advised visitors to the region “If the opportunity arises do not fail to order the celebrated Planked White Fish.”

The tradition, however, started long before Europeans arrived in northern Minnesota. 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 colonizers 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.

Katie Clark, Directory of the Cook County Historical Society shared with WTIP that In more recent years the tradition in this area is to use whitefish or lake trout for planked dinner. In a press release, she noted The Lake Superior Steelhead Association has hosted “planking parties” for its members for almost 40 years, where they serve around 50-60 lake trout.

Formerly hosted by the Grand Marais Lion’s Club, the Cook County Historical Society started its own version of the tradition in 2007 by hosting planked trout dinners. Since then, the mostly annual event has taken place in downtown Grand Marais. The event honors a valuable part of local history while serving as a fundraiser for the Historical Society. In August this year, the event made its return at the Grand Marais Rec Park after a hiatus due to COVID and will likely continue on into the future. 

M Baxley August 20, 2024