What a great story and picture Dave.
All of this talk of sardines and such brought back memories of my mom cooking Smelts we ate them fried bones and all.

One year during my college years the fire danger was so high in Eastern Washington that the Game Department delayed the opening of dove season. So, for Labor Day weekend I went with some old Cub/Boy Scout friends to their cabin on Camano Island and raked smelt. I don't remember how Elmer prepared them but probably fried.

What I remember most about that weekend was the six nice grain fed Columbia Basin mallards I brought that Mrs. Lundstrom roasted in the woodstove and all of us sitting out on their deck high above Utsalady Bay eating duck and tossing the bones over the side!

Dave;

Cool picture of your mom. They certainly had hairstyles from the roaring 20's. Is she second from the bottom? Could you imagine young girls doing that today?

I’m guessing the girls were having fun posing like the sardines they packed.

Yes. She is second from the bottom. The one in back was my father's cousin Edna who was also my mother's best friend. Back in those times a cross-country road trip wasn't hitting the Interstate and setting your cruise control! I wish I'd have paid more attention to the stories but from the photo album there was three carloads of workers and my grandmother went along and cooked and kept house for them. I know from the photo album they came or went via Yellowstone National Park.

Yes you did. The sardine and anchovy sauce. :cool:

I never have heard that, Dave. Was it a Washington State thing?

No. They lived in Mound, Minnesota. I doubt many states offered free education past 8th grade in 1927.

Main thing is to make sure they have been feeding on vegetation and not the little fingernail (Mercenaria) clams, which they will do when they cannot find eelgrass or other SUV (submerged aquatic vegetation) in their chosen area. Best way is to check the vent (butt) of the first one you shoot - if the area is discolored yellow or orangey or smells gassy, don't shoot any more.

Good marinade can be made with 1/2 / 1/2 soy and orange juice with some ginger added with coarse black pepper and a pinch of thyme. Marinate 4-6 hrs or overnite then lightly pan braize in olive oil to rare or med-rare as you like. Use low heat, careful not to overcook; they dry out quickly. Good with wild rice, orzo, risotto. Once on a shoot in NJ our guide said he made a spicy chorrizo-type sausage with his brant ground up with a tiny bit of pork and/or cooked bacon, but I never tried it.

If you ever visit Monterey, don't miss the aquarium and attached historical Cannery Row museum of the fishing industry there - absolutely great! I am a professed museum nerd and I liked it so much I went back for another tour the 2nd day we were there! So much history with lots of photos similar to what Dave posted!