Fishing
The Shore Dinner – a 1000 Islands Tradition
By Allen Benas
Apr 20, 2006, 15:07

For decades, anglers visiting the 1000 Islands region have enjoyed shore dinners as a traditional part of fishing with a professional guide. In the early 1900s, river guides set out with their parties each morning in their St. Lawrence Skiffs, often rowing more than twenty miles in a day. At lunchtime, the guides would prepare their shore dinners on just any island that was convenient. Today, modern fishing craft decked out with state of the art navigational and fishing equipment ply the same waters and offer the very same shore dinner.

As you might expect, the one necessary ingredient of any shore dinner is fish. Providing the fish falls to the anglers who hire the local fishing guides for the day. You might think that’s a big challenge. However, never was there a shore dinner that wanted for fish.

After a morning of fishing the guide with head to any of a number of locations where the meals are prepared. Most locations are on islands, some in remote areas. Shaded lunch sites are outfitted with picnic tables, work benches and fire places.

Ingredients for a shore dinner can vary slightly based on the traditions passed down through the Alexandria Bay, Clayton and Cape Vincent Guides Associations, however the dinners are all conducted basically the same way. A fire is started and water is put on to boil for coffee, potatoes and corn on the cob. Then the guide sets the table.. First to hit the skillet is the appetizer, typically bacon for a BLT sandwich, but sometimes salt pork or fat-back with onions.  The appetizer is paired with a freshly tossed salad, often with – what else? – Thousand Islands Dressing!

The guide will dust the fish with breading and fry it in hot vegetable oil or the fat-back grease. The flesh sears quickly, preventing absorption of the oil. The golden brown fish is served with the corn on the cob and potatoes.

While guests eat the fish, the guide prepares dessert by mixing eggs, sugar and cream, and dropping bread in to soak. The batter-dipped bread is then pan fried in butter or fat-back grease, then served with butter, a bottle cap of maple syrup, a bottle cap of cream, and a bottle cap of brandy. Dessert is accompanied by the brew locally known as "guides coffee.”

The shore dinner is a gastronomic treat. Many returning anglers acknowledge that no fishing trip to the 1000 Islands would be complete without this enjoyable tradition.

(The Author, Allen Benas is a member of the Clayton Guides Association and the New York State Outdoor Writers Association)