I dont think northern would be a good choice . There is very little oil in the meat like the other poster said. I am smoking up 6 channel cats right now. I soaked in salt for 36 hrs cause I could smoke them yesterday. 12 hrs of brining is enough. I smoke with a bunch of charcoal and a few junks of apple this time but mostly cherry wood. I use chinks about the size of a softball and put them on the charcoal but must be wet wood.after 3-4 hrs @ 200 degrees it works fine. I only smoke Whitebass and catfish.
Do a split batch sometime with fish brined for just 90 minutes and if you do not see a huge difference I will be shocked...
