Have made it but never was satisfied with what I made. I really do like it!
What I have seen of home-canned fish has had a lot in common with home-canned peaches: fuzzy and lots of little bits and pieces floating around in the jar.
There is no canning in pickled herring, but you are right. Not a lot of care taken in regard to presentation. My biggest trouble pickling herring is getting the salted fish back from the edge of way too salty...
