OMGosh! Where do you live? I used to live in Dafter, and I've still gots loads of family in the Soo and Brimley. My sister went to Michigan Tech. Brainy.

As for stock, yes, I would think any fish would do, except the oily fish, of course--at least that's what Sally says. You don't have to worry about that, tho--not many herring in Lake Superior! I well remember the great fish--my mother used to bake a Whitefish for dinner quite often, and even though I was less than 10 years old at the time, I still remember that. One of my parents' friends owned a hatchery that we used to visit, as well.

I've done the chicken, beef and lamb stock (lamb is really popular here-England), and am really pleased with it. My beef stock isn't really what I want yet, but I've thrown away all my boullion cubes! Just a tip for chicken stock--I go to a small farmer's market here, and one of the merchants sells organic chicken. He suggested roasting the chicken pieces before boiling them up for stock. I used a whole chicken, and loads of chicken wings, and did what he said--and wow! While it was boiling down, it smelled as if I was roasting a chicken, and the stock was so good.

I'm so sorry to hear about the smelt--I remember the season so well--we used to just dam up our little creek and get plenty. That's a real shame.

Hope all goes well with your stock--you've made me homesick!