Schwarz Fish Company FAQs

Choosing a shipping method depends on where you live and what time of the year it is. If you live in a state close to Wisconsin then choose UPS ground service. The package should arrive in one day. 

If you live in a state on the East Coast, West Coast, or the South, then choose FedEx's second-day air service. The package will arrive in two days. 

During the winter months, most packages will be shipped two-day air service unless requested overnight, however, in the summer months depending on the temperature, the package may have to go on an overnight service.

We usually ship on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. For states that are close to Wisconsin we use UPS Ground Service and it takes one to two days to arrive. 

For all other states, we use FedEx air service. During the winter months, we use two-day air service and for the summer months, we use FedEx overnight air service.

Smoked salmon is a somewhat dryer fish. Smoked trout is moister because it has a higher natural oil content.

If you are having a party, we usually say a five-pound fish is enough for 30 people on an hors d'ouevre table. 

The FDA allows a 21-day shelf life on smoked products kept under refrigeration.

Yes, smoked fish will keep for several months in a freezer as long as it is tightly wrapped.

The smoking process is a preservation method in itself coupled with  the ice packs will give you the assurance that the product is in excellent condition. 

The fish is wrapped and packed in a box with reusable ice packs. You should refrigerate your fish upon arrival.

Put the fish in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.

For the brining process, the fish are soaked overnight in a mixture of salt and water. The amount of salt that is used is based on a percentage required by the FDA. We use no other additives in our brine.

Our fish are soaked overnight in salt and water only. No added colors or preservatives.

Our fish are smoked in natural hardwood fires only.

Headless - average four to seven pounds each.

With head - average five to eight pounds each.

Our trout weigh on average about three to seven pounds each.

Our whitefish are from Canada and the Great Lakes.

Our Wisconsin freshwater carp weigh about four to six pounds each.

Our herring are caught on Lake Superior and shipped to us frozen.

There are three herring to a pound.

The fish are wrapped and packed in a box with a reusable ice pack. You should refrigerate your fish upon arrival. 

The state laws in Wisconsin dictate that the refrigerated shelf life of the fish is 21 days. The fish can be frozen and thawing can be done in several hours at room temperature.

A frequently asked question is if the fish has not been under constant refrigeration during shipment is it still good? 

The smoking process is a preservation method in itself coupled with the ice pack will give you the assurance that the product is in excellent condition.

The fish are best when served whole. The skin is easily removed by slitting with a knife along the top (neck) and along the middle of the back. 

Once you have cut the slits grab the edge of the skin and pull it back. When the skin is removed, you can score the upward facing side of the fish with crisscross diagonal cuts, about 1 inch apart. 

When the one side is eaten, simply turn the fish over and cut the other side in the same way. If you are using the fish for a party it can be decorated by placing it on a tray and stuffing the belly with parsley and celery leaves. 

Also slice oranges and lemons, cut the slices in half and place them alternating around the outside of the fish. If you have parsley left over place a piece between each slice.

Our chunked fish include Alaskan salmon, Canadian lake trout, Canadian whitefish, and Wisconsin carp. 

All chunks average a half pound each. There are about eight to ten per five-pound box. All chunks are packed in five-pound boxes.