Northlanders Enjoy Mr. D’s Annual Smelt Fry

Smelting season brings on the smelt fry.

DULUTH, Minn.- Smelting season is here and so is Mr. D’s annual smelt fry.

It’s a favorite among some of the older generations.

Smelt is a small, silver fish that you can get in an 8 ounce portion at Mr. D’s during the annual smelt fry.

The smelt come from Bayfield, Wis.

Servers say customers are extra excited for this year’s fry since they had to skip the event last year.

“It’s Northern Minnesota. Everyone loves smelt; It makes for a good day. And then to hear some of the stories about how they haven’t had it in a long time or how they started eating it… It’s really cool,” waitress Kayla Bjorlin said.

This year’s smelt fry is one of the slowest the staff at Mr. D’s has seen.

Eveleth resident Kim Anderson remembers eating smelt growing up but thinks the generation who love the fry is a dying breed.

He says younger people just don’t enjoy it as much.

“I saw the smelt fry sign so I thought I’d come in and have some smelt. I haven’t had any for years… 20, 30 years, I don’t know; Something happened with the lake there, smelting kinda died out,” Anderson said.

Mr. D’s has been serving smelt to lunch and dinner crowds all week and will keep up the fry until they run out.