There's a version of this bagel that takes all morning: curing your own fish, whipping your own cream cheese, sourcing the right capers. This isn't that version. This is the version where you toast a bagel, crack open a tin of Great Lakes smoked whitefish, and have something genuinely worth eating on the table in ten minutes flat.
The whitefish does the heavy lifting. Bright from the lemon oil, herbaceous from the dill, and smoky in a way that's delicate rather than overpowering. It sits on top of cream cheese and lands somewhere between a classic lox bagel and something you'd find at a really good brunch spot. Except you made it at home. On a Tuesday.
"Cold-smoked because it's delicate and mild. It reminds people of those summer vacations up north."
Anna Fellows, Founder, Great Lakes Tinned Fish
About the Tin
Great Lakes Tinned Fish was founded by Anna Fellows in Michigan in late 2024, making it one of the very first tinned fish companies in the US to source exclusively from the Great Lakes. The whitefish comes from VanLandschoot and Sons in Munising, a family fishery with deep roots in the region, and is cold-smoked over natural hardwood in small batches.
The lemon and dill variety is the brightest of their lineup. The lemon-infused oil lifts the smokiness without masking it, and the dill adds an herby, almost grassy note that works especially well with cream cheese and capers. It's a newer tin and it's already one of our favorites on the shelf.
Why This Works on a Bagel
Cold-smoked whitefish has a texture that sits somewhere between flaked salmon and a firm white fish. It's meaty enough to hold up on top of a bagel without falling apart, and mild enough that the lemon and dill flavors actually come through rather than getting lost. Cream cheese is the right call here because it's rich and neutral, letting the fish lead.
The capers are non-negotiable. Their brine cuts through the richness of the cream cheese and plays off the smokiness of the fish in a way that ties the whole thing together. Fresh parsley adds color and a little brightness. A squeeze of lemon at the end wakes everything up.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Use the oil from the tin. Spoon a little of the lemon-dill oil right over the fish once it's on the bagel. It adds flavor and keeps everything from feeling dry.
- Toast matters. A properly toasted bagel gives you the structural integrity this recipe needs. Soft bagel plus cream cheese plus fish equals a mess. Toast it well.
- Add thin-sliced red onion. If you have one around, a few slices under the fish adds a sharpness that works really well here.
- Try it with a soft egg. A 6-minute soft-boiled egg sliced on top turns this from a quick snack into a full brunch plate.
- Swap the bagel for rye toast. The earthy, slightly sour flavor of a good rye is a natural partner for smoked fish. Works just as well and comes together even faster.
- Make it a spread. Mash the whitefish into cream cheese with a squeeze of lemon and some fresh dill. Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and works on everything.
About Great Lakes Tinned Fish
Most tinned fish on the market comes from the Atlantic or Pacific. Great Lakes is doing something genuinely different: sourcing from the freshwater fisheries of the Midwest, which have their own long tradition of smoking and preserving fish that rarely makes it into the broader tinned fish conversation.
The whitefish itself is a Great Lakes staple. It's been smoked and served around the region for generations, usually whole at fish shacks up north. This tin brings that tradition into a format that's shelf-stable, accessible, and, in the lemon-dill version, a little brighter than what you'd find at a traditional fish counter.
