Whitefish

[bearpaw]

For any smoked fish with many small bones;

Clean or fillet. Brine for 24 hours. Pressure cook for 45 min using high pressure. Remove from cooker (carefully) and put on smoker racks. Smoke normally, drop temp and dry for a few hours, or to your preference.
The small bones will dissolve.

That sounds like worth trying on shad too.

[metlhead]

Soak shad in saltwater for 4 hours. Tastes just like Dungeness crab.

[Alchase]

For any smoked fish with many small bones;

Clean or fillet. Brine for 24 hours. Pressure cook for 45 min using high pressure. Remove from cooker (carefully) and put on smoker racks. Smoke normally, drop temp and dry for a few hours, or to your preference.
The small bones will dissolve.

I have never eaten White Fish, so bare with me.

Pressure cooking for 45 minutes 

Wouldn't that take all flavor out of the fish 

I was always taught to cook fish 10 minutes per inch of thickness, in a pressure cooker that drops to about 3-4 minutes per inch. 

I know some fish are not that palatable, so adding flavor in the process, gives a source of editable protein. It seems that is what is happening when you cook fish for 45 minutes in a pressure cooker.
 

[GWP]

I do all the bony fish that way if I am smoking them.

Including Carp.

Yes, I will eat Carp prepped this way. That was how I discovered it in the first place. It was hard for me to toss 5 lb each fillets from a big carp.
They take smoke well and are quite tasty. There are still an occasional bigger bone that does not dissolve.

I usually put a 1/2'' of water in the pressure cooker bottom and elevate the fish above the water on a low rack. The fillets are stacked on top of each other.
The dogs LOVE the water poured on their food, but it also makes a great flavored fish stock. I have not noticed any dryness or lack of fish (which I like) flavor.