Wild in the Kitchen: Apple Wood Smoked Stuffed Striped Bass

I was given this recipe while duck hunting on Chesapeake Bay. It seemed everyone up there often ate striped bass.

1 8-lb. striped bass
1 cup olive oil
1 cup Zesty Italian dressing
4 lemons, sliced thin
3 Vidalia onions, sliced thin
4 stalks celery, sliced thin
6 slices apple wood bacon
1/2 bell pepper, chopped fine
2 tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Clean striped bass by removing entrails, but otherwise leave whole. Cook bacon in microwave until crispy and crumble into small pieces. Place onions, celery, bacon and green pepper into saucepan and saute until tender. Add butter. Blend well, and add dash of black pepper. Leave scales on fish. Wipe fish dry with paper towel and wipe inside and out with olive oil. Salt and pepper well. Wipe inside with Zesty Italian dressing. Spread, filling inside of fish. Place on foil in smoker, and cover entire fish with lemon slices. Smoke at 225 degrees using apple wood. Fish is done when it is no longer opaque and is white and flaky.