Commercial Fishing

[7mmfan]

You know it. Anchored up in Symonds right now. 

That might have been the best king I've ever had. And I've got another chunk for tomorrow 

Sorry AP - your offer is excellent, but I'm just not going to be able to take you up on that one. 

Darn. 

Always liked Symonds. Loved motor mooching the kelp beds around there. The bay on the south side of Symonds once gave me a 3 week bite all by myself while everyone was fishing the north side. All big greenbacks too. Miss those days.

[Skillet]

My office view this morning of the dormant volcano Mt. Edgecumbe.

[RB]

My office view this morning of the dormant volcano Mt. Edgecumbe.

Awesome! Climbed to the top of that mountain in June of 2004 hell of a view from up there!

[quadrafire]

Sweet!!!

[Skillet]

I think I've mentioned this before - but commercial fishing gives you the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows.

Got back to Sitka, seeing all my buddies and getting ready to fish soon.  Fish prices went up again - to the highest I've ever seen - everybody optimistic for the upcoming weather break. Good times!

Then the ADFG announcement about 2018 Taku and Stikine river kings hit.  Based on current projections, there will be NO directed king fishery in SE next year.

For a troller, who expects to earn at least 35% of their annual AK income from the July and August king owners, this is a major gut punch.

It remains to be seen whether or not there will be a sport fishery as well. If not, that would crush the lodges up here.

I really, really hope some revised numbers come in soon to show higher abundance.

Gonna get with a few buddies at the P and drink about it!

[carpsniperg2]

Sorry to hear that man.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Sorry to hear that man.

 

[Skillet]

Thanks fellas - no pity party here tho!  Already figuring out alternate plans.

Who wants to go tuna fishing???   

[Sitka_Blacktail]

They were way wrong on our Copper River King projection last year so here's hoping they are wrong there too although it may be too late to do you any good.

[Skillet]

I was actually somewhat prepared for this, the Stikine in-river returns last summer are what shut our August opener down.  Was talk of this happening, but the numbers that are in the doc are really low.  Way lower than they suggested would prevent a fishery.

Our fishery is set in stone at the North of Falcon meeting. Even if in-river returns came back with fishable numbers, they've already swam past the trollers.  It would also be really tough to open a fishery they closed during that meeting.

But - I'll get a viable fishing plan put together for 2018 and beyond. It's why I invested in this caliber of boat.  It gives me options a lot of guys don't have. 

 

[7mmfan]

I've heard of a few guys running out of Craig to catch albacore, but never did hear of anyone doing it from Sitka. Would be a hoot!

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Back in the 90s a buddy filled his boat out of Sitka during an El Nino. But there were so many fish that year the canneries quit buying them. He spent the winter peddling them out of his boat.

[jmscon]

Sorry to hear that!

Fishing is a pain, 2013 we got $1.50/lb. for sockeye in Bristol Bay. Two years later it was $.40, then the kick in the bros was way up in Kotzebue they were getting $.40 for chums. Go figure. This year was back up to $1.25 or so, for sockeye that is.

[Skillet]

Oh, that's harsh - chums on par with reds??

In 2014 and 2015,  some charter ops were catching albacore 20 miles off of Bartolome for a few weeks, and some trollers got in there too.  In 2015, my friends on the Nerka (freezer boat) got a decent score just out past the Edgecumbe wx bouy.  Those were the warm water "blob" years. 

I'll likely fish albacore out of Westport and Ilwaco if I do it.

[Skillet]

Good news update - the dept release was pretty poorly worded, and was supposed to reference spring fishing only.  Ocean salmon in July, however limited it may be due to a miniscule quota, is still on the table. 

Got a decent vid of humpacks feeding in Silver Bay a few hours ago.  Pulled over to the side of the road where there was obviously a bait ball and the humpbacks/birds/sea lions were feeding on it. I think there's a quick appearance of some porpoises as well.