Commercial Fishing

[Skillet]

Had a slow Sept for coho, but really enjoyed the area for the first time.

Stopped at Baranoff Warm Springs and met a few friends from Washington there for a "Fisherman's Thanksgiving" on the dock.  We all contributed some dishes that were generally themed on wild harvest, and the bounty was great.  Fresh venison, pickled beach asparagus, smoked king tips, mashed potatoes with an amazing wild mushroom gravy, the list goes on.  The Diamond Lil brought some seared albacore medallions from loins that were caught just a few weeks earlier by @3boys (thank you!), muled up to Sitka and then cooked to perfection in my skillet for my extended troller family.  Afterward we all enjoyed a soak in the beautiful Baranoff Warm Springs, which is a natural series of pools overlooking a waterfall.  It was a pretty great experience, and over of the reasons I continue to choose this lifestyle over the rat race.

First pic boats - Diamond Lil, Nerka, Arminta, Grace
Second pic - part of the benefits of living up in SE Alaska

[h20hunter]

Are the warm springs speedo friendly? I'm asking for a friend of a friend......of a friend.

[7mmfan]

Baranof Hot Springs has rules against speedos. Technically, clothing of any kind is frowned upon. Just ask the lovely lady I mistook for a grizzly bear last time I was there.

[Skillet]

Ya, can't be squeamish about people going au naturale around there.  Especially those that shouldn't.

[Woodchuck]

Ya, can't be squeamish about people going au naturale around there.  Especially those that shouldn't.

So you're telling me that h2o in a speedo would be overdressed? 

[Skillet]

Spent the last week fixing the boat, upgrading the boat, and rigging the boat to do the Spot Prawn pot fishery here in SE.  Basically, just hemorrhaging cash... 
Got a friend with a permit and no freezer boat, so we're going to team up and give it a whirl.  It should be a fun, easy fishery.  We're only allowed to run gear from 8am to 4pm.  The rest of the time we'll be popping heads off of live shrimp (keeping them alive throughout the day in an insulated tote I've converted to a huge livewell on deck), quick freezing them, glazing them, and then packing into cases.  Pots go on the water at 8am on Oct 1st, and we keep fishing until the quota in each area is caught.  Looking at a 12-15 day trip here.

 A big part of the game is strategizing where to start and where to go next after your starting area's quota is caught.  We're holding the strategy summit tonight over a few barley pops...

A couple of pics to follow-

[Skillet]

Ya, can't be squeamish about people going au naturale around there.  Especially those that shouldn't.

So you're telling me that h2o in a speedo would be overdressed? 

If you've ever seen that giant hairy person known as H20, you'd know I'll be forcing him to wear a Mustang survival suit if we go to the hot springs...

[Woodchuck]

Ya, can't be squeamish about people going au naturale around there.  Especially those that shouldn't.

So you're telling me that h2o in a speedo would be overdressed? 

If you've ever seen that giant hairy person known as H20, you'd know I'll be forcing him to wear a Mustang survival suit if we go to the hot springs...

[Skillet]

Here's our deckload of gear.  140 ladners, 1400 fathoms of groundline, 1200 fathoms of buoy line.

[Skillet]

And in the hold right now is best hanging bait you can get - black cod heads.  3500-# worth.

[Skillet]

On our way down to -38F. 

[h20hunter]

Very cool. Looking forward to shrimp pics.

[blackpowderhunter]

cool thread.  thanks for sharing 

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Looks like you're enjoying yourself Skillet.

I'm in Tok for the night, heading home. Season is done for me. Couple buddies flew up to drive home with me and we are bound for Dawson City later today to explore the Klondike and see if they left any gold nuggets laying around. Then, southbound again. Should be to Liard Hot Springs in two or three days for a relaxing visit.

[Skillet]

Sounds like a great way to end a long season, safe travels Sitka BT. 

Loaded with enough  gear, food, fuel, and bait for 15-ish days of prawn feezing mayem.  Heading out in the am, have a long run to the grounds we're starting on.

I'll be back with (hopefully) a couple thousand pounds of tails.  Very likely I'll be able to do a HuntWa group buy on those, among other frozen fish goodies, in early November.  Frozen product in November should be a much easier thing to deal with than fresh fish in 100 degree heat. Watch for a post on the Sponsor's Classifieds -