Commercial Fishing

[Special T]

So what is a de watering pump exactly? is it an eletric or gas powered trash pump? how much flow?

[Skillet]

It's a centrifugal pump powered by a 6.5hp Honda. The ones I trained on were sent down to the boats in a sealed steel barrel, but it looks like they have something like a Pelican case for them now.

[JimmyHoffa]

Does the boat have a good strategy for dealing with whales?  The guys I know that have tried black cod said they had killer whales and sperm whales pick nearly every fish right off the line.  Only money was for running the boat and equipment, no catch share.

[Skillet]

Does the boat have a good strategy for dealing with whales?  The guys I know that have tried black cod said they had killer whales and sperm whales pick nearly every fish right off the line.  Only money was for running the boat and equipment, no catch share.

We're part of ALFA that has a sperm whale tracking program. It's been helping boats avoid them the last few years.  We're also going to try a few spots towards the South, the boats out of Sitka getting whaled hard have been quite a ways up north so far.

Attached is the latest whale map to come out today.

[Onewhohikes]

 How do the whales taste Skillet?

[Skillet]

How do the whales taste Skillet?

 
If they ever open up whaling, I'll be first in line.

[Bango skank]

How do the whales taste Skillet?

 
If they ever open up whaling, I'll be first in line.

I was up off wainwright several years ago and watched the natives take something like 52 beluga whales, it was nuts.  They said it was enough to feed everybody there and all the surrounding villages, and it was the biggest harvest theyd had since the 1960s.  I just happened to be there on a flat calm, fogless sunny day when a giant pod of a couple hundred belugas rolled in, and it was nuts.  Anyway, one of them gave me a bunch of whale steaks, and i put them in the freezer to bring them home when we got back.  After 2 months at sea i was in such a hurry to get home i forgot to grab them and a crew member took them.  Never did get to try whale steak, and i doubt i will ever get the opportunity again.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

How do the whales taste Skillet?

My senior year in high school in Cordova, my science teacher got hold of some canned whaled meat and brought it to school for his students to try. Wasn't my cup of tea, strong tasting and as I remember the texture was funny. Better than seal oil though.

[Pinetar]

Agree - Whale is horribly strong tasting and awfully chewy, definitely hard to take a second bite. However, seal oil is flat out wrong. If left in your refrigerator too long you might as well just buy a new fridge Stink head is on another level!

[bearpaw]

good luck skillet, stay safe

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Looks like it's all systems go with some mandates for the Copper River, so I'm committed now to head back up next week to get my two week Quarantine in before season starts. Hopefully we keep things under control and have an uneventful season.  We just found out today there will now be no ferry until July. My cannery sends a lot of fish to Anchorage on the ferry so this is going to affect how they do business in the early sockeye/king season.  Hoping to get some shrimp and halibut fishing in before the salmon season starts.  Once it's underway my plan is to run about 50 miles east and camp out on the boat until I decide it's time to head to the Sound for dog season.  I think staying out of town is a good plan this year.

[Skillet]

Good luck @sitkablacktail 
Hoping the fish cooperate for you and the processors pay.

[Skillet]

Got back from fishing, no videos, sadly. It was just too rough to mess around with. We delivered almost 9k# of black cod and about 500# of idiots.  Dock price plummeted while we were out there, So I made about half what I thought I would.  Seems normal 

Processors are really trying to keep us off the grounds until they can guess what the market is going to do.  Some places are not accepting any more fish unless you call in before you leave for a trip.  They don't want to be the guys without a chair if the music stops.

Shaping up to be an interesting year up here.

[Stein]

I bet I know where you could dump a big batch of black cod.....

[h20hunter]

What consists of 500lb of idiots?