AK fishing job

[crawdadmacdaddy]

Hello everyone. I am a 19 year old who wants to work on an fishing boat in a Alaska. I have been sport fishing all my life, my father was a sport fishing guide in south east Alaska and my family lived up there for many years. I live here in washington now and am currently employed at a excavation/septic construction company, I am the youngest one there by far,(closest to me is 27) and in only 6 months I have moved passed laborers that have worked there for 3 years, and am running machines (excavators, skid steers, driving dump trucks), I am the only laborer that runs machines of the four of us. I worked many 50 and 60 hour weeks this summer, and am not afraid of hard work. I can Tie leaders and many other nots. I have done a little gill netting around the puget sound with my dad and his friend, nothing too serious though, and I some have net mending skills. I am 210lbs and can bench and squat more than that. sorry if all that sounded like bragging I'm not that type of person, I'm just trying to make the case that I am a very hard worker. I would be interested in doing literally anything, dragging, long lining, gill netting, seining. I am not one of those tweakers looking for a job, I make plenty where I am now, Im doing this because I love challenge, and want to learn. I am not asking for anyone to just hand me a job but if you know someone who could use a deckhand, or even know someone who might know someone, I would love to get in touch. any info helps and every no gets me closer to a yes.
thanks, kyle
p.s. excuse the username, I made this account when I was like twelve and into crawfishing Washington

[pd]

Kyle, you might be a few months early, but here is how you find that job.  Go down to the terminal (meaning, Fisherman's Terminal), right in front of the Port of Seattle office, in front of Chinook's cafe.  Walk the docks.  There will be few boats working right now (meaning, repairing their nets, working on engines, painting the boats) because it is too cold, and the days are too short.  But come March or so, many of the boats tied up at the terminal will spring to life.  Just call out to the crew or the captain, from the dock, and ask for a job.  Also, go into the port office.  If you are handy as a mechanic you might find paying work right now. 

[crawdadmacdaddy]

Thanks so much for the info man, would you suggest I do that now or in a few months?

[JimmyHoffa]

Could check craigslist.  When they do advertise, though, it's usually for the mega fishing platforms like the dragger-processors.   

[Duckslayer89]

Thanks so much for the info man, would you suggest I do that now or in a few months?

Does your dad have a Puget Sound gill net permit or something?

[JJB11B]

And so it begins.... 👮

[crawdadmacdaddy]

duckslaer89- yes he did, him and his best friend were leasing it, never made a bunch of money, needless to say I didn't get paid either just in experience.

[JJB11B]

duckslaer89- yes he did, him and his best friend were leasing it, never made a bunch of money, needless to say I didn't get paid either just in experience.

hope you find the job you're looking for

[Duckslayer89]

And so it begins.... 👮

  just trying to see what experience he has

[crawdadmacdaddy]

And so it begins.... 👮

  just trying to see what experience he has

heres a video of it. I'm not in this just my dad and his friend. as you can see very small scale, but I did log a lot of hours on that boat.

[Duckslayer89]

And so it begins.... 👮

  just trying to see what experience he has

heres a video of it. I'm not in this just my dad and his friend. as you can see very small scale, but I did log a lot of hours on that boat.

That's cool dude I wished I would have went SE gill netting my buddy owns a boat he does well. Cool thing about gill netting is most of it is inside waters. Nice and calm. You should post something on salmontrolling.com.

[pd]

Thanks so much for the info man, would you suggest I do that now or in a few months?

If you have some time during the week, go down to the terminal, and walk the docks.  Look for the seiners, and just start knocking on doors.  In most cases they will need a greenhorn.  It is early yet, but you might get a few leads.  Do this every couple of weeks.  When you meet somebody who owns or works a seine boat, pump them for information.  "Do you know somebody I could call?" Honestly, a lot of the new hires turn out to be problems (drugs, lack of commitment, etc.), so if you are genuine you should have no problem finding several good opportunities.  Do ask at the port office. 

Finally, fishermen are full of baloney, so go in with your eyes wide open, 'k? 

[Duckslayer89]

Thanks so much for the info man, would you suggest I do that now or in a few months?

If you have some time during the week, go down to the terminal, and walk the docks.  Look for the seiners, and just start knocking on doors.  In most cases they will need a greenhorn.  It is early yet, but you might get a few leads.  Do this every couple of weeks.  When you meet somebody who owns or works a seine boat, pump them for information.  "Do you know somebody I could call?" Honestly, a lot of the new hires turn out to be problems (drugs, lack of commitment, etc.), so if you are genuine you should have no problem finding several good opportunities.  Do ask at the port office. 

Finally, fishermen are full of baloney, so go in with your eyes wide open, 'k?

Right now would be a perfect time to head to Port Townsend during the week and hand your name and number out at the dry docks. Write it down on like 10 pieces of paper and hand them out. Even a tending job for the summer on a crab boat or something in southeast would be cool.

[Night goat]

looks like we got ourselves a wanna be greenhorn here


ya got spirit kid, and thats a start.


right now, the local guys are doing dungies, and in a few months will be switching over to shrimp, most of those guys run smaller boats and have a skip and a deckhand, so, wouldnt recommend learning with crab pots

wouldnt really recommend fishing in WA at all for yiur first experience, like some if the guys said, fishermans terminal is a great place, but it depends ln what you wanna do, and a huge mistake you could potentially make is going to one kf the large companies ie Trident, Icicle, Ocean Beauty, American Gold, Glacier.... all of those big companies are looking for kids and greenhorns, and they are gknna stuff you deep down in the cargo hold of a 300 foot factory boat either in the freezer hold in =40 temps and never see the sun, or, onnan assembly line bent over in a factory deep innthe ships bowells. AVOID The big companies at first

go dock stomping, start showing up, hanging out, asking questions, start *censored*ting, and making friends. some of the nicer and more reputable boats have a no pot policy, so, take that into consideration. all the boats should be dry boats meaning no booze. and you gotta work on some crappy boats before you are given the privelage of being allowed to work on a nice boat, and its easy to screw it up, some of rhe best boats have a zero monkey buisness policy.

ive worked on some crappy boats, last time I went seining, ibwas engineer but our deckhand couldnt keep a needle out of his arm and was on heroin the whole season, so you need to pay attention to the guys around you, that dingbat could pile the boat up on rocks in the middle of rhe njght, or hit something on deck and mess up somebodys leg and end the season.

id reccomend seining, to me, its the biggest adventure that a virgin greenhorn can get into. ask for theier past catch reports, ask for the fish forcast (yes thats real) and keep your mouth shut and listen and pay attention and yes sir no sir with the captain, and take the *censored* from the other guys, seriously, bend over and take it, and dont bitch, its an almost ritualistic right to haze a greenhorn, more of a sport, but, if you can handle it, you eventually become one of the guys. my first skipper would shoot at me with a bb gun to get me to work faster so.....

[Night goat]

lots of oppertinities, and the bjggest piece of equipment you can bring is a good attitude and dont whine about jellyfish.

[Special T]

looks like we got ourselves a wanna be greenhorn here


ya got spirit kid, and thats a start.


right now, the local guys are doing dungies, and in a few months will be switching over to shrimp, most of those guys run smaller boats and have a skip and a deckhand, so, wouldnt recommend learning with crab pots

wouldnt really recommend fishing in WA at all for yiur first experience, like some if the guys said, fishermans terminal is a great place, but it depends ln what you wanna do, and a huge mistake you could potentially make is going to one kf the large companies ie Trident, Icicle, Ocean Beauty, American Gold, Glacier.... all of those big companies are looking for kids and greenhorns, and they are gknna stuff you deep down in the cargo hold of a 300 foot factory boat either in the freezer hold in =40 temps and never see the sun, or, onnan assembly line bent over in a factory deep innthe ships bowells. AVOID The big companies at first

go dock stomping, start showing up, hanging out, asking questions, start *censored*ting, and making friends. some of the nicer and more reputable boats have a no pot policy, so, take that into consideration. all the boats should be dry boats meaning no booze. and you gotta work on some crappy boats before you are given the privelage of being allowed to work on a nice boat, and its easy to screw it up, some of rhe best boats have a zero monkey buisness policy.

ive worked on some crappy boats, last time I went seining, ibwas engineer but our deckhand couldnt keep a needle out of his arm and was on heroin the whole season, so you need to pay attention to the guys around you, that dingbat could pile the boat up on rocks in the middle of rhe njght, or hit something on deck and mess up somebodys leg and end the season.

id reccomend seining, to me, its the biggest adventure that a virgin greenhorn can get into. ask for theier past catch reports, ask for the fish forcast (yes thats real) and keep your mouth shut and listen and pay attention and yes sir no sir with the captain, and take the *censored* from the other guys, seriously, bend over and take it, and dont bitch, its an almost ritualistic right to haze a greenhorn, more of a sport, but, if you can handle it, you eventually become one of the guys. my first skipper would shoot at me with a bb gun to get me to work faster so.....

That's hard core! A BBQ gun! Like red rider of like the 10 pump jobber?

[Smokepole]

Easy to find a job in AK, but it takes doing your homework to find a good skipper on a good boat that will pay you fairly.  Don't just settle for any job on a fishing boat.  Ask around about who the good skippers are with lots of fishing knowledge and equipment in good shape.  Make sure your boss pays his crew and keeps his word.  Then you got yourself a good job worth your time!  Good luck! 

[jmscon]

There was is some good advise above!

Fisherman's terminal in seattle, port Townsend, Anacortes and Bellingham have pretty good sized fishing fleets. Walk the socks on a regular basis and the deckhands and skippers will start to recognize you. Be polite and don't interrupt, listen to what they have to say! If you're serious and do it on a regular basis the people on the boats will see that. Also ask what to do to prep for the season physically, it can really help you out and keep you from hurting, bad! It will also help you keep up with the other deckhands.
Most seasons are long, seining is July through September, the longline season can go from march to June, dungi crab can be November through January. Some are short, Bristol bay sockeye is early June to mid July, king crab in October.
If you are serious about it and learn everything you can you can make a great career commercial fishing, just invest your paychecks you get at the end of the season, don't blow them! Have a good season, buy some stocks instead of partying it away!

Good luck!

[Night goat]

specialT, it was a red ryder.... old Pollack would sit up on the flybridge with an 18pack and a red ryder, half the time you had no idea what he was saying and the more he drank the meaner he got, hed be on the deck as if hed teleport and get in your face if you have once ounce of lip, or if he thought yiu were gonna give lip...

oh, btw, make sure you get a contract and a percentage, a horn should start at 7.5-8% on a seiner. might seem low, but consider I used to get paid 3.5% when I was crabbing, of course 3.5% on 1.5 million pounds of crab adds up, as engineer on the seiner I was getting 12%, you arent gonna get rich your first season, you are gonna have to go thru the hazing but the man thing is showing up and sharing rhe misery with the rest of the guys and not complaining or whining or bothering the skipper. he isnt your friend, hes the boss, so, dont ask him stupid questions, you are part of the crew so take your questions to the deck boss

helps if you can cook and be a good lil housewife for the boat, kiss ass and cook good food and thats a secret way in  to better pay

oh, and suds up joy boy, get used to washing dishes. ALL the dishes, thats your other job, dont barter with the crew for dish days, just shut up and do em un asked and keep the interior of the boat clean mop at least twice a week whether it needs it or not, and ALWAYS wash the wheel house windows inside and out the moment you kit the dock, prioritise filling water tanks and removing all tash the moment you hit dock.

[Skillet]

Good stuff here, listen to these guys.  Especially the part about jumping in and doing the drudge work without being told.  Nothing gets a guy more opportunities than not making the skipper repeat himself.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Good stuff here, listen to these guys.  Especially the part about jumping in and doing the drudge work without being told.  Nothing gets a guy more opportunities than not making the skipper repeat himself.

Skillet what's your choice of BB gun, and stance on hands using drugs on the boat?

[TeacherMan]

Look on Alaska Craigslist. There are a few positions already. I like the one thats a deck hand on one of the charters. $275 A DAY  plus tips.

[Skillet]

I used to use the Gamo single pump, but went through too many deckhands that way.  Back to that classic RedRyder again.   I've found all they need to hear is the bb's rolling down the magazine when you shoulder it, and that elicits the desired response.

I'm a drug free boat.  I typically tell hands: Yes, pot is legal in WA, and yes, pot is legal in AK.  But pot is still a federally controlled substance, and since I'm a Coast Guard Documented Vessel, we follow the federal rules.  They sign an acknowledgement in the crew contract that says they understand and will abide.  I tell them in no uncertain terms that if I find pot -or any other illicit materials - on my boat I will immediately go to town and let them off.  At the Coast Guard dock.

[Night goat]

Good stuff here, listen to these guys.  Especially the part about jumping in and doing the drudge work without being told.  Nothing gets a guy more opportunities than not making the skipper repeat himself.

Skillet what's your choice of BB gun, and stance on hands using drugs on the boat?

aint skillet, but, there is always gonna be that one guy in the crew who has weed, thats unavoidable, even if there is a zero tolerance policy, somebody will always have a stash. most skippers know somebody might have it, and if its out of sight andnobody smells it, you can usually get away with it. anything else tho.... zero tolerance period. now on the other extrwme, we did sneak 86'cases of ranier up to cordova and a pound of weed when we tendered one summer.... smoked all the grass in 2months and sold the beer for 40$an 18 pack.... our temp skip hated us.. but, that was in part the fault of the other crew members, it was thier idea, thier plan, and being low man on the totem pole, I got roped into it, so, let that be a lesson to the horn, just cuz the other guys do it, doesnt mean its a good idea, and integrity in yourself might not make you as much as one of the guys, but, when the boat owners debrief the skipper at the end of the season, it aint gonna be your ass on the chopping block

wouldnt fly if we were acctually fishing tho, tendering you can get some things...

truth be told, there is no place for it on a work boat, too many other ways to get hurt without some yahoo blazing up and not paying attention. I enjoy the green here after work, but not fishing, and now that ive started entering the engineer realm, absolutley not at all in a season. being eligible for my AB, not gonna risk a maritime career on it. save it for when you get home.

[Woodchuck]

I used to use the Gamo single pump, but went through too many deckhands that way.  Back to that classic RedRyder again.   I've found all they need to hear is the bb's rolling down the magazine when you shoulder it, and that elicits the desired response.

I'm a drug free boat.  I typically tell hands: Yes, pot is legal in WA, and yes, pot is legal in AK.  But pot is still a federally controlled substance, and since I'm a Coast Guard Documented Vessel, we follow the federal rules.  They sign an acknowledgement in the crew contract that says they understand and will abide.  I tell them in no uncertain terms that if I find pot -or any other illicit materials - on my boat I will immediately go to town and let them off.  At the Coast Guard dock.

At least you take them back to town to let them off...

[pd]

Night Goat's advice above is excellent.  I agree that seining will be better than being a crew member on a gill netter.  A deck hand job on a seiner is 1,000% better than working for the cannery, you will learn more in a season in SE Alaska than any other job. 

[Eric M]

Everyone here is giving good advice. If you are looking for adventure but want something a little steadier than fishing, I would suggest becoming a merchant seaman. If you are dead set on fishing, go for it, but I got tired of the ups and downs of it amd wanted something a little more steady. I still work where you see all the crabbers on TV, I just know what I'm going to make. Once you get into the industry, there are a lot of options. I used to work on freighters. Now I work on a tug. The industry needs young guys that are willing to work and not be on their phone every chance they get. If you are interested or curious, PM me and I can explain the process.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Everyone here is giving good advice. If you are looking for adventure but want something a little steadier than fishing, I would suggest becoming a merchant seaman. If you are dead set on fishing, go for it, but I got tired of the ups and downs of it amd wanted something a little more steady. I still work where you see all the crabbers on TV, I just know what I'm going to make. Once you get into the industry, there are a lot of options. I used to work on freighters. Now I work on a tug. The industry needs young guys that are willing to work and not be on their phone every chance they get. If you are interested or curious, PM me and I can explain the process.

Good advice right here, plus you can see the world. 

[crawdadmacdaddy]

okay thanks everyone for the advice, now I'm going to the library to get a couple books on seining. basically what you guys are saying is; walk the docks, do all the grunt work without being asked, and keep your mouth shut.
 this has been super helpful.

[Night goat]

Everyone here is giving good advice. If you are looking for adventure but want something a little steadier than fishing, I would suggest becoming a merchant seaman. If you are dead set on fishing, go for it, but I got tired of the ups and downs of it amd wanted something a little more steady. I still work where you see all the crabbers on TV, I just know what I'm going to make. Once you get into the industry, there are a lot of options. I used to work on freighters. Now I work on a tug. The industry needs young guys that are willing to work and not be on their phone every chance they get. If you are interested or curious, PM me and I can explain the process.

hey horn,

listen to us old salts.

anybody who gives you an ounce of crap has been waiting thier whole career to rip on a greenhorn. suck it up and deal with it, and maybe when you have some time bustin icicles off your beard you can rip on a horn one day. bend over and take what the cranky mofos insult you with. if you hack it, you can ruin skme kids life for a few months when you grow up.

books will only make you a smart ass.

except for Chapmans. find a copy of Chapman's and learn what it takes to drive a boat, every boat runs autopilot for watches, but learn what a red and green bouy mean, understand red right return, and know how to run a vhf radio, learn what nav lights look like at night, learn ti read a chart plotter'and how to opperate a radar

they call me Night Goat for a reason. im usually the only guy trusted to drive at night.   

I let my guys sleep and I usually drive 2-4 watches dusk til dawn. if somebody is gonna pile the boat up on the rocks at night, aint gonna be on my watch, same reason why I personally take on the responsibility of keeping the engines running 
that and I and I love heavy metal....

[Night goat]

truth is, we are giving you the hunt wa discount.

youd have to get me at least 100$ bucks worth of drinks and a pack of smokes at the bar to get a quarter of this info and to earn my phone number.... anywhere else, youd might get beat up.
back in the day guys without jobs would hunt down kids like you at the bar, find out what boat they worked on and beat em up behind the bar saying they had a bowl or line, and when the boat was gonna leave,  theyd snake your spot, and cuz you had a busted arm, you went home and they went fishing and took your bunk

the bar is the most dangerous place for a fisherman, more guys die trying to get back on the boat trying to go to bed than acctually at sea or actual fishing   


so take this advice to heart

we aint makin nuthin up

ive fished from the Willapa Bay to the Bering Sea and aint just a crank spouting crap, ive crabbed, gillnetted, tendered, seined, and am a full time marine diesel mechanic, so, there is a reason why I can hop onto almost any boat (under a certain size) and be deck boss or engineer. started in 2007 and im only 29 to put it into perspective 

[Bean Counter]

books will only make you a smart ass.

Oh man, you can say that again

[Skyvalhunter]

That's some crank spouting krap there

[jmscon]

Or is it the crank that's making him spout the crap?

[Da stump]

when scouting the docks make sure you include the ship canal and lake washington. A lot of boats like to secure in fresh water for the winter or their laydown period. Learn it all, i approve of getting chapmans and learning it cover to cover

[Capt.Kyle97]

Well, I would just like to thank every onewho helped or gave advice to me I Ended up landing a job on a salmon troller out of Sitka and I had a great season. Made some money and got to travel all over south east. Heres a little video of some clips I got while up there, sorry no footage of king fishing, cant really mess around and film, when its king season its balls to the wall. Anyways thanks and I hope you enjoy.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=112s&v=FDzMQ2_SxC4

[Smokepole]

Congrats.    How did you get that job?

[Capt.Kyle97]

Thanks smokepole, I ended up meeting a guy whos on thia website who captains a boat.

[Smokepole]

Thanks smokepole, I ended up meeting a guy whos on thia website who captains a boat.

Hope it's the first of many successful trips.

[Eric M]

That's great. Trolling produces the best looking product. Glad it worked  out for you.

[SeatoSummit88]

If you are interested in a cook inlet or bristol bay gill net gig, Hit up craigslist and search not only seattle, but alaska jobs for gill net, deckhand, boat, etc etc.  I used to be a commercial and charter fisherman for 10 years. I found my first gill net job off craigslist, it was the best gig I had to start off. Otherwise, like others have said, look to the sound and talk to captains. Congrats on the first deck job.  Keep working hard.

[Woodchuck]

Well, I would just like to thank every onewho helped or gave advice to me I Ended up landing a job on a salmon troller out of Sitka and I had a great season. Made some money and got to travel all over south east. Heres a little video of some clips I got while up there, sorry no footage of king fishing, cant really mess around and film, when its king season its balls to the wall. Anyways thanks and I hope you enjoy.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=112s&v=FDzMQ2_SxC4

I think I may have seen a couple videos from that boat before. If my guess is right, you landed with a good one. 

[tmike]

I could probably hook the right person up in Cook Inlet but it’s not supposed to be a great season. If you really want to get your feet wet I’d go to the Bay they are predicting another 50 million fish season.

[Capt.Kyle97]

Well, I would just like to thank every onewho helped or gave advice to me I Ended up landing a job on a salmon troller out of Sitka and I had a great season. Made some money and got to travel all over south east. Heres a little video of some clips I got while up there, sorry no footage of king fishing, cant really mess around and film, when its king season its balls to the wall. Anyways thanks and I hope you enjoy.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=112s&v=FDzMQ2_SxC4

I think I may have seen a couple videos from that boat before. If my guess is right, you landed with a good one. 

Your guess is definitely right there woodchuck, one of the best out there.

[Skillet]

You already cashed that check man, you don't need to keep strokin'   

Capt. Kyle was really a great asset to have on the boat this year.  Later in the season, if we were under 200 coho a day, I could be a slipper skipper if I wanted - he owned the back deck and there was no compromise in quality.  Kyle doesn't know the meaning of quit, never heard him complain.  Tough.  And I've never seen a guy get so many tender/processor chicks to fawn over him like that before...

If he could only level up his clay pigeon game. 

Was great fishing with you man, you know you got a job again if Steve will let you loose.

[Boss .300 winmag]

I bet those tender chicks really smelled like fish. 

[Skillet]

They may have, but they always smelled better than us after a 5 day trip - so I never noticed.