We share these stories from Bristol Bay so you can feel more connected to the wild Alaska seafood on your table. Every fish has a story, and every season represents months of preparation, hard work, and stewardship of this incredible resource.
We're honored to fish in Bristol Bay, home to the world's largest sockeye salmon fishery and one of the most sustainable fisheries on earth. It's a remarkable place, and we're excited to give you a glimpse into what it's like to harvest wild sockeye salmon and bring it from our family to yours.
Departure plans are always fluid- weather, last minute projects, changes in fishing group plans... we said goodbye to Mike four different times this year.
Many of you have followed us for years, and you know that getting from Homer to Bristol Bay is an adventure in itself. If you're new, welcome! Here's a quick rundown.
On a normal year, Mike would take a "short cut" to Bristol Bay via the haul road. He crosses Cook Inlet to Williamsport. From there, the boat is hauled out by a tractor, then trailered along a narrow mountain road to Pile Bay. After that, he's launched back into the water, crosses the massive Lake Iliamna, then navigates the shallow braids of the Kvichak River to reach Bristol Bay.
Navigating the braids on a normal year is tough. You can easily get stuck and have to wait for another boat to pull you out. The trip is hard on boats to say the least.
This year, the river was reported to be exceptionally low. Even the guides that direct boats safely down the braids warned Mike that it would be risky in a boat that draws as much water as the Courageous.
So, they decided to do a trip Mike's talked about for years- they're taking the "long way" around the Alaska Peninsula, through False Pass, and into Bristol Bay.
Here is a video I made explaining the two different routes on a map.
View from the galley window
Weather along this route can be treacherous, but they caught an exceptional window of calm seas and went for it. So far, it's been incredibly calm. They've been followed by porpoises and delighted by humpback and orca whale shows. The scenery is breathtaking to say the least.
The boat is running well- they had to swap out a part at the last minute, but it was such a blessing they discovered the issue when they weren't far from home. Had is happened further out, it would have been a huge problem.
They're running the boat non-stop to get to Bristol Bay as soon as possible. If all goes as planned, they should be to the fishing grounds by Saturday.
They're eager to fish- the sockeye are slowly starting to trickle in, and by the time they reach the fishing grounds, the fishing should be good. Soon, the boat will be loaded with beautiful wild salmon. We can't wait to send you a share of the catch!
Here's a link to preorder a share of the 2026 salmon catch.
Here's the crew of F/V Courageous: Linden, Markham, and Mike
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