What a fishing season!
More sockeye salmon returned to Bristol Bay than ever before. The last harvest data recorded is from August 1st. It shows a total run of 65,859,000. Fishermen harvested 40,227,000 of those, and the rest escaped. Here's to sustainable salmon runs and the biologists who help ensure fish will be around for generations to come.
The season did not come without its challenges. With the strongest run of fish, also came the worst weather Mike has ever experienced out there. Fighting the wind and rain with very little sleep was exhausting. Mike hoped to fish longer, but had a mechanical issue with the boat. He would have had to pull the boat from the water to fix it, and at that point, so few fish were being caught each day that he decided it was time to come home.
Jason, CB, and Mike brought the boat back to Homer- a 6-day trip this time and a very fun reunion for the three of them.
We're SO happy to have Mike home. We've been packing a full summer of activities into the last three weeks. We've spent many days on the water, fishing, hiking, camping, and berry picking with the family. It's been magical, but now it's time to get back to work. Mike will begin building a house for a client down the road from us in September, and here I am to update you on your seafood preorders.
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Owen joins Mike in Bristol Bay to finish out the season
The time has come when sleep comes in two hour chunks and the deck of the Courageous is filled with fish. The crew is working around the clock, harvesting the world's best wild Alaska sockeye salmon to fill your freezers.
The F/V Courageous is currently in the Nushagak fishing district with about 650 other boats, waiting for the sockeye salmon to strike.