Friday, May 8, 2009

First salmon!

Now that we're well into May, I can almost hear the salmon tumbling out of the net and into the boat.

Need more proof we're close to fishing time?

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued its first press release of the year today on the Copper River Chinook and sockeye season.

The famous fishery will begin with a 12-hour opener at 7 a.m. next Thursday.

The Copper River, however, won't be the first Alaska salmon gillnet fishery to open this year.

Southeast drifters will take that honor when they drop their nets for Taku River at noon Monday.

1 comment:

Salty said...

Wesley,
The first Alaska salmon, as is the case every year are SE Troll caught winter Chinook. Thousands were caught this winter including all of April. Please apologize for your First Salmon headliner.
I know your story specified gillnet Copper River and SE gillnet salmon (a fine but somewhat lesser quality product than troll caught winter feeders or the krill eating April kings we just finished harvesting)but your title was misleading and you should know better.
An appropriate title might be:
"First Alaska River Chinook" or "First Gillnet caught Chinook" or
"Darn it! High Quality Alaska Winter Troll Chinook won't be available again until October because that season just ended but we can be thankful the Copper River gillnet kings will be available soon."
You might also point out to your quality conscious salmon connoisseurs that troll Chinook are still available from the May and June SE troll openings.