Alaskan fishing boats

[raleigh]

I have a couple queastions for you guys in Alaska. What are the big fishing indestries fishing for this time a year? Is salmon what most of the big indestries fishing for in the summer and fall? An last but not least, have any of you ever worked on a fishing boat? Man that looks like a fun job with a lot of risk. I have been looking into it a little bit and just kinda woundering what you have to go through to work on a fishing boat. Do you have to start at the bottom and work your way up to working on a boat?

[fishermanjake]

I've worked comercial salmon and halibut....It all depends on who you know and how many IFQ quota or sites they run...Pretty much if you don't care about the money, it would be pretty easy to get a job working for someone who isn't top of the line... All the commercial fishing jobs i have had have all been informal...infact they all came and offered me, i didn't even have to look.  here are some pictures of me doing the halibut scene.





All in all its alot of hard work and is realitively dangerous...but it sure can be a blast (if you don't get seasick)

[Barleydog]

Raliegh,  Most of the commecial guys are getting ready for openers like halibut and crab.  Salmon won't start up for a couple months.  I did some commercial red salmon fishing down in Bristol bay back in the 80's.  It's not easy!  Long long hours, dangerous conditions, foul mouthed capt.s, bitter cold, lack of sleep, fussy crews if the fishing is bad, and you make and break your season on how good the run is.  If your a collage student or a young buck wanting to make some good cash over the summer, this may be your job!  The type of fishing we did was "combat" fishing at it's best.  Boats running into each other, nets tangled up, guns on the deck, you name it!  I did a couple days of halibut long lining.  Not many days for your opener  in quite a few areas of the state, but had a better time with this outfit than others.  Lot's of fun!   You can look at other optional commercial industrys like bottom fish, shrimp, crab, etc... 

[crappie boy]

Raliegh,  Most of the commecial guys are getting ready for openers like halibut and crab.  Salmon won't start up for a couple months.  I did some commercial red salmon fishing down in Bristol bay back in the 80's.  It's not easy!  Long long hours, dangerous conditions, foul mouthed capt.s, bitter cold, lack of sleep, fussy crews if the fishing is bad, and you make and break your season on how good the run is.  If your a collage student or a young buck wanting to make some good cash over the summer, this may be your job!  The type of fishing we did was "combat" fishing at it's best.  Boats running into each other, nets tangled up, guns on the deck, you name it!  I did a couple days of halibut long lining.  Not many days for your opener  in quite a few areas of the state, but had a better time with this outfit than others.  Lot's of fun!   You can look at other optional commercial industrys like bottom fish, shrimp, crab, etc... 

manoman good eatin

[badlab1]

Those fish are huge!!! How much do they weigh??? 

[Fishin Fireman]

The one Jake is holding is close to 3 or 4 hundred pounds. There is a website ADF&G Pacific Halibut in Alaska scroll all the way down and you can see a length and estimated weight.