Salmon on the Beach

One of my favorite things about camping on Afognak is eating freshly caught salmon cooked over a campfire on the beach.  In August the silver salmon and pinks are running and they are easy to catch from shore with a rod and reel.  But in June the only salmon running on Afognak are red salmon, and they don't bite lures.  About the only way to catch them is with a net.

Unfortunately our family does not own a net. However, our camping spot is situated at one of the best subsistence set net spots in Afognak Bay, and so plenty of people come to fish the point.  If they are catching enough fish they can often be convinced to share one with us.

Our friend John S came over and fished the point and the kids were fascinated with the whole process.  I must admit I am tempted to get a net of my own, but my worry is that with no coolers full of ice I'd catch too many fish to can or eat all at once.  What would happen if the net got slammed and I caught 20 salmon all at once?  Maybe we'll try and find a really short net that we can deploy and tend by kayak.  I already have my subsistence permit and canning equipment.

In the meantime I am quite content to eat the occasional red salmon caught by someone else.  And later in the summer we'll be catching salmon from shore ourselves  Patrick.