Alaska Subsistence Fishing

Subsistence in Alaska was a mainstay for people living here, just a way of life, even before they even knew this word existed. Today Alaska residents can use the wild resources in moderation for family consumption as food, shelter, fuel, clothing, tools, or transportation. Most of the population lives in the larger cities with all the conveniences of the modern age and only partake in a few of the subsistence resources. Our family fishes, well currently the oldest son fishes and can take pride in the fact that he, and he alone provided salmon for the entire family for the past two years.

Drew drove the 620 miles round trip from Fairbanks to Chitina and back again, by himself. He bought a new dipnet, fishing license and read up on the current regulations for dipnetting on the Copper River this year. He fished for four hours and limited out for the family. Once home with the four coolers of fish on ice it was time for the family to get to work. After supper on Monday we set up shop in the yard to prepare the fish for the freezer. It took four of us three hours to put forty salmon in the freezer.

The life of a salmon it rough ~ this fella was probably cut by a boat propeller.  Another  fish we processed had claw marks on the side from a bear, and one had a seal bite out of its side. Even with all they have to pass through they just keep swimming upstream to their goal (or our freezer).

Drew is just so exhausted he is not even sure where he is, Ken holds up the first fish and wonders if he has the energy for this task after the long flight to Noatak and back, and Brett is thinking... smells like someone caught a bunch of fish.

The secret to wrapping fish ~ tape!  Lots and lots of tape!

Drew put  five fish on a stringer to help keep track of how many he caught and it took two strong arms to lift each stringer out of the cooler.

Each fish has its tail cut off and finished bleeding out, gets washed down with cold water and brought to me to be wrapped.  Now I know what you are thinking ~ this fish is not gutted. The best way to keep fresh salmon from getting freezer burn is to freeze them in their original packaging. Keeping the heads on and the guts intake save the meat from becoming contaminated. When it is time to cook the fish just let them thaw on the counter for a few hours, cut the head off and gut it, which is easy because the guts are frozen together in one lump and pull right out.  No mess no fuss.  

Happy  subsidence fishing Wednesday everyone!  How do you like your salmon prepared?  Baked with dill and lemon, or wrapped in bacon?  Let me know when you will be over for supper and we will prepare a salmontastic feast.