We fish the Kenai area of Upper Cook Inlet. This area is flanked by the Kenai Peninsula to the East and the majestic Alaska Range, with its 4 towering snow capped volcanoes to the West. Everything in this inlet is world class, from the 30 foot tides, changing water levels at a spectacular rate of 1 inch per minute to the America’s newest and potentially largest gold deposits at the foot of Mt. Iliamna, just 50 miles to the West.
Fishing season in our area, as in all of Alaska, is regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. We normally fish two 12 hour days per week from July 9th to August 9th. We own an Alaska commercial fishing permit and 3 lease sites. The sites are about 1/4 to 1/2 mile off shore and each one is capable of holding a 210’ long net. By fishing away from shore the fish don’t come into contact with abrasive sand, and the highest quality fish can be preserved.
The typical workday begins at 5:00AM and ends past Midnight. We load up all gear, nets, and totes filled with ice and leave the mouth of the Kenai River in a 24’ aluminum skiff to set nets. The tides are fast and furious! Setting the nets requires precision work performed by a skilled 2 man crew. Once set, the nets, suspended from the cork line, are tied off to anchored buoys and the Salmon harvest begins.
Wild Kenai King Salmon and Wild Kenai Sockeye Salmon are the largest of their species and require extra care. We bring the nets up over the bow of the boat where the still live fish are stunned, live bled, and then immediately placed into insulated totes with slush ice. It is this slush ice that lowers the fish temperature to 1 degree Celsius (33F) as soon as possible.
This procedure follows the guidelines developed by the Alaska Quality Seafood Program and ensures that a high percentage of our catch is graded AQS Premium quality.
Once back in the harbor, the product is then quickly unloaded at the processing plant, one tote at a time and quality inspected based on over 30 AQS quality criteria before processing can begin.
