June 30, 2024 - From River to Table in the life of a Salmon

The pictures will tell the story of how to fish, catch, clean, cook and eat salmon.  After a half mile hike from the parking lot to the river bank, dressed in full wader gear with fishing pole in hand off you go!  Some days a helper shows up to enjoy the sun and catch up on some reading. Everyone is friendly, standing in a long row, as deep as necessary, each fishing in their "spot."  The salmon are swimming up stream to their spawning area, so they are on a run for about 45 minutes after high tide and then they are gone. Once you hook one you yell, "FISH ON!"  This alerts fellow fisher people to clear the way for you to land your fish.  Sometimes this may require their help to net your fish.  The fish jump and flop and are not happy to be on the end of your hook!  Once landed they are put on a stringer & tied to a rock to keep cold in the water as you continue to fish for one even bigger than the last one!  When it's time to call it a day, the fish are cleaned on the river bank & their innards are thrown into the river for the seagulls and eagle to fight over. We have grilled and baked the fillets with butter and seasonings.  The skin is on, but peels right off & of course there are bones to pick out.  So worth it and so yummy!