Wednesday, July 2 - 36 Pounds (Ninilchik, Alaska)

 

Jesse and Bob went halibut fishing with a charter again today. They left this morning at 5am and returned around 1pm.

Pictures Jesse took.

We are told that Bob caught the biggest fish and Jesse the next biggest.

They brought 36 pounds of halibut filets. So far that’s 54 pounds of halibut. It took us a while to wash, bag and seal them for the freezer. This charter skinned them also, so Bob didn’t have to do that.

For dinner it was my turn. I made grilled FRESH halibut, poorman’s lobster with FRESH halibut. Twice baked potatoes, and mixed vegetables.

Now from yesterday I promised I would tell you about this:

This is called a weir. A weir is a barrier across a river designed to alter its flow characteristics. In most cases, weirs take the form of obstructions smaller than most conventional dams, pooling water behind them while also allowing it to flow steadily over their tops. This one is being used for salmon. They were just setting it up when we came by yesterday morning.

The salmon swim up stream and can only get into this area with the gate.

The fish and game people separate the wild fish from the hatchery fish. The wild fish are returned to this area to continue their swim upstream.

The hatchery fish are held in this area to lay their eggs. Then in late July they are returned to swim and the eggs are taken to a hatchery to harvest.

We went by there again last night to see if there were any fish, NO fish. We went by again this evening after dinner and it is all put up and they gave them shade but still NO fish.

We also drove by the Village fishing area and the boats were going out to fish. Some would go to the dock and take on ice which looked like snow to store the salmon they caught in.