dipnet fever

I got to go dipnetting for the first time this past weekend and I now have more salmon than you can shake a stick at. It was crazy fun. Two of us fisherwomen netted about 55 big fat red salmon in a couple of hours, not to mention a king salmon and a flounder.

You can read all the details about dipnetting at the article linked to above and take a look at the slideshow here, but basically you take a gigantic net like this one and wade out into the water chest-deep and hope a salmon swims into your net.

It's something only state residents can do. The head of a household can catch 25 salmon plus 10 extra for every member of your household.

All those little dots in the water in the distance are dipnetters -- it's a circus:

Little fisherwoman (so stylish) checking out her family's catch, at the ready with a club to whack the wigglers:

Fishing from shore is apparently very challenging so it's nice if you luck out at the last minute like me and get to go out on a boat. It's way easier that way. And a bit dangerous what with all the boats zipping around and wakes and waves, which only adds to the crazy fun, of course.

So many boats:

 

You zoom upriver and then float down with your nets in the water.

Our catch:

Those are huge ice chests, by the way, and surveying our plunder led to the question: who the hell is gonna clean all these fish? Hmmmm.

Taking a rest after a successful fishing trip -- notice the fish scales stuck all over me. And fish slime and river water swamp in the bottom of the boat. Awesome.

 

Oh. And who had to clean and filet all those fish? We did. It pretty much sucked.

But two gigantic icechests full of salmon are now sitting in our chest freezers. I cooked up a couple of fresh filets and with the first bite I decided all that filleting was well worth the effort. Maybe. Anyone know a good fish processor?

Comments

[Elaine]

Interesting post! Never head of dipnetting before.

[Nicole]

Molly,
I would have assumed you to be an old pro at dipnetting, although it sounds like you are now!
I would love to have a freezer full of fish, I don't mind catching them and cleaning them, but I must confess that I have a hard time with the club. I just can't do it. I'm a total wimp.
Hope you are having a good summer.
-Nicole

[lacey in ak]

Ha! You were probably there at the same time as my sweetheart. He caught 25, and we were up til midnight last night filleting and vacuum sealing.

FYI- Indian Valley Meats will process, and I hear Sagaya will too. $1/lb. I thought about it last night when I was elbow deep in slime. But this weekend! Smoked salmon!

[molly]

Nicole - I know what you mean, it's pretty gruesome stuff. The clubbing, the heading, the gutting. But I figure if you're gonna eat fish and meat, you oughta get your hands dirty every now and then and see how it's done instead of just buying it in neat little packages at the store. I have to fend off the squeamishness and roll up my sleeves once in awhile.
Kate - I'd be willing to pay $1/pound next year to have it processed for me. That would leave more time for sippin' beer 'round the campfire after fishing.