Got up at started fishing at first light. Overcast and flat calm. At midmorning, a call came over the radio – “Seiner, seiner seiner at Spaski.” This was repeated several more times with no reply. Someone asked what was the problem. The caller said the seine boat was headed for Spaki Reef. The caller said “He backed down… No, he hit it.” Finally, the seine captain came on the air and said “We’re fine”. Then the seiner hailed the Coast Guard and said he’s on the reef and taking on water. I pulled my gear and headed for the seiner. About 15 min later, Peter, who was on scene first, said the seiner was almost under, and that the crew had escaped to a raft. A float plane landed and towed the raft to deeper water where Peter could get them. I was entroute and Pete said it was all over and I turned around and went back to fishing. Glad everyone was okay. Sounds as is the seine driver had fallen asleep.

Big fish but few of them today. Fished to Coverdon, then

Mark Stopha
F/V Dutch Master
Alaska Wild Salmon Co
4455 N Douglas Hwy
Juneau, Alaska 99801
907-463-3115

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Yesterday was a typical day for this season. When I arrived at my processor with my totes of fish, the right trailer wheel was off, hanging on by a thread. The outer bearing was pushed to the end of the axle, and the inner bearing was just plain gone. Took the bearing and race to the auto parts store, and received replacement parts. Unfortunately, when I returned to the trailer the parts didn’t fit, so back to the store. By the time I got the right parts I had to leave right away to sell fish at the dock. When I returned, however, my processor – a mechanical wizard – had already changed out the bearings and I was ready to go. Back out fishing today to try to scratch a couple near town with my remaining ice.

Mark Stopha
F/V Dutch Master
Alaska Wild Salmon Co
4455 N Douglas Hwy
Juneau, Alaska 99801
907-463-3115

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Beautiful day – sunny and in the 60’s, and decent fishing. Fog rolled in mid morning, making for tough fishing by myself. I’d set a course by the radar that was not in the path of any other boat, run back and run gear, then back forward to the radar to look for boats again. Same program for cleaning and icing.

Mark Stopha
F/V Dutch Master
Alaska Wild Salmon Co
4455 N Douglas Hwy
Juneau, Alaska 99801
907-463-3115

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Moved to Homeshore on a hot tip this morning. There is definitely a push of coho coming through. lots of bright jumpers coming down Icy Strait. Caught 16 at Funter, then 25 coho, 2 sockeye and a chum at Homeshore. Nice large, bright, mostly female cohos. Beautiful day, too, with west wind and temperature in the 60’s with partly sunny skies in the evening.

Mark Stopha
F/V Dutch Master
Alaska Wild Salmon Co
4455 N Douglas Hwy
Juneau, Alaska 99801
907-463-3115

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Fished Square Cove to Funter for 45. Sotheast wind about 20 and lots of rain. Hear there is fish outside, but too tired to run and weather looks crappy till thurs.

Mark Stopha
F/V Dutch Master
Alaska Wild Salmon Co
4455 N Douglas Hwy
Juneau, Alaska 99801
907-463-3115

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Woke about 5:30. Checked the oil, water and transmission in my morning ritual. When I went to untie from the dock, the resident otter gave a few snorts of salutation from his perch on the float, then jumped over and swam away.

Fished Funter south to Pt. Marsden for 23. Then crossed to Freshwater Bay and nothing. Anchored early at 4:30 in Pavlof Harbor. Tough fishing this time of year. I’m pretty burned out and hard to be patient when coho fishing is so slow and the usual Sept. weather of wind, waves, and rain.

Mark Stopha
F/V Dutch Master
Alaska Wild Salmon Co
4455 N Douglas Hwy
Juneau, Alaska 99801
907-463-3115

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