Spent yesterday hopefully finishing repairs on the transmission. After the replacement part did not fix things, a friend suggested that my oil cooler line may have separated and collapsed. This made sense, so I ordered a new pair from a small shop in Hoonah. I installed the lines and left the dock. After I sped up to running speed, I thought to check the fittings and one was leaking profusely. I turned around and limped back to the dock, disconnected the fitting, and found I’d cross-threaded the male fitting. After replacing that, I decided not to head out to the outer coast since there was only one day left open there this week, and had dinner at Mary’s Inn in Hoonah.

Hoonah is a neat little town on Icy Strait. The community is a mixture of commercial fishing, logging, sport fishing and hunting, US Forest Service, a cooperative-type farm, and now a destination stop for a small fraction of the cruiseships. I thinks it’s this diversity that has allowed the community to better weather the economic ups and downs of the resource-based economy of the region. All looks good with the tranny today,and back out fishing at 4:30 this morning.

A few large kings by noon, and the same score as my buddy who called by cell phone from out on the coast, so happy now I didn’t try to run out there last night and then fish for a day on a few hours sleep. My friend has a much larger boat and a deck hand, so easier for them to get sleep than it is for me fishing solo. Beautiful weather- partly sunny, light northerly breeze, and about 60 degrees. Passed a mother humpback whale with her calf earlier, and several eagles along the way.
Mark Stopha
F/V Dutch Master
Alaska Wild Salmon Co
4455 N Douglas Hwy
Juneau, Alaska 99801
907-463-3115

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On my way out of town. Spent the past few days doing repairs on the boat. I hope I correctly diagnosed the tranny problem. I took the suspected part to my mechanic, who showed me some scoring on the control valve barely perceptible to the uneducated eye. He led me up to his used parts loft, and rooted around in coffee cans until he found the replacement part. He then found a new o-ring and gasket, and sent me on my way. I cranked up the engine after replacing the part, and so far so good.

The anchor winch motor had been leaking hydraulic fluid, and I took that into my hydraulics man. One of his mechanics was eager to try out their new lathe, so I said to have at it. I put back on the motor, and tested the motor, and so far so good for that, too.

The final chore was to address a sticky starter. It could take a whole lotta pushes on the starter button, listening to the solenid click but not move the starter. My friend Eric, who showed me how to troll, gave me some good advice: 99% of the time, the fix to a problem is the simplest fix. So, before I tried replacing the solenoid or the starter I just tightened the nuts holding the wires on the solenoid and wah la, now the starter works much better.

After selling my catch and replacing the fuel I used last week, I was left with about $100 dollars — so not much to show for a week’s work but like most fishermen around the world, I expect things to get better next trip.
Both of these mechanics get fresh king and/or coho salmon delivered to their door every season, regardless of whether they’ve done work for me that year or not. These two businesses are a fisherman’s lifeline to staying in business. Many times problems occur out on the water that can’t wait for a return to port for repairs. Knowing you can call a mechanic who knows who you are and is willing to talk you down from a situation is no small comfort. The respect shown them each year with a gift of king salmon is greatly appreciated and remembered.

My engine mechanic Mike grew up in Juneau and used to troll himself. He is highly regarded as “the man” for diesel engine repair in Juneau. Jim, the hydraulics guy, grew up on a homestead on the north west side of Prince of Wales Island. Jim always has an interesting childhood memory to share if the conversation turns to his home of New Tokeen. One I distinctly remember is that while he enjoyed growing up there, it was tough life. A toothache was not a drive down the block to the dentist. It was an expensive floatplane ride to Wrangell, and if money was tight or the weather unflyable, there was nothing to do but take some asprin and bear it.

Both know the trials and tribulations facing a commercial fishing operation, and that their repairs can mean the difference betweeen making
money or falling further into debt to a fisherman and his or her family.

We got the first real rain we’ve had in weeks – just a few showers, but a welcome relief to the spruce pollen which has coated everything in the absence of 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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Fished my way home on Tuesday. Lost a king at the boat at a place called
Homeshore, so had that to stew about for the next 5 hours running to Juneau.
Sold my salmon to my Juneau customers today, and doled out rockfish to salmon
buyers as well as friends who help us with the business. We had 3 for dinner
tonight – just incredible how good they are. I just fried them in olive oil
with lemon pepper, paprika and tabasco, then we ate the fish with rice.

As usual, a long day of shipping pet treat and canned salmon orders, working
with my webmaster (and sister) regarding our webpage, taking an order for
salmon from a Florida customer over the phone, and just running around in
general. I also removed a leaky anchor winch from the boat for repair, got a
start on finding and fixing my boat’s transmission problem, changed the oil in
my Detroit Diesel 453 engine, and painted the hold hatch cover before the
forecasted rain.

Finally getting some relief from all the sunny weather. Clouded up today, and
supposed to rain in the next few days. Pollen from the spruce trees is all
over everything now – cars, boats, the ocean – everything. Need a good rain
to wash it off. Not sure if there is an unusually large amount this year, or
that it just seems so because it’s so dry. The change in weather should move
some fish our way, and I hope to have the boat all repaired by weeks end so I
can get back out fishing.

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The transmission got hot again yesterday. And of course, when I was at the furthest point in Icy Strait from either shore and in the one area with no cell coverage between Cross Sound and Juneau. I limped into Willoughby Cove along Lemesuire Is, and with the tide running full bore, I had to kill the engine because it the tranny would not come out of gear when hot. I changed the fluid, diagnosed the problem as best I could, and moved on to Pinta Cove to anchor for the night. Two other boats running with me also had problems. One ran to Hoonah and one anchored next to me. I helped him to try to fix his autopilot problem after a pot of coffee and lots of talk about being direct marketers. My friend freezes his fish (after heading and dressing them) at sea, and then sells his fish through distributers. We both occupy niche markets of our own making, and have similar problems of seasonal cash flow, marketing costs, transportation logistics, and of course, catching salmon!!

We had no luck fixing his autopilot, so he’s headed to town and I’m going to fish my way to town. On our way out of the anchorage, we were treated to a humpback whale jumping out of the water (aka breaching) several times. This area around Point Adolphus is a regular haunt for a large number of humpbacks, and it can be hard to sleep on anchor there at times because of the constant spouting of the whales. I sleep at the boat’s waterline in the forecastle, and the way sound travels over water, it can seem like the whales are spouting or breaching right next to your head when in fact they’re hundreds of yards or more away.
Mark Stopha
F/V Dutch Master
Alaska Wild Salmon Co
4455 N Douglas Hwy
Juneau, Alaska 99801
907-463-3115

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Traveled all the way out to the outer coast from Juneau, 70 degree and suny weather, but no king salmon. About 25 boats out here, all wondering where the fish are like me. To top it off, a large pod of killer whales is circuiting the area, which should continue to keep the king salmon in hiding.

Another glorious day nonetheless, with the Brady Glacier in the distance, rising up to the mountains behind.

Fished 4:15 am to 2 pm for no salmon and 15 rockfish, so a long 12 hour trip from home for not much. That’s why they call it fishin’ I guess.
Mark Stopha
F/V Dutch Master
Alaska Wild Salmon Co
4455 N Douglas Hwy
Juneau, Alaska 99801
907-463-3115

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No fish in the early morning, so left for Hoonah to get more ice and some groceries, and then head west towards the open ocean to try there. Three brown bears feeding along the beach between Eagle Pt and Pt Adolphus. Also passed a cow and calf humback whales, both with a neat white patch on their dorsal fins, presumably passed from mom to junior. Also caught a hawg – about 30 lb – king along there to top it off!

I installed what’s known as a black box, from Cabelas. It’s supposed to regulate the micro-voltage given off by a moving boat. It seems that the fish do act calmer when they near the boat with the unit set at 5, but this could also just be my imagination, too.

Anchored for the night in the 7 fathom bight on the north end of Shaw Island. Lots of sea otter lounging at the surface out here near the outer coast in the sunny weather and flat calm seas.

Turned off the boat stove yesterday and looks like more 70 degree weather this week.
Fishing in one my favorite kind of location – out of cell phone range…

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

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