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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Fished 0430 to 1700 for just a few fish yesterday. Flat calm, sunny, and about 70 degrees. Funny listening to the ball games back east and it’s much colder than here.

Few fish but plenty of scenery. Saw two blackbears within sight of where just the day before, a boat of bear hunters were moored. A pair of scooters swam by the boat with their brood of 2 chicks. Right at sunset, a young humpback whale joined us on the drag. Most boats have left here for greener pastures.

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

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Watching a big black bear digging for food on the sunny beach along which I’m fishing. Their jet-black color sure sticks out. You can even pick them out from the air when flying in the small aircraft we use to get from town to town here.

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

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