The salmon run is somewhat of a cultural experience every summer. Salmon fishing is a huge industry in Alaska and the red salmon that spawns here is coveted all over the world. Jimmy and I go out to the Copper River every year to get our share of fish.

Ways to harvest salmon

Depending on the year, where we go, etc. there are a few different ways to get the salmon. Dipnetting, flossing with rod and reel, or a fish wheel. 

If you aren’t familiar – here is a description of each method:

• Dip netting: Dip netting can be done from a boat or shore. You just net the fish! Sounds easy – it is not! You have to fight the current and handle a net that is 8+ feet long. If you land a fish, you have to close the net and bring it to shore or into the boat quickly. Its quite the workout!
• Flossing: drifting/sweeping using a single hook through the water while pulling and jerking the line to ‘snag’ a fish. Although the salmon aren’t ‘biting’ on the hook, you have to hook the salmon in the mouth for it to be legal.
• Fish wheel: a big wheel with baskets attached to catch the fish. The wheel is propelled by the water and turns, plunging the baskets into the river and catches fish as they are swimming upstream. When a fish is captured in the basket they are dropped into a live holding box in the river. This method is very productive but not for everyone as you need legal access to the river for the wheel.

So many fish

Each year when I’m sitting on the river bank, I’m always amazed at the sheer number of fish it takes to make it possible to net a fish or snag fish from shore. The estimate for 2022 was that 785,000 sockeye spawned in the Copper River (only 1 of the 5 types of salmon spawning rivers in Alaska). 

Roughly 15,000 – 40,000 fish are entering the river from the ocean each day for about 12 weeks. Dedicated fishermen know when numbers start to get concentrated at the mouth of the river just how long it will take for the fish to reach their favorite fishing hole. These salmon are covering 300 river miles to get to their spawning ground, which is incredible.

The challenge is part of the fun

The Copper River shore is generally very steep banks and the glacial water is swift and cold. These conditions make it hard to find a good fishing spot. There also isn’t a lot of shoreline that is public access and easy to fish. The spots that are easy to access tend to draw a crowd. Combat fishing is not what we’re looking for!

In an attempt to find quiet fishing grounds of our own, Jimmy and I floated the Copper River this year in a raft. Floating down a river on a raft has to be one of the most peaceful things. Aside from the reality of the dangerous water, it is fun to watch the world go by as you float down the river. 

This wasn’t the best float because there was strong wind thwarting our progress. It took us far longer to accomplish the distance we wanted to. But we were able to find a great camping spot and camp on the river for 2 nights. 

We ended up with 14 fish. Our camping spot was not very lucrative, which is where we spent most of our time. On our float out, we found a spot with the raft where we saw salmon rolling like crazy. It was a fun spot to catch fish. Jimmy landed four fish and I missed SIX. Let me tell ya, it is not easy to get a flopping salmon in a loaded raft while not falling in and not knocking Gus (our dog) in the head with the end of the net. Not proud of that performance record! 

We will probably have an opportunity to get out to the Copper River again before the salmon are done running this summer. Although 14 fish may not seem like a lot, I am very grateful for the success we did have and we learned a lot about what tools to bring and holes to fish to have better success in the future on the raft. Also – I have fished enough to always be grateful for not getting skunked!  

We could easily have more success with a jet boat or at the crowded fishing holes, but the challenge of using the raft and finding a secluded camping spot is more our speed.

If you have access to salmon and want a great way to smoke it – check out how we smoke our salmon here.