This is how we Fish.

[oosik]

Those fish wheels are a marvel to watch. It's kind of like they say about property - location, location, etc. I've seen some that will only catch 6-10 fish a day. Others, right down or up stream - the two natives working the wheel can hardly keep up with the catch.

The fish swim upstream and follow the path of least resistance. That path is most usually quite near shore. If your fish wheel is in the right place - you will catch fish like it's a fish magnet.

Back when I was in Glennallen - 1965 - the AK natives had to get a permit from us( AK Dept of Fish & Game). The permits were free and allowed the permit holder to take all the salmon they could use. NO commercial operations back then. The permits gave us statistical data on the run. I would take scale sample from the fish for growth characteristics and ageing. Some of the fish wheels were a lot more stable than others. I always wore a good life jacket. Fell in the Copper several times. I can tell you - it's mighty cold. And the water is very "gritty"- glacial silt & plain 'ol dirt/mud.

 

[Molalla1]

oosik it's like walking in a snow cone . . . :laughing:

 

[Tomtint]

Last year we took a vacation and went to Maui.. my favorite fish is Mahi Mahi....it was something like 24.00 per pound at the local fish market there...we decided we would just charter a boat a few days later and catch our own... we'll the charter was 9 hours and we caught...1 fish..... net net..the fish cost us about 40.00 a pound...