Dipnetting on the Susitna

On August 4, 2002, my first column appeared in the Frontiersman. This column marks the beginning of my 23rd year writing about the outdoors for the paper. When then managing editor Frank Ameduri asked me to begin writing a weekly column, I wasn’t sure I could find material for every week. Over time, I learned that there was enough interesting stuff that an almost daily column could be written.

I’m really glad that Andy Couch, a decades long friend, currently writes a weekly column covering the fishing seasons here in the Valley. Andy is a long-time sports fishing guide who stays on top of the fishing situation. He’s very knowledgeable about the fishing scene and is also an excellent writer. His emphasis on fishing allows me to write about other things like shooting and hunting—stuff I enjoy writing about.

Anyway, speaking of Andy, he graciously invited me to go on a dipnetting trip this past Saturday to participate in the relatively new Lower Susitna personal use fishery. I had never done that fishery before. I was one of four folks going dip netting with Andy – a younger couple (Shana and Frye) from Anchorage, a lady chef (Misha) working in Willow, and me. (I probably incorrectly spelled all three names.) We all met at Deshka Landing at 5 am to make the one-hour boat ride to the designated personal use fishing area.

The trip was uneventful until we arrived at the spot where Andy stashed all the unneeded gear for dipping out of the boat. The couple had spotted a small black bear on the shore, which wandered off as Andy made the turn to go into the bank. Since it was already a little after 6 am, and dipping was legal, after unloading the extra gear, we motored back up the river a few hundred yards and immediately put nets in the water to fish. Andy operated the boat and instructed us on how to fish the nets in the current and submerged snags.

The two ladies were in the stern closest to the shore (and the shallower water) while Frye and I were toward the bow over deeper water. Over the years while dip netting, I’ve noticed that the fish tend to follow the shoreline, especially in silty waters like the Susitna, and this day was no different. The ladies were hauling in three to five fish for every one fish us guys were catching, and I wasn’t doing all that well netting fish. I had hoped to do better, but age had taken its toll.

I lasted about an hour-and-a-half before my left shoulder was done for the day. I pulled my net in out of the way, took a seat behind the netters, and started clubbing fish as the other folks pulled them into the boat.

I’ve now dipped fish from the Copper River; the Kenai River; Fish Creek; and now the Susitna River. Dip netting is always a workout, but this Susitna River fishery seemed especially tough for me. Yes, I’m several years older than the last dip netting trip I made, and I’ve needed a lot of “rebuild work” since then. There comes a time in everyone’s life where they need to realize that activities they did in their younger years aren’t so easy as they age. My ability to dip net falls into that category.

My balance was off, and I had trouble getting in and out of the boat all day. I want to thank Frye for helping me with my mobility issues as much as he did. Uneven ground and rocking boats don’t make for a stable platform to step or walk!

So how did we do? Shana and Frye got their limit, as did Misha. That was sixty fish. I only wanted about ten fish total and, since the pinks and chums were still bright in that section of river, I was willing to keep five chums for smoking and one pink. I also took home five sockeye for a total of eleven fish.

Andy commented that this was, by far, the best fishing he had seen this season. We actually only spent about four-and-a-half hours dip netting. Andy and Frye probably spent just under two hours cleaning and filleting the fish. I told a few stories. Everybody gave their eggs from the females to Andy for use as bait when silver fishing. I brought home some of the milt sacs since my wife enjoys frying it up and eating it.