Captain Jack was born in Roseville, MN to Kurt and Anna Barnick. He caught his first fish, a
bluegill, at age 4 and claims he hasn’t really put a rod down since. Jack became interested in
Alaska after seeing pictures of the wildlife, the scenery, and, of course, the fishing. Jack tells
that venturing to Sitka brought him out of his comfort zone at first but that quickly changed after
his first day there when he caught three kings. He was hooked.
Helping people catch salmon and halibut in the beautiful Alaskan wilderness is Jack’s dream
job. After deckhanding 3 years for Captain James, he earned his captain’s license and took the
helm in 2018. His excellent fish-finding sense and quiet friendly manner have earned Jack the
loyal following of regulars. He’s known for a tireless work ethic and endless enthusiasm for
fishing, He seldom gets a day off in the summer and when he does, he goes fishing for himself.
In the off-season, Jack doesn’t stop fishing whether it’s walleyes and crappies from his boat or
cutting a hole through the ice. He enjoys hunting for grouse and pheasants and hiking around
northern Minnesota where he currently spends the off-season. Jack also likes fly fishing for
steelhead and spending time with his dogs Neva and Bebe.
Favorite quote: “The two best times to fish is when it’s raining, and when it ain’t” – Patrick F.
McManus
I had the chance to go fishing with Jack with the Nelson group. It was a fantastic trip. Just wanted to say Thanks and hope everything is going good. My family and I have enjoyed the fish that we have caught.
Aaron SauserJuly 15, 2022 at 6:45 pm
Sitka, Alaska, 99835