Regulations, Waste Reduction, Recipes & More

2022 Regulations

The wizards who project the run size of king salmon and biomass of halibut have crunched the numbers for 2022. We’re seeing an upswing in the forecast numbers for kings and a flat line regarding the allowable catch of halibut. A projected increased angler effort (more of you showing up to fish in 2022) is the reason for the size reduction to a 40-inch maximum.

King Salmon 2022

• The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length per person.
• The nonresident annual limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length per person.
• Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date, and location on their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

Note: These regulations currently apply to the entire 2022 season. However, ADFG tracks sport harvest during the season. If our harvest rate exceeds the current projection rates, they will lower the king limits. If the harvest rate trails the current projections, they will increase these limits. 

Halibut 2022

• Daily limit: 1 per person per day
• Halibut must be either under 40 inches or over 80 inches in length
• Annual limit: None

Plastic Waste Reduction

Problem: Many of our guests focus on staying hydrated which we highly recommend for a day at sea. The downside of this healthful practice is AU accumulates at least a full-size garbage can of plastic containers daily. What’s a bit frustrating about this mountain of plastic is the tap water in Sitka is higher quality than what comes in the plastic water bottle.

Solution: We will no longer buy bottled water nor should our guests. In your suites, simply take a glass, put it under the faucet, fill it up, and enjoy the best tap water on the planet. We are also furnishing high quality aluminum water bottles for all our guests that will be on board the boat and yours to take home. We’ll be carrying an ample supply of Sitka water on each boat for refills.

Captain Chuck’s “Reel” Offseason Work

Making sure our equipment is ready to go when guests arrive to fish is just one of the many tasks involved in preparing for the busy fishing season. This week, as the temperatures dive well below zero, you’ll find me in my office overhauling AU’s salmon reels. The demands of rain, salt spray and heavy daily use require more than standard factory grease in our reels.

So, I decided that I would do it myself. There are nearly 100 small pieces including screws, bushings, bearings, gears, drag washers, a handle, and a line-counter in these Shimano reels. All must function perfectly for the reel to work properly. What do these parts have in common?  They get eaten up by corrosive saltwater unless greased properly. As I disassemble a salmon reel, each little piece gets inspected, cleaned and re-greased to assure that it will hold up doing battle with a big salmon. I often replace one or two gears and always replace the drag washers to assure smooth operation. Even with abundant lubrication, I don’t expect the reels to last the entire season. I do expect them to hold up for about a month before we clean and grease them again.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spritz a baking sheet with oil, lime juice, or line with parchment. Set aside.
2. Whisk 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil, soy sauce, honey, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl until well combined. Or shake all ingredients in a jar with a lid.
3. Add 1/3 cup of honey garlic sauce to the broccoli florets in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Place on a prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Roast 15 minutes, or until the broccoli is caramelized.
4. Pat dry the fish. Season with coarse salt and cracked black pepper.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the black cod with the skin side up. Cook until seared and golden, about 4 minutes. Flip
6. Add the remaining honey garlic sauce to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce is reduced by about half and the fish is cooked to 145 degrees F. Baste cod with the sauce generously. Serve warm with a side of warm broccoli and rice, if desired.

Grace is still busily working to rewrite Angling Unlimited’s cookbook that her grandmother Sue put together years ago. She’s happy to hear suggestions on what to include. The new book will be in our office for the coming season. Feel free to send your recipe ideas to grace@anglingunlimited.com.