New Addition to AU family
They met on the job at AU and Spencer flew all the way from Sitka to Minnesota for their first date. On October 4, Captain Spencer Chute and wife Alli (former AUhostess) welcomed Nora Rose Chute into the world. Born in Sitka, she’s their second, joining sister Lauren. Nora weighed 7 pounds – 7 ounces and was 20.5 inches long at birth. Mother and baby are healthy and happy. The proud dad reports that “We are enjoying the beautiful Sitka fall weather and new baby Nora has already been on the boat to see whales and hear the ocean sounds.” How could Nora have a better start than that?
Book’em
Fishing Dates: It’s the perfect time of the year to book your next fishing trip with AU. We still have an excellent selection of prime-time king dates from mid-May through mid-June. We also have openings in early July for a mix of kings and silvers. Last but not least, we have some space in September, the best time to land the biggest silvers of the year. Halibut, rockfish, and assorted others are available throughout our season.
Air Travel: Alaska Airlines and Delta serve Sitka with direct flights from Seattle. Booking early assures that you get the flights that best suit your travel fishing dates and travel plans. The rates seem to change over the course of the winter, sometimes up, sometimes down – but the flights do fill up early. Once you’ve booked dates with AU, we recommend that you stay on top of what’s happening with airline schedules and rates. An early purchase is often a good idea.
New Boat
AU continues to refine and improve our product, including regularly replacing older boats with the latest and greatest from North River. This winter we’re retiring Storyteller, a boat on which Captain James has made a lot of happy memories. The new boat will be very similar to Aurora and Raefen – a 32-foot North River, full walkaround with a Volvo diesel duo-prop power package, equipped with the most advanced electronics. Captain James starts a new chapter of his career on this boat which is yet unnamed. He’s also starting a new chapter in life on December 2, 2023, as he walks down the aisle with fiancé Jessica Kuhne.
Thanksgiving Recipe for House-Smoked Salmon
When you put out the holiday spread, nothing pleases like home-smoked salmon. So, thaw some of last summer’s king or coho and follow our instructions on how to make smoked salmon. If you don’t own a smoker, we recommend going with the tried, true, and most affordable – the Luhr Jensen Little Chief or Big Chief. If you happen to have a few filets of blackcod in the freezer, give them a try in the smoker. You won’t regret it.