After the swing nets were set we looked over and the outers were getting bombarded with fish. We boated out and started picking through the nets. As we started picking the nets the weather and water got choppy. As the tide was going out we were picking fish and getting hit by waves. We would pick fish quickly and then when big waves would come we had to hold on to the line and try not to lose our spot in the line plus we had to be sure the line kept away from the prop.
There was so much fish coming in that when you would finish picking the net and would put it back down, the fish would start hitting it again. We were catching so many fish that we did not know what to do except to just keep picking fish. We picked fish constantly for 8 hours straight and still they were coming in faster than we could pick. Here's the boat as we are taking out the fish to put in the totes.
Once the tide turned, our entire fish effort changed too. We could not fish our outer nets and swing sets due to the rough waters which could swamp our boat's motor or even campsize it. A fishing site right next to us decided to fish during the rough weather and it did not turn out so good for them. Their boat flipped while they were trying to come in and the crew had to jump out their boat so the boat would not get on top of them.
We decided to pick a couple of more nets and there were so many fish on the line that it was tipping our boat in the water because of the weight. We fished until 10 o'clock in the evening and each net yielded about 2 totes of fish. Altogether we caught 30,000 pounds of fish. (22 totes full to the brim with red salmon). That is what I call a great fishing day.
I have to say this was the first big run of the season and there are still many more to come. It is definitely hard work and you feel all the effects of the work you put in the day before when you wake up the next morning. It was such a great day and I was happy to experience something like this and hope that many more fish find our nets for the rest of the month. As I get busier and busier it is easy to forget what day of the week it is and things like that. But I am still having a blast up here and trying my hand at being a commercial fisherman in Alaska. I finally discovered why I take pleasure in doing things that some people would consider crazy or say, "Why do you want to do that?". I have come to this conclusion: I love anything that gets my adrenaline pumping but also I want to say I have lived a fulfilled life and I do not regret one thing I have done because it is what I wanted out of life. That is why I am up here; well, heck the money is nice but to say I did something that very few people I know have never done sounds like something fun to hang your hat on. I believe this is not just the beginning or the end of my commercial fishing. I have been thinking maybe in a couple of years of trying my hand at king crab fishing. When the water was hitting me in my face and I was pulling so many fish in still, that was the moment I knew I loved this job. It is the thrill of danger that excites me to do these kind of things: jumping out a plane, bungee jumping, or even jumping off of campus property. Why live life if you will not live to your fullest?
I have one life and I want to not just do crazy things but also I want to be influential in my generation. I also want to let God's love show to the people around me on campus. I do not want to sit back and just say, 'Hey God, I'm going to just stay here and not be used by You.' Instead, 'Hey God, I am going to play the background and you take the main role and I will become an instrument for You.' I want Him to use me to make a difference to the people around me. I was meditating on this and I have this fascination of seeing things going from being really dirty to clean and I understand why: it's because I like seeing things go from bad to good. That is what I want to see; I want to experince people's lives from being without Christ to a life filled with Christ. I have seen that in my good friend, James Pickle. I have seen his life go from feeling 'Why should I follow Christ?' to a life where James' has realized that he cannot live without Him. That experience will always be the best adrenaline rush that can happen and I want to live my life to so that I am influential in others as they seek peace and watch God's will overtake their lives.
THE END OF A GREAT DAY OF FISHING
I have the day off today but we go back out at 6 am to fish a full day tomorrow. FISH ON!!
Until next time,
Edward
