Alaska-commercial fishing for $

Has anyone had any success in heading to Alaska to make some good $ in the commercial fishing trade? I've never done it before, & would appreciate any insight or suggestions. Maybe it's not worth going?

beav350,

if you have any of the many discovery/learning/national geographic channels on digital cable or sat., check the listings for that show they do about world's most dangerous jobs -- commercial fishing in Alaska is always on there. One of those channels also did a one hour documentary about life of a few young americans out there to make $.

it seemed like high risk/moderate reward from what I saw. tough work.

maybe google it also, find some blogs from people who went out and did it or something. they hire lots of 18-24s.

Many people from around here do it. Catch the Boats out of Seattle, and head up. They generaly make good money. Work is very hard, but a good crew can make enough in a couple short opening to not have to work the rest of the year.

Depends on what you are fishing for, the boat ya get on, and the cut. If you want stable (but hard work), get on a processor. Hope ya like cold/wet though.

My wife and I went to AK for our honeymoon. Been back once since then. Ironically, if I wasn't married, I probably wouldn't have come back. The rental ZJ got some mild wheeling although never going morre than a half mile from the highway. Those "worlds most dangerous jobs" show just about lure me back every time I see them. I am a safety conscious person but the thought of being in peril just seems like a challenge. Maybe that why this Jeep thing has gotten to the point it has. Sorry to be off topic. But if your not tied down, and think you have the state of mind to handle it, I say go for it.

Three or four boats go down every year...this year the CG lost a helicopter during a rescue...all the crew and the passengers were rescued. Damn good money, but every year we also hear about some Capt cheating the crew out of their cut.

Most dangerous job there is...except maybe a jumper...the folks that clean reactors.

good luck,
Tom

Crab fishermen and flight deck personnel...just about the most dangerous ones out there. The flight deckers do get to enjoy the sun when the rest of the 5000-man crew is stuck down below though. Of course, they also have to work on the roof in some pretty crappy conditions too...

I worked with a guy who did it for a while, him and 3 or 4 of his buddies would work the shift (if that's what you want to call it) Take the money they got, go buy a car and travel the US until their money ran out, then sell the car and go back an do it again. He said it was really hard work and he had a couple really nice scars to prove it. You just have to decide if the money is worth the high risk.

If you're interested in working in AK and getting good money, you can also try the oil fields. I know a family that all the men do it. You get yourself to Anchorage and your trip to the Slope is free. One lives in New York, one in New Mexico, and the Dad and his wife (who doesn't have to work) travel on his off time. The scedule is three weeks on and three weeks off. Don't know exactly what they do up there, but it pays really well.

-Marisha

I'm 29, but not at all tied down except to my 2 Jeeps & my dog. Just lost my girl of 3 years too, & living pretty much paycheck to paycheck. I know it must be dangerous/wet/cold/generally unpleasant/etc, I wouldn't expect it to be a vacation at all. As far as dangerous, I guess being able to stay aware when you're beat tired would be a good start to keeping all your body parts. For years I've driven a wrecker and done plenty of 36 hour straight days & somehow managed to keep my wits about me to not end up a statistic, so it hopefully shouldn't be too much of a stretch to pull it off. I would like to be assured of a decent amount of cash upon return. Processing? You mean the blood & guts work? SHould I just head on up there & start looking & networking? Is it too soon (I'm thinking mid to late April) to head on up, or should I wait til the actual season starts? (I've heard that is very early June). Hop on a boat from Seattle? Where would I get off the boat? How much should this boat trip cost me? If anyone else would weigh in on this topic, I'd really appreciate it, as this is something I'm almost sure to be doing. I've tried internet searching, but haven't found much useful logistical info, as in specifically how to get up there, where "there" is & what capacity to offer my time to. Thanks a lot guys!

"Should I just head on up there & start looking & networking?"

The season starts depending on what you're going to be fishing for. Check out the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. It's probably a good place to start your search as they are the ones that make the rules.

"Is it too soon (I'm thinking mid to late April) to head on up, or should I wait til the actual season starts? (I've heard that is very early June)."

You can head up anytime you want to. I myself am going back in 2 weeks driving the Al-Can. If you don't find immediate work with what you want, a lot of the seasonal jobs are starting about now, and there is plenty of other hum-drum work too you could do until you got on a boat.

"Hop on a boat from Seattle? Where would I get off the boat? How much should this boat trip cost me? "

The Ferry will get you from Bellingham, WA to Haines, AK. You can take a vehicle and the driver is free, but you have to pay extra for a cabin (or else you'd be sleeping in the lobby). It's about $750 until the end of April. The summer season the ferry prices about double. (There are other stops along the way as well where you can get on and off) You will have to then either drive, fly, or take another boat to get to Anchorage and from there you can get to the fishing, just depends on where you're going to go. Google for the "Alaska Marine Highway" and you'll find your info there.

"where "there" is "

"There" is proabaly Anchorage, it's the largest city in the state, and you best starting point. I don't know where they do all thier fishing out of, but would probably be on the Kenai Peninsula (Cities such as Seward, Kenai, Homer) or out in the Bering Straight for king crab. Perhaps the Aleutian Chain as well (Dutch Harbor).

Also: You can drive to AK, it's about 50-55 driving hours from SoCal to Anchorage, and the last time I went it took me 6 days.

You can fly, but then you have to get all your junk up there some how (I found the Post Office to be the cheapest a couple years ago)

That's what I've been able to find, and things that I just know from living there. Hope that gives you a good place to start.

-Marisha

Boatwrench said:

Three or four boats go down every year...this year the CG lost a helicopter during a rescue...all the crew and the passengers were rescued. Damn good money, but every year we also hear about some Capt cheating the crew out of their cut.

Most dangerous job there is...except maybe a jumper...the folks that clean reactors.

good luck,
Tom

Click to expand...

Only one of the people rescued survived, the rest were lost at sea, I work on CG Helicopters and was stationed in Kodiak for 8 years, another Naxja member was on the Coast Guard Helicopter flying cover when the H60 went down, he pulled all the survivors from the water. The money doesn't seem to be what it used to, and everytime I flew over those guys I thought they were just nuts, but somewhere in my twisted little mind I would like to try it myself. I was born and raised In San Diego, went to Alaska when I first joined the Coast Guard and fell in love with it, I'm stationed in Los Angeles now but as soon as I can get back up there I'm gone.

Only advice is plan your trip up there and don't show up broke.

Good luck and if you go up there to work give us guys in the orange and white helo's a wave, we got your back!

Gary

From Official CG message:

B. APRIL 9, AT 2 P.M., THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL WILL AIR THE THREE
PART SERIES "AMERICAS DEADLIEST SEASON: ALASKA CRAB FISHING," WHICH
FEATURES THE SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORTS OF AIR STATION KODIAK AND
THE USCGC MORGANTHAU.

That's the one, good catch Boatwrench.