Spring has sprung, and the new season has brought many exciting things: waves crashing on the newly ice-free beach, beautiful stretches of snowless road to explore, and a truly overwhelming amount of sunlight. Out of everything, though, I think my favorite spring surprise has been the anticipation of the upcoming fishing season.
It’s only May, so the salmon run is still a ways off. But as we drive the three roads that take Nome residents out to the country, we see countless cars headed to camp. A lot of people are focused on seal, and some on whale or walrus, but it sounds like just as many are thinking ahead to fishing season.
Even from an outsider’s vantage point, I can tell it takes a lot of work to prepare a fish camp and get everything ready in time for the run. There are supplies to gather, nets to mend, and plenty of plans to make with the friends and family who play a part in the operation.
At the volunteer house, we’re getting ready too — in our own small way — by smoking sockeye from last summer. Despite having regular salmon dinners all winter, we realized we still had a freezer filled with more fish that we could eat in the next few months. That’s thanks to all of the people who were so generous last season, taking us fishing and teaching us to process.
So Emily suggested thawing some fillets, finding a smoker to borrow, and making a big batch of fish that we can take with us as we leave Nome or give as gifts to the friends we’ve made here.
It’s a therapeutic process — cutting and brining the fish, rotating the fillets in the smoker, and shaking out the scorched wood chips. And it’s a nice way to transition into this new season, which will bring a lot of change.
I won’t be in town for most of fishing season, and soon, we’ll be welcoming the new volunteers. It’s strange and slightly scary to think about. But I know it’ll be exciting to watch them learn about western Alaska, get comfortable with radio, and refill the freezer with fish of their own catching.
And while we’re making that transition and embracing the new season, I know it’ll be a great comfort to have some delicious smoked salmon with me, courtesy of Nome and this great community.
