Fishing the Copper River at Chitina, Alaska

[@stevegowin6006]

At the risk of being ridiculed by the Facebook court of public opinion here, I offer up my brief experience with Copper River Salmon fishing. My back ground is I am 61 yrs old, hunted, fished all my life, camped and backpack hunted out west. I have camped and fished in bear country and lastly I am not a first time visitor to Alaska. I lived and worked in Alaska as a resident and fished many places here especially the many beautiful rivers. I now come back to fish and visit my son who is an experienced long time Alaskan resident. I was at the Copper River in early June This year with my son who had experience in this river. I had never been to the Copper when I lived in Alaska and I wanted to see what all the hoopla was about. We went opening weekend. Well I saw alright. I saw the worst of the river. I saw a lot in the day I was there. Saw the silt wind kick up so bad it was hard to see the far side of the river. Saw a truck bad stuck out in the river on a gravel bar. Not sure what he was thinking when We saw where he was struck. Saw a RIB boat outboard motor break when I heard it suck in too much gravel sending both occupants floating down river pretty much helpless. Last I saw them one guy was paddling for all he was worth and the other man was probably praying another boat would come by. And unfortunately My son and I saw a young military man from Ft Greeley drown while dip netting. Call it bad luck but after seeing the Copper, this is one of the most dangerous places in Alaska. Certainly it would appear to be one of if not the most dangerous rivers in the state because of its popularity. Arguably, to me No salmon is worth the chance you are taking especially the netters wading in a fast current along the shoreline in water we’re the temp is about 40-45 degrees. You fall in you are pretty much toast. Happens every year I am told. I saw it first hand. Father of three gone in an instant. Or like the video shared about the big log under the water taking a guy out. I have enough experience fishing other rivers in AK to know how dangerous a whole tree floating down river or large log underwater can be. Ref the talkeetna River during the King season which means May/Jun during the snow pack melt. I did see guides transporting netters out and back by boat. Might be a safer way. Don’t know though, never saw where they were being taken to. Alaska can be and is a dangerous place. But the Copper is dangerous on steroids. My advice to anyone coming here to fish: Do not under estimate anything about this river. Do not take chances by wading out into a fast current. Go with a person/s with experience on this river. Go with the best equipment you can by. Meaning for some a good reliable jet boat. If you do have to wade, wear one of those large orange coast guard vest designed to keep your head above water if you are unconscious, which you will be very shortly after falling in. It most likely will not save your life in this cold water, but it will make recovery of your body easier. Tie yourself off to a tree or rock and never dip alone. I said my peace. Prayers for safety to all who are brave enough to fish in this river.

[@Kentsj]

Thank you Steve. Great advise.

[@gcmgome]

This reminds me of some very fond times during the annual smelt run in the creeks connected to Lake Ontario back in the late 1950's and 60's. It was a community affair that always began on Good Friday. There were always several fires going with smelts cooked in cast iron pans with butter, salt and pepper. Most of the town would make their way down to the creek bank over the Easter weekend. Sadly the tradition died as the lake became more polluted.

[@randlerichardson5826]

Beautiful place me and my wife are going to try to go on a cruise soon to Alaska

[@featherspreaderinc3146]

That River put lots of food on my family table 69-78

[@interstategar]

Copper River King Salmon are the best in the world. I bought a whole one once direct from Alaska and got it the next day. I cold smoked some and broiled and charcoal cooked the rest including the rib bones. Best salmon I ever ate! I gave the head to my neighbor for soup. 100 % flesh usage. I was thinking about using the skin but didn't know how.

[@FistandantiIus]

Eat the skin. It's really good.

[@crisphol33]

I fished there a few time, out of the 170 coppers we caught non was a king, yes thier rare but I've seen people catch them from time to time.

[@bigshrimp6458]

Fry the skin up until it’s crisp

[@khalidnawaz6599]

superb,I cant see this unique method of catching fish befor.

[@allanclose9684]

The paddles don't dig a hole in the river bottom. It would tear the fish wheel baskets into pieces if it touched bottom. Fish wheel require a certain depth of water so they ""don't '' touch in order to turn, as the hydraulics of the water coming down stream ''push'' the baskets and turn the baskets.

[@aceman8884]

Never been to chitna yet.. hopefully next year. I'm more of a fishing pole guy!! Good Times! #fishinglife #Godisgood #fishingfrienzy

[@akoonjb]

What an amazing video. Loves this. From Minnesota

[@jedidiah5131]

Watch Stan Zuray's vids...

[@nikkoandmaryluz91]

Great catch! Nice content

[@rawbacon]

Those fish wheels are pretty neat.

[@RJAlaska]

Great video

[@rayhill5822]

The fish swimming in the first part of the video where pinks you can tell by the spots on there tails

[@Kentsj]

Very observant Ray. A video editors prerogative. The Copper is too murky to film in.

[@kevinchamberlain7928]

30 per person? The machines are hammering them!

[@margieschwartz8413]

Boy that's low. But at 2:28, the AK F&G will fine you for driving out there on the flats, esp with water channels still present. A lot of folks don't know they can't do that. The downside to fishwheels is that you capture kings, which is a concern for all when it's closed to the dipnetters. Alaska residents only. Respect the River; it's as unforgiving as it gets.

[@robinhealey7542]

What makes copper River reds so valuable is...marketing.

[@jackcomeaux2280]

I went out with the ice may 5 1974 . Put in at the christachina river and the first near death encounter happened with in 5 minutes with many more to follow. The food from 1905 was still on the shelf in the Tiekle River train station and such a beautiful wood stove from that era

[@scottmorgan701]

Thanks for your comment Jack, took me back to my Alaska childhood in 1965, God bless.

[@Tracks777]

When is your next video? :D Keep it up!

[@Kentsj]

Thank you Mister Tracks. I am not physically able to continue this type of work. It sure was a pleasure while it lasted.

[@FNColdAlaska]

As the only Dipnet Charter and tour in this region, this was well done!

[@Kentsj]

Thank you. We could do a promo for your company. At the time we did this we did not have a drone, gimbal and other cinema tools. We have all of the tools to do a top professional job.

[@margieschwartz8413]

What about Hem Charters? And the Russians?

[@FNColdAlaska]

Margie Schwartz Hem’s is not a charter, he’s a transporter who picks people up and drops them off. He also does not operate in this section of the river above the bridge. Not sure what you are referring to regarding the Russians.

[@margieschwartz8413]

@Pinochet's Helicopter Live here, hate CNN

[@selmogoncalves7693]

Muito bom Obrigado coloca vídeos mais longos

[@P4NC4_hakim546]

Im from indinesia 🙏💖🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩

[@randmayfield5695]

They better enjoy it now because the runs are in trouble. I have been watching the fluctuations in run densities since the late 70's and any system that uses glacial melt water will eventually stop producing.

[@danielburgess7785]

30 fish. Is that per season, per person, per family?

[@thomasjosephson4428]

The 30 Fish is per household.25 if there is only one person in the household. Regs changed to be 25 for the permit plus 10 for each additional person in the household. I know some guys who now have permits for close to 100 fish! I normally only want around 25/30. That gives us 1 salmon dinner a week for the year plus some for smoking.

[@francisco4benites]

rigs I believe are not illegal

[@alaeddingul7576]

Türkiye de bir akarsu kıyısında oturan bir aileyim. Böyle bir sistem kurmaya izin verilir mi. Ticarî balıkçılık değil..

[@jimfarris3543]

Is it legal to shoot seagulls they drive me nuts

[@Kentsj]

I think they are protected.

[@ryananey7626]

Feed the alkaseltzer in bread. Fun to watch them foam. Lol do it

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

อยู่​ตามในเขา

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

ล็อกงบประมาณ​ห้ามปล่อย

[@Lionoftruth7]

Obviously they eat most of the fish and feed the leftovers and other less desired parts to the dogs imo

[@travisk5589]

Okay. Now I need to watch another video

[@billcraig1540]

Limits are too high and many are wasted.

[@raziffpakchaq8838]

this video 5 years back, i would like to know if this method of catching salmon is still going on . This may cause source of food to the brown bear will be decreased ...

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

2อำเภอ

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

มีงบไม่มีที่ดินก็จบ

[@СказкиотПирата]

Хочу на Аляску

[@lurnapamokkaew3807]

😘😘😘

[@ratoneJR]

Not legal for me to catch 1600 lbs of fish. Why should they.

[@mouloudadjroud716]

التراكس لقد مر عليه أصبح الآن كركاسة لا تصلح لشيئ كل الإصلاحات فيه بائت بالفشل، في فيفري يخرج فاهم يا المستر ان استطعت اعده لمكانه لقد أصابته هستيريا الهيجان...

[@littlegoobie]

male narrator sounds like Stan, the grey haired guy with a son on that Yukon Men show.

[@ilsur16]

Прикольно)

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

น้ำไปลงกงตาก

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

ดูไม่รู้

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

การสัมปทานแร่

[@tonymarselle8812]

This seems like it should be illegal but whatever.

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

คนค้านถอยไป

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

อัดแต่งบประมาณ​ไม่ได้

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

ขุดลอกคูคลองทำไม่ได้

[@juandon870]

They turn those salmon into dog food... omg

[@อาคมมากบุญ-ภ7ฐ]

ยังสภาพเดิมไม่มีทาง

[@yyelta]

I don’t know about this people maybe they need to eat some snow

[@lisc11]

this kind of bs is why overfishing is a problem . why dont you just drain the river... get alot more fish that way /s.

[@travisk5589]

So here in California the environmentalist complain and silt in the rivers and how it affects the salmon spawning and fry. I am thinking that this video is proof that the salmon don't care

[@johngottuso1301]

The humorous love luckily beg because fly ultrastructurally want till a awesome carbon. heavenly heavy hellish, delirious needle

[@daltoncollins7612]

Dude.. Sober up. Ur losin your shit bud..

[@tigranohanyan3321]

This is how humanity destroy the nature :(((

[@ВасилийИв-и3ъ]

Так отдавайте Аляску нам обратно.. Вы с жиру беситесь.. Кто так с рыбой обращается... Варвары....