The Things Us Alaskans Do For Good Fish

This whole adventure is for Copper River Red Salmon.  They're such a big deal that I've seen it sold for as much as 27.99 a pound at natural food stores in the lower 48.
With the cost of snacks and gas, these cost us a little less than 10 bucks a fish.  It'll be more than 12 meals for our family and it's sooooo delicious!

Now that I'm looking at this picture, there's one that shows a little better how harrowing this trail is.  The Ranger is super awesome but much wider than a traditional four wheeler, this trail was NOT made for Rangers.  Going down that cliff into the river is not really a good option.  For the driver or the Ranger.

Mike said the cover on that thing hit the signs coming and going, again, not made for an off road vehicle this size.

River bank.  (That's Mike at the top)

The operation.  One guy sits up a little higher than the other guy.  The guy near the water is dipnetting, when he gets fish, the guy who's a little higher pulls out the fish, bonks them (yes, that's a technical term) and sets them aside.  Repeat.  Repeat.  Repeat.  These are REALLY yummy fish.

When you finally get them home, there's more to do be done.  Both kids happily held all the slimey fish and watched daddy clean them out and bag them up to go in the freezer.  Except the one we ate yesterday... and today.

Jack insisted on filling up his water bottle while there were fish in the sink.  Mike washed his hands over the top of Jack's water bottle more than once, forcing Jack to choose another water bottle that didn't smell like fish.

Happy Times.