How Many ex Commercial Fishermen Out There ?

[Geoduck]

Let's here some good tails of the briny deep from old trollers!

[atoll]

since no one else responded,have to add my name to the list to get the thread started.
used to fish off the lizard and iles of scilly,netting and potting,10m and 8m vessels.

[TeddyDiver]

Well... kind of commercial sport fisherman me thinks.. Fishing guide and occasional poacher. Wild salmon mostly.

[Mark1977]

Well no great story's, other than the usual bad weather and long trips .I am not an ex yet though.....never know what could happen..

[Geoduck]

I started off as a salmon charter skipper out of Westport, Wa. in the 70's
It used to be the salmon fishing capitol of the world - used to be!
I got tired of the pukers and went trolling and never looked back! I spent a few years in a hard hat diving for clams. That was fun!
Trolling was my thing - always going somewhere new. Alaska was good to me for 7 years of adventure. Loved chasing albacore but didnt have a big enough boat to do it big time. I went longlining for halibut & blackcod - nothing but hard work!

[fstbttms]

Spent my formative years trolling for salmon in the Pacific City, Oregon dory fleet.

[Geoduck]

I remember you! You're one of those guys freezing in the rain while I was in my nice warm wheel house drinking coffee!
Some of my best trips were off Hay Stack trolling by the shipwreck in 45 fathoms!

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Geoduck

I remember you! You're one of those guys freezing in the rain while I was in my nice warm wheel house drinking coffee!

Real fishermen launch through the surf.

[Geoduck]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Real fishermen launch through the surf.

No - real fishermen stay out when the surf is too rough for you guys!yourself!

[bobconnie]

Same with me started at 9 yrs with dad fishing salmon, crab, long line, on my own Halibut, black cod with traps, Red Crab, sardines, whatever made a buck even ran pukers a couple of seasons ! about 20 + yrs, then went delivering ! now ashore looking for our new boat !! most of my fishing was in 50s to 60s Bob and Connie

[Astrid]

As a young girl I used to work aboard my brother's fishing trawler out of Iceland (not full time but it did earn me a little money)--does that count?

[bobconnie]

It counts for sure, a bunch consideing the area you fished !! LOL Bob and Connie

[Sherrinthesea]

Hello,
i spent 12 years as a commercial fisherman (fisherwoman? fisherperson?) floating between Cairns and Port Headland in tropical northern Australia. Mostly i worked on prawn trawlers but have tried my hand at other fisheries, including marlin (Hollywood) fishing off the Great Barrier Reef.
I started as a cook and hated being in the galley when all the action was happening outside. I finally sat my Master V ticket so i could go to sea and not have to cook!
I was very blessed to experience parts of Australia that most people had never even heard of, let alone visit.
Would love to hear more from women commercial fishers.
Sherrin

[Blue Crab]

Gulf shrimper, clammer, oysterman, off-the-grid lobster diver/eater. My experience with fisheries managers (govt employees with no stake) allows me the moral high ground, I think, to eat what I can catch without worrying much about the rules. Subsidence.

[Cheechako]

Spent one summer on a Purse Seiner. SE alaska. once when we had fish flopping all over the deck, our Norwegian skipper went over to the rail, grabbed a fish, popped an eye out of one , sprinkled some salt and ate it!