As spring gives way to summer, we find ourselves drifting down the Yukon River tied to our salmon net. It is stretched out in a great arc beside the boat. We have bouys attatched to both ends, so we can let go and switch sides to gently tow it in towards the shore or out into the deeper channel, depending on where you think the salmon are migrating upstream.
Salmon are about the most important resourse we have out here. They are dried and smoked and packed in barrels for winter food. Some are split in half and dried just for sled dog feed. And they are also sold for much needed cash for our everyday needs. It supports families still in this day and age.
We have four species that thrive here in the Yukon River. One is the Chinook, or localy known as King Salmon. They are the highest quality of any salmon in the world. The prices reach five dollers a pound for the fisherman, and over thirty a pound for the markets in the big city seafood shops.
Here it's a food staple. Everyone eats smoked king strips and king salmon is also packed in salt in barrels for winter use. When stored like that it, needs no refridgeration. It is resoaked in fresh water for a day and made into Russian pie or boiled and eaten like sasuage with pancakes for breakfast. I find it makes great pickled fish as well.
Fish of all kinds are important food items here. I would say it's worth as much as beef or pork is to a midwestern family. Or maybe even more so here, since the families share in the work of catching and prepairing fish for winter use. Most families will move to a camp located somewhere along the river and live in tents and small cabins. They will stay there for a month during the summer while they catch, smoke, and salt fish to supplement there diet through the long winter months.
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