Stories: Alaskan Fish Tale

Every summer they return by the thousands to the same bays, inlets, rivers and streams to complete a life-affirming rite. I write about the fishermen of course.

Their intense dedication is matched by that of the fish they seek. Swimming thousands of miles around the Pacific, salmon make their way past predators of all shapes and sizes, back to where it all began, so it can begin again.

Alaska's salmon are prized by state residents who may dipnet 55 salmon per family, sport fishermen casting lures in the hope of hooking up with a 70 pound chinook, and the hearty souls that make up the state's vibrant commercial fishery.