Father and Sons - Trolling for Salmon

Well, this year we decided to expand into a new fishery - the Northern Troll Salmon Fishery. This is an exciting yet stressful endeavour. While Shane and I both trolled for salmon as kids with our fathers, this is still a “new” fishery to both of us. So, we went ahead and dove right in so to speak - invested in a license, bought the gear, and made the necessary modifications to the boat (yet again).

Our sons Dayton and Seamus are now 14 and eager to make some money - so, we thought, this was the perfect opportunity for them! In carrying on the tradition of trolling for salmon with our fathers, Shane has brought them both out on the boat with him as his deckhands. Thanks to modern technology, they are able to send pictures and call home daily (thank goodness!), unlike when we went out with our fathers. Some 30+ years ago when we went out, our mothers could maybe expect a call on the satellite phone (if we had one) or over the radio. Or, our mothers simply came with us.

I have high hopes for this fishery in different ways. Firstly, I am of course hoping that our financial investment pays off (that they are able to catch their quota and that the price for the fish is decent). In other words, I hope that all of the time, energy, and investment, is fruitful. But mostly, I am hoping that my sons come home having had a positive experience. I know that they are tired (I texted one of them yesterday asking how they are doing and I got a one-word reply - “Exhausted”). I hope that this teaches them what hard, honest work looks and feels like. After a long day out on deck, in what can sometimes be uncomfortable conditions (rain, wind, or heck, even hot hot sun, and the boat NEVER stops moving!), food tastes better, sleep comes quicker, and muscles ache. But they are learning from their father what hard, honest work looks and feels like, just like we did as kids. And that, I hope, makes this whole endeavour worthwhile.

Seamus

Dayton