Alaska 2013, Day 53, Juneau Day 1

Wednesday July 24, 2013

McCauley Fish Hatchery

The kids wanted to go the fish hatchery, they remembered it from last trip. I was surprised to see there was a chum run at its peak just like in 2008, we are here earlier.  There were tons of fish. The hatchery is only interested in the eggs, they cut out the eggs and throw out the fish. When we were there they were shipping crates of chum to be used for bait.  At this point the chum have turned and they really aren'tin good shape to use for anything.  The chum that are caught commercially (for smoking) are harvested earlier out in salt water. We have had the smoked chum (keta), it's not bad.  They say the chum is the mildest flavor.

 

There were some people just outside the hatchery fishing on a dock/fishing platform.  The kids wanted to know if they could fish there so we went down on the platform to take a look.  I didn't see anyone on the platform catching anything, one foul hook and that was all. Further down the shore they were snagging with large weighted trebles.  I don't want the kids throwing weighted hooks and I am not aware chum will bite a lure so I talked them out of it.  Later on I found out chum will bite a slow lure (pixie).

Downtown

After the fish hatchery we continued on into downtown to look around. Downtown Juneau was jammed, there were 5 cruise ships in port. We walked the stores, they were jammed, prices were higher than we have seen. Anna got frustrated looking for knives, anything she liked was really expensive. We went into Wm. Spear Pins and picked up some pins and zipper pulls. We got some kettle corn and crepes in the pedestrian walkway on the ship dock.  At the end is Tracy's Crab Trailer, a couple people suggested it.  They had steamed king crab, $24 for on leg and $44 for a little over a pound. For king crab that is a pretty good price, no deals on king crab in Alaska.  I like king crab but it is not 3 times as good as dungeness which have been $6 to $8/lb live.  Alaskan brewery has a mechandise store on Franklin, up near Wm. Spear Pins.  2 floors of T-shirts, glasses and stuff, for the cruise ships.  But they don't sell beer at this store!