In Southeastern Alaska, the first commercial fishermen to encounter salmon are members of the troll fleet. Trollers are small fishing vessels operated by one or two people who fish with a number of lines with baited hooks or artificial lures. Of all the commercial salmon fishing methods, trolling may be the least efficient from the standpoint of intercepting fish. Trollers must search for fish in the open ocean; net fishermen by contrast, wait in areas where salmon are known to school in the migratory route. Trollers are allowed to fish beyond the inshore limits set for net fishermen, and generally have more days of fishing time.
Troll-caught fish are usually “ocean caught” or “brights”, that is, they are caught before maturity when they move inshore. They are attractive fish, somewhat smaller, perhaps, than those caught by the net fisheries, but in full vigor of their ocean period. Only coho, king and pink salmon are taken in any number by the troll fleet and all three species, when delivered by a competent fisher, command a premium price. The volume of troll-caught fish is much smaller than that for net-caught fish. Troll-caught salmon generally make up less than 10 percent of the total Alaska catch of all species of salmon. What they lack in quantity, troll-caught salmon make up in quality.
In Southeastern Alaska, the first commercial fishermen to encounter salmon are members of the troll fleet. Trollers are small fishing vessels operated by one or two people who fish with a number of lines with baited hooks or artificial lures. Of all the commercial salmon fishing methods, trolling may be the least efficient from the standpoint of intercepting fish. Trollers must search for fish in the open ocean; net fishermen by contrast, wait in areas where salmon are known to school in the migratory route. Trollers are allowed to fish beyond the inshore limits set for net fishermen, and generally have more days of fishing time.
