Fireworks and Sitka Silver Salmon

Friday was rainy and cool, and we wondered if our fourth of July fireworks might once again be postponed. But things cleared up as evening approached, and although everything was wet, the sky was clear and the night was calm, so the fireworks continued as scheduled.

As dusk approached, everyone started shooting off their own fireworks as a sort of pre-cursor to the main event. The loud bottle rockets and sporadic showering of colors was perfect for getting everyone into the celebratory mood. The coffee shop next door was open late and doing booming business as pedestrians came by to get something warm before finding the perfect vantage spot to watch the display. Around 11:15 p.m., it was finally dark enough to start fireworks. The city shot them off from the Mt. Edgecumbe ramp across the channel, and they exploded above the harbor right in front of the Wild Strawberry Lodge, so everyone here had front row seats.

It was a fine night for fireworks except for one thing; there was so little wind that the smoke from the fireworks did not clear away. So as the display continued, the colors became muted, obscured by smoke clouds high up in the sky. It became an eerie flashing colored veil that, every once-in-awhile, would allow a big burst of dripping light to come through, lighting up the calm waters below, creating a beautiful reflection.

The fireworks lasted for 30-40 minutes, ending in a grand finale of dense fog, loud noises, and unending showers of glory. Happy belated Independence Day!

Cohos (also called silver salmon) are starting to move in now. Unlike last year, when cohos started showing up prevalently in June, this year is closer to average, with cohos just starting to show up in the beginning of July. This means that the coho run should remain strong through August – wonderful news for anyone who is still planning on coming fishing with us this season.

Silver salmon are starting to show up in Sitka

Silver salmon are starting to show up in Sitka

Silver salmon in Sitka are a lot of fun to catch when mooching. They are strong fighters and grow fast, gaining a pound a week, starting around 6-8 pounds and eventually reaching 14-20 pounds by the end of the summer. We have been seeing increasing numbers coming in every day, so it probably won’t be long before anglers start catching their limits. Both residents and non-residents are allowed to keep 6 silver salmon per day, with no annual limit. The season is definitely in full swing now!

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