Is itt possible to get a fishing job in alaska inwinter?

Answer 1

I would listen to the advice of the first poster.

First of all, a lot of the winter fishing is crab fishing. This tends to be more profitable for the fishermen than fish, so jobs tend to be hard to come by to begin with. You might be able to get on a boat fishing for cod or Pollack. Even if you could find a job, I’d advise you to begin in the summer rather than the winter seasons.

When you are out on a boat, it isn’t like watching it on TV. Commercial fishing is extremely tough physically and mentally. Doing the same thing over and over again for 20+ hours straight takes a toll on the body and the repetition can make a person sloppy and get themselves killed. It is tough mentally when you look out over the water and realize there isn’t anything around you for a hundred miles. If you fall over, you are pretty much dead. If the ship goes down, there isn’t many people around to rescue you. There is no 911 on the ocean (OK, I’m exaggerating a little on that one, there is channel 16).

If you are broke, out of work, and have a family to feed, you must do what you got to do. If you want to look for seafood work, go to the following website on seafood jobs on the state of Alaska page: http://www.labor.state.ak.us/esd_alaska_jobs/

On the seafood page, there is a section dedicated to fishing jobs (http://www.labor.state.ak.us/esd_alaska_jobs/seafood.htm). Read this section and at the end, it lists some local “seafood employment specialists”. Try and secure a job before you go to Alaska. Call and email the people listed on the page to see if they can help you out (you’ll have to do some research to find their contact into).

Review the seafood page that I gave you. There is a lot of good information on what to expect, what you will need to buy, and how to avoid scams.

If you are really determined, I’d also suggest getting a job at a seafood processing plant and begin to make contacts with the ships coming in to unload. If the captains see you are a hard worker, you might be able to get on a crew. If you have any free time, you can walk the docks and talk to some captains to see if you can get on. You may have to beg, but sometimes finding work is as simple as being in the right place at the right time.

Above all, I would make sure you have a way back “home”, wherever that may be. Alaska is a pretty expensive place to live and good jobs and well-paying jobs are hard to come by. Chances are, for one reason or another, you will not choose to stay in Alaska. Make sure you have a way back home, be it a little savings or parents to bail you out.

Good luck to you!

Answer 2

You could but if you're a green horn you should try to start off in the summer fishing salmon...I grew up in Kodiak,Ak and fished commercially for 15 years and a word of advice to you...it is a very dangerous job and if you have never done it don't start off in the worst time of year. The storms in the winter are deadly and if you've never been on a boat before you are just looking to get hurt. Like I said start out with something more mellow like salmon seining...you'll not only get experience but see if it is really the job for you.