How hard is it, really?? - Forums Archive

Riversong

2009-03-29 03:02:09

OK,

I've got a line on a deckhand slot for the summer, not guaranteed yet, but looking good. A 47' power troller.

I'd like some feedback from you old hands who've been at this for decades:

How hard is salmon trolling on your body?

Will I ever get more than two hours of sleep at night??

Can a healthy, fit, dad with grown kids reasonably expect to survive the season intact???

With a couple of months yet to prepare, do you have any suggestions on how to be ready?

Thanks all,

This forum has given me much needed inspiration and education!!

Riversong

Salty

2009-03-29 04:37:54

How hard is salmon trolling on your body?

Salmon trolling is relatively easy compared to many other types of fishing, particularly crab fishing or longlining. It is usually hardest on your hands. I recommend at least a dozen pair of good gloves and keeping them warm, clean, and as dry as possible. It is also important to clean your hands every time you come in the house with warm water and good soap. I can't remember the name of the specific disinfectant soap we use right now but will post it here tomorrow. It is also a good idea to put good lotion on your hands every night.

Some things to save your hands:

Always keep your knives sharp so the cutting is smooth instead of a chore;

Have your skipper show you how to pull fish in without wrapping the leader around your hand;

Develop a rhythm when setting and pulling gear so it flows;

Take your time learning the right techniques instead of hurrying, speed will come in time;

Conk the fish in the water, gaff the dead or dying fish and slip rather than fling it aboard;

Clean up and do a little scrubbing all day instead of trying to do it all when tired;

and enough for now but this gives you an idea.

Will I ever get more than two hours of sleep at night??

Almost all trollers fish in the light so you should get four or more hours of sleep every night.

Can a healthy, fit, dad with grown kids reasonably expect to survive the season intact???

No problem, my mother pulled fish well into her 70's. Take care of your hands!!

With a couple of months yet to prepare, do you have any suggestions on how to be ready?

Get one of those little squeeze balls and use it every day.

Practice stretching your neck, a nickname for trollers is "swivelnecks".

Make a list of the books you always wanted to read and take several with you.

Practice using your camera. Take or get a good pair of binoculars.

Communicate with your skipper.

kalitan97828

2009-03-29 12:59:15

Riversong,

Good advise from Salty although he expanded the field a bit to cover quality which as trollers is our hallmark. You must keep your hands in good shape and his suggestions were good ones. Not just any glove will do--most of us wear an orange or a blue glove readily available in a gear store. For me, the blue is a little slower to develope holes even though it may decrease your tactile sense a little more. Often in the evening if I have dish detail I will add a little chlorox at the end and soak my paws for a minute.

It is important to learn to move with the motion of the vessel in the seas and not to fight it as you will be exhausted after a long day. What Salty said about a rythem of landing a fish is important. Not only does konking the fish in the water make for a superior product it is a whole lot better on your shoulder.

Attitude is another hard to grasp but important component. You have to keep expecting that the next tide change will convince the fish to start biting even after the last ten have produced poor results. And remember after two weeks on the boat you don't know more than the skipper!!

Kalitan97828

Riversong

2009-03-29 14:36:02

Thanks guys,

Encouragement is good, advice and suggestions is better. I wouldn't have thought so much about taking care of my hands but I can see it now.

What else?

Riversong

ericv

2009-03-29 16:36:06

Riversong, I second the above mentioned suggestions to making this all work for you and the owner of the troller. Can't empasize enough to look, listen and learn, you got to stay dialed in and focused to be a good deck hand and not a hinderance. It'll take time, don't expect expert performance in mere days, recognize the person you're working for has most likely been at it quite awhile.

A few other thoughts. When the time comes to be able to sleep - do it. It's easy to get sucked into gazing at the twilight at 11:45pm and forget the next day starts in a few hours. Even if things are busy fish wise, it is good to do your best to dedicate quality rest time of which as a deckhand you will have the least say and last chores in most cases. Fatique is a big killer and maimer up here, trust me I know 'cause my real job is training those who find and patching folks up from this.

Food and hydration; eat good foods and make yourself drink plenty of electrolite based fluids. I use the powdered Gatorade diluted 50% from suggested mix and at each possible lull, down a portion of it. Water is good too, the electrolite solution will greatly stem off the muscle cramps that typically nail the hands and legs at the worst time. Coffee is great, just don't make it your sole fluid intake because the constant wizzing you have to do from it actually is dehydating you. Avoid the stuff like Red Bull and its cousins, it'll amp you up but drop you like an anchor, the stuff is wicked on the body chemistry system. Soda's are fair in moderation, again just don't live on the stuff, use it as a treat now and then. As far as food, nail the stuff that is good for the body and avoid the junk (we run the best fuel we can in our trollers, why not do the same for the body?) hard to do when the bite is going but pre-prep foods that are quick to grab and snack, rare is the time you'll actually sit and eat home style. Like the fluids, you got to dedicate frequent food to the body during the few minute breaks you have. I'm getting a bit wind baggy here but just recognize the importance of this for health and avoiding fatique enduced injuries, not to mention mild hypothermia. Also note everyone out there is different, one guy can munch an apple and they're good to go for hours, another may end up consuming several thousand calories during the day and still be looking for the cow on the BBQ at days end. Just note where you are on the spectrum. Last note, if you're the type that is prone to seasickness, or chumming as we might call it, recognize that will significantly dehydate you so adjust the intake to compensate for that.

Use common sense. It'll all be new and you can be star struck by it all. Safety is key here and your safety the top priority. If the guy you're working for turns out to be a maniac away from the dock as far a risks and such, it's best to sign on somewhere else. Make sure you are completely versed on all the vessels safety and survival gear, damage control items, how to call for help etc. and what your role in all this is supose to be. If it doesn't make sense, ask again. Learn the basic operations of the vessel enough that you can shut off hydraulics, start and re-start the main, drop the hook, be able to turn back and rescue the skipper who has fallen off etc. Don't just talk about all this stuff, practice it. When the feces hit the fan out there most people getting pretty wound up, it's hard wired into us. That's not the time to try on the survival suit or figure out how to operate a parachute flare with about 5% dexterity. I'll open a can of worms here and say wear a PFD (personal flotation device). Not talking about the bulky things are parents made us wear, find one of those that form fits much like a Carhart vest. Most submersions are sudden and unplanned, the cold water shock and weight of boots full of water and soaked clothes will drag a guy down in minutes if not seconds. Do not believe those stats that say a person can stay alive and bouyant for many minutes, it is pure crap in these waters. I get chided at times because I wear a gurry stained Stearns vest, I make sure it is in functional condition, buy a new one a least every other year whether necessary or not. I single hand fish (solo), have no body fat and sink faster than the #65 Seahook anchor on my bow. It'll keep you warm on the cool days, won't hinder your movement and can save on busted ribs or back (I know this for sure, another story, another day). Consider it cheap Life Insurance, it'll keep you more visible if in the water, easier to retrieve, allow your energy to be dedicated to gain the vessel, not struggling to keep the airpipe above water and lastly, if all else fails, maybe an easier body recovery for those who love us.

Lastly, dress appropriately. Two words here - Cotton Kills. Most common clothes on deck are cotton sweats and a cotton sweatshirt with a hood - great on a balmy 67 degree day or kicking around the dock - killer when wet. Ever try pulling your survival suit hood over your head in a dire situation while wearing a sweatshirt with a hood? try it sometime, especially under duress. Statstically the number one killer up here is sucumbing to hypothermia, sadly many survival suits totally fail their purpose because of 2 things; Hood not pulled over the head nice and tight which leads to #2, can't zip the suit all the way up. Suit fills up, head is wet and cold and you are toast. I've banned cotton products and hooded sweatshirts from our vessel while away from the dock period. Fleece, polypro, wool etc and a cap on the head of the same type of material is the stuff to use. Keep the boots and feet dry, have plenty of wool socks, extra felt inserts to place a dry pair in.

This has been a bit long but hopefully of help, I can't think of a better venture to try and a better group of men and women to work with than trollers. We scream at each other now and then yes, but a finer bunch you couldn't ask for, especially in times of success, failure or emergency. good fishing to you.

Eric Van Cise - F/V New Hope - Sitka

Salty

2009-03-29 17:26:39

Riversong,

Great advice here. I didn't mention all the safety stuff which is real important. I take all my crew through how to save themselves, me, and the boat. Don't be afraid to ask questions, there are no stupid questions on my boat, particularly in regard to safety.

I think Kalitan had great advice on don't think you know too much too fast. Eric had great advice on the safety aspects and dealing with the cold, wet, fatigue which is cumulative.

On a final note, many of us have a zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol (other than caffeine). It is required by law and is critical to all of the above.