For FishingMagician.com, I'm Eric Granstrom. I spent eleven summers of my life working for my Dad on his commercial gillnet fishing boat in Bristol Bay, Alaska. It was called the Sonja Lynn, named after my little sister. Dad began working in Alaska in the late 50's, first in logging camps, and then on the beach gang for Bumble Bee Seafoods. After marrying into my Mom's commercial fishing family, it was a natural for Dad to join the business. His career began on a wooden bowpicker, a boat that brings the net in over the bow with the cabin in the stern. His first boat was a company boat, then a hand-me-down. Finally, in the early 80's, he built the brand new Sonja Lynn, a sternpicker. That was my ride while picking nearly a million pounds of sockeye salmon over 11-years. Our world was ruled by the Alaska Department of Fish & Wildlife. They monitored the runs extremely closely and had ultimate escapement goals. If the numbers weren't right, we didn't fish. Period. Seems like a similar approach could be used on these salmon runs in the Columbia. No openings until the numbers are strong. Just a thought. Until next time, Good Fishing!