First Steps to Finding a Fishing Job

POSTED BY IN Advice, Featured Posts, Fishing Advice, Mark Muha, Travel @ April 19, 2011 - 6:39 pm

    Unless you’re reading this from somewhere in Alaska, the first, and in many ways, biggest step to finding a job in the commercial fishing industry is getting to Alaska.  The actual event of getting there is simple; buy a plane ticket, and get on the plane.  But four hours later you’ll be standing in the Anchorage airport wondering what to do next.

    So this article will cover not only the travel to Anchorage, but highlight a few of the directions that you can go once reaching the Final Frontier.

    A Place to Stay

    Chances are pretty good that if you are flying to Alaska, you won’t know anyone or have a place to stay.  So to avoid spending your first night on the streets, here are a few options:

  1. Hostels in Anchorage

    2. For the economically mindful traveler, a hostel is a great option.  In Anchorage, there are several hostels that accommodate visitors for as cheap as $25 a night for a bed, which can serve as a great place to adjust to the different time zone and rest before heading to the docks.  Check out these hostels online for more information and reservations, all of them just a short taxi ride from the airport.

    Anchorage Hostel – www.anchoragehostel.org

    Spenard Hostel International – www.alaskahostel.org

    Alaska Backpackers Inn – www.alaskabackpackers.com

  2. Hotels

    3. There are plenty of hotels in the Anchorage area that can be found by doing a Google search, so I won’t really spend any time on that.

  3. Campgrounds

    4. For those who like to “rough it” and spend their time enjoying Alaska’s great outdoors, there is always the option to camp out upon reaching Alaska.

    Bird Creek Campground (20 miles from Anchorage) – http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/chugach/birdcreekcamp.htm

    However you decide to spend your first night in Alaska, let me be the first to say it to you.  Welcome to Alaska!

    This state is wonderful and free, and can be life changing with its never ending adventure.  Now that you’re here, this is where you adventure really begins!  It’s your turn to decide where to go from here.

    Although Anchorage is located on the Cook Inlet, there isn’t a thriving fishing port like in some of the surrounding areas, so your best bet is to get out to the port cities as soon as possible and start pounding the docks for a job.

    Homer, AK

    If there was ever a city that embodies commercial fishing, it is Homer, Alaska.  This city is a 4 hour drive from Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula, and is home to more than a hundred commercial fishing boats, from halibut longliners to salmon seiners and gillnetters, as well as the crab boats that fish the Bering Sea.

    Easily the best place to look for fishing jobs, Homer is designed for people who enjoy the transient lifestyle and aren’t afraid to enjoy camping and hitchhiking for rides.  The Spit, a 4.5 long road that extends into the ocean, has been the temporary home to many an aspiring deckhand.  For a small fee of about $8 a night, I was able to pitch my tent right across from the boat harbor on the beach.

    Seward, AK

    Like Homer, the city of Seward is a popular port for fishing boats of all kinds.  While it doesn’t boast the ease of camping directly across the road from the fishing port like Homer does, it is probably the second best place for a person to search for a job.  Located along the highway on the way to Homer, it might be worth stopping there first in hopes of avoiding the inevitable rush of hopeful deckhands to Homer for the same jobs.  Then if you’re striking out in Seward, you can always head back towards Homer.

    For an inexpensive place to stay in Seward while looking for jobs, check out Moby Dick Hostel at www.mobydickhostel.com.

    Other Port Cities

    If nothing is turning up in Seward or Homer, or if you want to simply seek out a job in a different city, there are other fishing ports in Alaska.  Besides heading down to Southeaster Alaska, which is home to many small fishing ports, here are a few fishing ports relatively close to Anchorage.

    Valdez, AK (300 miles from Anchorage)

    Cordova, AK (only reachable by ferry or plane)

    Kodiak Island, AK (only reachable by ferry or plane)

    How to Get There

    One of the biggest challenges in your Alaskan adventure will be transportation, but it can also prove to be one of the most exciting.  From the Anchorage airport to your first destination of a place to stay, the most likely transportation will be a taxi.  After that, plan for anything!

    In keeping with the cities I’ve chosen to outline in this article, I’m only going to highlight the options for those select cities, but keep in mind this is not a comprehensive list.

    Seward

    The city of Seward is probably the easiest city to find cheap and reliable transportation to.  Located only about 3 hours from Anchorage (in Alaska, “close” is a relative word), the city has a bus route that runs May through September, a train, and of course, a small airport.

    Alaska Railroad – $75 one way, $115 roundtrip www.alaskarailroad.com

    Seward Alaska Bus – $38 per person www.sewardalaskabus.com

    Homer

    Alaska Transportation – $95 per person www.alaskatransportation.net

    So, here you are, in Alaska. You’re at the waterfront.  The fishing harbors are in front of you.  Now what?  I’ll be writing next about what to do now, where to go to find jobs and how to go about doing that.  I’ll be sharing my experiences as well as those of my friends who also found fishing jobs, and hopefully our experiences will help and encourage you as well.  Stay tuned, and as always, comments or questions are always appreciated and welcomed!