The herring fisheries was one of the big money makers of the season and one all fisherman looked forward too, my dad being no exception. Working at a government job meant a steady paycheck but not one that afforded a lot of luxuries. It was more on my part and not so much my dad’s that I suggested he let me join him on the ’79 herring fisheries in March of that year, for a chance at some extra money. I quite willingly hung the herring net that he gave me as he said it was part of the requirement if I really wanted to become part of the team. I never checked to see what the rest of the crew had to do to get hired, as I was only too happy just to be able to get an opportunity to make some extra money.
Taking a leave of absence from my job at the Pacific Forestry Service was easy enough and on Mar 1 I showed up at Tofino where we waited impatiently five or six days at dock for the season to open. We lived on Lindley Jacobson’s boat, Eventide, as he and my dad were partners in the herring fishery. It was with great anticipation that we sat at the dock waiting for the herring row to mature, as herring row is an anticipated delicacy in the Japanese economy and has to be harvested at just the right moment. It is a short fishery, but brings huge bucks to the fishing industry as in one month many fishermen can exceed $100,000.
My Dad with Joe and myself in our aluminum herring skiff along with his partner Lindley Jacobson and his crew of two in their skiff, stayed tuned to the radio for the signal to throw in the herring nets, every second missed could mean the loss of big bucks.
After the countdown the horn sounded and what a mad scramble as by this time it was dark and nets were being laid everywhere. One joker even laid one across ours and we had to reset to a different location. It was pure chaos as in the dark no one could see exactly what was going on. After an hour or so things seemed to settle down and in the dark the straight looked like a city with thousands of lights as everyone moved about working their nets and jockeying at times for a more strategic spot.
Every few hour we had to shake the nets and watch the fish shake out into the bins in the bottom of the boat. Each skiff had a mechanical shaker to assist in the shaking, but I felt sorry for Lindley’s deck hand Eric Smith as his hands swelled up like puffballs because they were not used to the stress. When he moved them they made a funny squeaking sound. I am sure Eric was happy when the horn sounded just after daybreak the next morning to signal the close of the opening.
In their greed some fishermen would fish more than their one allowed net and leave the second net in the water after the horn sounded rather then get caught picking it up. It was less expensive to leave the extra net then to pay the fine if caught.
My dad had left his boat at Comox ready for the next opening, so we were able to beat it across the island just in time to throw our net in the water as the opening horn sounded. It was another night of hard work, but I can still remember the excitement as I watched the bins in the bottom of the boat fill up as we frantically shook the gilled fish out of the nets. What fun it is to watch the money rolling in one fish at a time.
The fish collectors paid cash for each delivery. I remember quite clearly when my dad counted $3000 in twenties and placed them in my hot little hand.
Lindley missed the opening, as he had to bring his boat around from Tofino, but as my dad and he were fishing as partners they split all the profits.
After hanging around Nanaimo for a few days we headed up to the Queen Charlotte Islands for the last opening of the herring season in the Skincuttle Inlet on Moresby, the south Island. We along with dozens of other herring fishermen booked passage on an old charter ship the Mara Bella. The skiffs were towed up on a barge and we all waited impatiently for the opening to begin. Wouldn’t you know the opening came on a Sabbath so we only caught the last half of the opening.
The month finally ended and we were on our way home. After arriving in Milbank Sound on the Mara Bella I caught a ride with James Wakus to Port Hardy where I jumped on a plane to Vancouver and then on to Victoria as I could hardly wait to see my Honey after several weeks at sea.
I was glad when my days as a herring fisherman were ended, however it was nice to pick up $6000 for the three nights that I worked during the month of March. I will never forget that experience and the fun I had as part of the herring crew on my dad’s skiff.
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