Fishing Up North: Stories of Luck and Loss in Alaskan Waters [Paperback]

Bradford Matsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1998

From the super-heated decade when fishing fleets turned king crab into fortunes, to the annual circus of Bristol Bay's monster salmon runs, to the bucolic life of the open-ocean trawler, the true stories in "Fishing Up North" carry the flavor of the modern fisherman's life and fortunes in the waters off Alaska. In "Fishing Up North," you'll Find firsthand accounts of frightening weather, good fishing, terrible fishing, great days, and sweet living from the decks of crabbers, trawlers, longliners, trollers, and gillnetters.

Commercial fishing's home ports -- Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Naknek, Cordova, Petersburg, Sitka, and Seattle -- are classic fishing towns, where docks bars, and even quiet living merge in colorful portraits about life on the last frontier.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Matsen (Faces of Fishing, Monterey Bay Aquarium Fdn., 1997) draws together some of the articles he published in magazines such as Alaska Fisherman's Journal, National Fisherman, Audubon, and Oceans to present an insider's knowledge of commercial fishing. From the slavish work of harvesting and processing to the tremendous profits that are possible but never guaranteed, Matsen articulates the contentious debates surrounding fishing in Alaska. Along with stories on what constitutes over-fishing, whether foreigners have a right to get a piece of the action, and the Exxon Valdez disaster, Matsen introduces the various characters who live the fishing life. Though well written, the book has extended discussions of specific equipment and different types of fish that will limit its appeal. Recommended for libraries whose constituents are interested in fishing.?Kathleen A. Shanahan, American Univ. Lib., Washington, DC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Bradford Matsen is the author of Descent: The Heroic Discovery of the Abyss as well as many other books abou the sea and its inhabitants. He was a creative producer for the television series The Shape of Life, and his articles have appeared in Mother Jones, Audubon, and Nature, among other publications. He divides his time between Seattle and New York City.
John Chatterton and Richie Kohler contributed to the research of Titanic's Last Secrets, as they did for Robert Kurson's Shadow Divers, the 2005 Book Sense Nonfiction Book of the Year.

Product Details

• Paperback: 223 pages
• Publisher: Alaska Northwest Books (May 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882405020
• ISBN-13: 978-0882405025
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #532,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brad Matsen has been writing about wonders of the sea for forty years. He is the author of Death and Oil: A True Story of the Piper Alpha Disaster on the North Sea; Jacques Cousteau: The Sea King; Titanic's Last Secrets; Descent: The Heroic Discovery of the Abyss, which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in 2006; the New York Times bestseller Titanic's Last Secrets; Planet Ocean: A Story of Life the Sea, and Dancing to the Fossil Record with artist Ray Troll; the award-winning Incredible Ocean Adventure series for children; and many other books. He was creative producer for the Shape of Life, an eight-hour National Geographic television series on evolutionary biology, and has written on marine science and the environment for Mother Jones, Audubon, Natural History, and other magazines.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good overview of fishing in Alaska, April 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Fishing Up North: Stories of Luck and Loss in Alaskan Waters (Paperback)

This book has a board view of fishing in Alaska. Unlike other books I have read on crabbing in Alaska this book tells about crabbing, salmon fishing, dragging and how the fishing in Alaska has changed over the years. It is a good overview of the fishing industry, but lacks the exciting tales told in Spike Walkers books on the Alaskan crab boom of the late seventies.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solidly written book on fishing, November 21, 2007

By 

Eric Staggs "Habitual boatbuilder" (Spokane, Wa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fishing Up North: Stories of Luck and Loss in Alaskan Waters (Paperback)

Ill keep this brief. The book has many sections ranging from basic trips out on the grounds, to harrowing tales of lost life and salvation. Also, to those who are very interested in the innerworkings of the industry, there are some gray areas that are cleared up in a rather dry but informative chapter.

I reccomend it to fans of Spike Walker's books

E

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good read, January 26, 2005

By 

urbaneye - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fishing Up North: Stories of Luck and Loss in Alaskan Waters (Paperback)

An intimate look at what it is like to spend your life chasing fish. Matsen's experience inside the industry gives a hard look at the reality of long hours, tight quarters and the gamble of the catch. Tight prose pack a lot of information.