Copper River Update

The Punkin' has been busting my chops because I haven’t put up anything about this year’s Copper River salmon fishery. He tells me I’ve sold out; as if that’s any sort of a shock. Of course I’ve sold out! I sold out November 30^th when I started the new job! Seriously.

So here’s the update: There was only a tiny amount of fish from the first opener, it came in, it went out, and it cost way too much. It’s the same story every year; the big difference this year is that I had absolutely zero stress from it.

Actually, I did have one stressful moment, but it was as a consumer rather than as a purveyor. Saturday I went to my local sub-par QFC (my rant against QFC is worth another 3 posts alone!) to buy some salmon. I wanted the least expensive fish they had – the kid was trying to talk me into the Copper River stuff “Do you actually care what it tastes like?”. Listen, punk-ass – don’t you tell me what kind of salmon I’ll like – I’ve been selling fish since (insert demeaning comment here). Back at the Fishhouse we used to joke that all one had to do to sell something in Seattle was to say it was from the Copper River – ‘I got some sweet Copper River chicken breasts here – only $17 per pound – how many cases you want?’. We’d joke about it but this kid actually did it! The check-out clerk rang up my pound-and-a-half of steelhead t $35! I told him I wanted cheap fish, had him pick cheap fish from the case, and wrap the cheap fish up for me, but he put the dang Copper River price tag on the package! QFC’s prices are bad enough, but this was over the top. It’s an outrage.

There you go, Punky. There’s your update. Shut up and have another Rock Star.