As I ran Southbound from Prince Rupert a few weeks back I passed about 15 Northbound gill netters headed up Grenville Channel for a commercial opening.
While recreational anglers spend time sharpening hooks and dialling in their August coastal game, British Columbia’s commercial fleet plies it’s trade throughout summer up and down the BC Coast.
As a lifelong fisherman and longtime coastal aficionado, I’ve always held a romantic notion of the commercial fisherman. I have many friends who have worked, or still work, on commercial tuna, salmon and prawn boats. I’ve had beers with the salty crab fishermen in Prince Rupert and watched the gill netters hit the Fraser Sockeye…back when that was more an assured thing.
All bringing us to the West Coast maritime fabric and fishing in August…when all the engines of BC’s coastal economy are fired up. From guides grinding Northern BC and Haida Gwaii to commercial longliners on the Halibut off Vancouver Island…and all the way down to Lower Mainland frenzied openings off Sandheads…these are all prime elements of our BC Coastal makeup. And that diversity is what makes our entire fishery so damn cool.
Pacific Net and Twine cut it’s teeth 50 years ago servicing the commercial fishing industry and has been a longstanding member of that community forever. The Nakashima Family is a commercial fishing family, where everyone did their time on the family gill netter and chased a lot of Fraser Sockeye. And those commercial roots have been key to company success and longevity.
A ways back PNT main man Kris Nakashima saw a decline coming in the commercial industry and embraced the BC recreational fishing sector. While PNT still serves its many commercial clients, the stores in Prince Rupert, Parksville and Steveston now stock an incredible array of fishing gear and accessories for the rec angler.
Now I’m a bit of a gear head, like most fishermen, so the fine array of rods, reels, tackle, terminal tackle and boat electronics…all the way to Yeti Mugs and enough coastal clothing to keep British Columbia dry and warm…is both impressive and diverse.
Whether its a new Islander TR3, Penn Fathom Electric, Grundens Gore Tex jacket or a new Yeti Cooler…PNT stocks the best products for West Coast fishermen. There are a number of big box stores out there who stock their shelves with bass tackle and don’t know West Coast. Not like PNT has for more than 50 years.
So now that we’ve hit August and dog days of summer, give a wave to your friendly commercial fisherman out there on the salt chuck. Same goes for guides, recreational fisherman and salty old salmon chasers. We’re all part of that unique BC coastal fabric. The same one PNT has been a big part of for more than 50 years. Cheers.