The Wrangell sentinel., 1949-07-29
GREAT PINK
SALMON RUN
AT ANAN OK

n ~ 4 A4V SAA
Anan Greek, 10 minutes south of
Wrangell, this week became the
show place of Southeast Alaska as
one of the biggest pink salmon
runs in years developed in that
area. Scores of residents from
Wrangel. Petersburg and Ketchi-
kan journeyed to the stream by
plane and boat to see more fish
than most of them had seen In
their lives. Even the big sea-going
Fleischmann yacht Haida was on
hand where members of the party
We're smuggling humpies with
hook and line. To prove how easy
it was to catch fish under such
conditions. Virgil Neyman, Wran-
CELL merchant, leaned over a rock
and grabbed one by hand. He calls
it bear fishing"
Alaska Island Airlines was run
ming plane excursions to the pic
turesque place where sightseers
were recording the great run with
hundreds of feet of film.
The fish, which began coming
about July 20. were storming the
stream. Experienced fishermen es-
timated as many as 100000 or
100000 fish in the creek and there
were probably as many or more
backing It. UP out in the bay. Not
since years ago when the old APA
cannery in Wrangell used to put
up its entire pack out of Anan had
local fishermen seen anything like
1t.
A. r. Brueger. President of the
Wrangell Harvest Company, who
operates the present plant in
Wrangell. declared 1t one of the
biggest runs he had even seen dur
ing his many years in the fishing
industry. in Alaska.
Actually, &said- Mr.. Brueger, 81
believe the stream should be open
ed, at least for a few days, other
wise there will be many fish vast
ed. l say this despite the fact that
my plant will not get many of
them as our fishermen are not
ready to fish. They would likely
go to Ketchikan. But it's a shame
to see such an abundance of fish
going to waste as so many of them
will never get up the stream"
U, s. Fish and Wildlife Service,
which has had two men watching
the stream, was adamant. FWS
said it wanted "proper escape
ment" before it would consider
opening the stream. There was
considerable difference of opinion
on what proper escapement'
meant.
Elvin Lindsey and John Grover,
stream guards for the department,
both experienced fish men, declar-
ed it a tremendous run. They re-
connoitered the entire area along
both the Wrangell Island and PIT
Ward shore and reported 1t was
evident the stream run was backed
up by a great field of fish
Clarence Rhode, Director of FWS
and Clarence Anderson, head of
the new Territorial Department of
Fisheries, were through Wrangell
enroute up the. Stikine river We'd
nesday but did not look over the
stream. Dan Bates, local agent for
FWS, said proper escapement"
was essential.
Among comments of local fisher
men and ex-fishermen, long in the
business:
Territorial Representative James
Nolan, merchant and ex-seiner
you can't quite walk across the
stream on fish. but it's one of the
most phenomenal runs I've ever
seen at Anan."
Capt. Jorgen Ronning, 40 years
fishing experience in this area
"a tremendous volume of fish,
both in the stream and out in the
bay"
Charles Moore, merchant and ex-
seiner - IT'S one of the biggest
runs yet"
William D. Grant, merchant and
ex-seiner lone of the biggest
runs ever saw; big humpies, too;
some of them should be in the
can, all of them will never get up
this stream
Capt. Tom Elswick, seiner
without doubt 1t is the great
est run at Anan in years"
ROLAND Curtis, merchant - ST
still don't believe there are that
many fish; look at 'em! In the can
they'd sure fill up my shelves"
Fred G. Hanford, General Chair
man of the Territorial property
tax More fish than
I ever saw, and I've been watching
them for 35 years"
Lew M. Williams, Secretary OF
Alaska 81 think Clarence Rhode
should get down here and see a
lot of fish eyan If he hos IN hiring