Dip-netting

Last weekend we went dip-netting with a family on the Kenai River. Dip-netting is for Alaska residents only where they may get 25 salmon plus 10 extra per additional family member for personal use each year. The family we went with had 3 kids so they could get a total of 65 salmon per year just from dip netting, it doesn't include pole fishing. You're still allowed to catch 3 per day with your pole.

So they go down to the river, some families will spend the weekend on the river fishing. Many families camped on the river with the whole family, dog included. They use a 5ft by 5ft net on the end of a long stick and walk in the river holding the net out. They keep the net in the water until a fish gets caught. Then it is brought onto shore, killed, and the net goes back out.
In this way, you can catch like 30, 40 fish in a day. Sometimes even more.

Its interesting because there are native Alaskans speaking their languages, Russian Alaskans in their long dresses and skirts speaking their language, and then lots of english speakers. Five-year-olds driving ATVs, people killing the salmon with mini baseball bats, rocks, their fists. Fish heads and guts everywhere you look. Its just a spectacle. Not to mention that there were like 500 people on each shore. It was a really fun experience. Since we weren't residents we couldn't help them dip net, couldn't even touch the net by law, but we helped kill and clean the fish. Lots of fun. Very interesting.