As the 2024 Copper River Salmon season begins, there's an unmistakable buzz in the air. Cordova, a small fishing town in Alaska, transforms with excitement and anticipation, making it the perfect place to kick off the fishing season. This year, the Sockeye salmon have impressed everyone with their larger-than-average size and vibrant, healthy appearance. The overall catch on opening day has surpassed previous years, marking a positive start to the season. Despite the elusive nature of the Kings, we've seen a few thanks to careful selection and meticulous preparation. Reporting from the Copper River Delta, direct marketer  Sena Sea shares with us the tales of the first opener. 

The 2024 Copper River Salmon season is off to a good start!

I always fly up to Alaska to fish the opener with Rich.

It's a fun time to be in Cordova, because the little fishing town comes alive with anticipation and optimism. It's a small moment in time when everything is about to happen, and anything can happen.

We heard lots of opening day stories and told a few. Like the time Rich had spent a lot of time and money putting new engines in the boat during the winter...and then his sleeping bag fell into the engine the day before the opener, causing him to miss the whole thing. 

This year, we heard an animated story from a seasoned fisherman that spent half the opener stuck on a sandbar, which is actually quite common in the tough to navigate Copper River Delta.

Everyone was very impressed with the Sockeye salmon this year. They are larger than average with healthy bright scales and beautiful color. Plus, the overall catch was many times larger than we've seen on opening day for the last several years!

The Kings were elusive as usual. They run amongst the Sockeye, but in much smaller numbers. Everyone wants the kings...but lucky for us, I know a guy.

Rich selected the best fish for our customers first, and Tammy (our floor manager at 60 North) hand cut every portion for us with love and care. And I'm not just saying that -she told me so many times.

We stayed up late getting our new packaging just right, followed by an early morning box up, and I flew home with the fish myself.

The fresh fish is in perfect condition...but the rest of us are in need of a good night's sleep!

We are still taking fresh and frozen pre-orders and shipping as we catch it over the next few weeks!

Sena holds degrees in nutrition and food science in addition to being a mom, foodie, and fifth-generation fisherman's wife. Visit her at senasea.com where she shares about family, fish, and food.