Hooligan. Eulachon. Candlefish. Whatever you want to call them, these small, silvery fish are now entering the fresh water streams of Alaska to spawn. No one has ever estimated the size of the pacific run of hooligan, but I would guess whatever comes after a
gazillion would be about accurate.
The spring run of hooligan usually coincides with the return of salmon. Like salmon, hooligan are anadromous and return to their natal stream to spawn and die. Based on the number of people netting the smelt-like fish, I would say that the 20 Mile River in Upper Cook Inlet has the strongest run. The Kenai River might be second.
Recently, I was at Cunningham Park and watched two guys catching hooligan with a gill net. I've always used a small dipnet when I've harvested hooligan. My harvest has been for bait, not consumption which is why most people do it. Anyway, this was the first time that I’ve watched a gill net in action. From what I observed, it's simple, effective, and best when it’s a two person operation.
A gillnet is stretched out over a 2" diameter by 10' long spruce pole. At the end of the pole is a small buoy which helps keep it afloat. A second 10’ spruce pole is attached by a hinge mechanism to the first spruce pole with the gill net. The technique is simple: the gill net operator floats the first spruce pole out into the river and then deploys (pushes) the second spruce pole to get the gill net further offshore.
When the gill net is parallel to the river bank, the operator pulls the net in and swings it to the second man on shore. The gill net is picked and the hooligan are placed in a basket. To summarize: push the net out, let it drift, pull it in, pick, then repeat.
When the hooligan are running, it doesn’t take long to get all you need.
And when they’re in, they’re really in. Gazillions.
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