When it comes to lunchtime at Alaska West, our guests have one of two options; brown bag it for maximum fishing time, or take a little break in the middle of the day for a shore lunch, where your guide prepares a fresh salmon you just caught.
What makes a shore lunch? It’s pretty simple. Your guide brings a grill, side dishes, and extra ingredients out on the river. You catch the fresh, bright salmon, then your guide cleans it, cooks it for you on the bank, and then, bon appétit! It’s as fresh and remarkable as you’ll ever experience it. Fishing one of the most productive salmon rivers in the world while your guide cooks fresh fish over an open fire on the bank you’re fishing. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Today, we give you some tips and gear you need for creating your very own shore lunch kits while fishing your home river. The gear listed can be carried in a backpack with minimal effort and weight, whether hoofing it or floating down the river. We recognize it’s not always salmon season. We also include other convenient food options. We also have alternatives if you don’t have the luxury of catching what you eat. So here we go.
The Gear You Need for your Shore Lunch Kit:
Something to Make Fire – Obviously, you need fire if you want to cook. We like Butane Lighters, and waterproof matches are solid choices if you’re into creating your fire by creating sparks…more power to you.
Knife – If you’re fishing, the assumption is you have a good knife with you. If you don’t, get one.
Aluminum Foil – Heavy Duty Foil works best, and instead of taking the entire box, prepping them by pre-cutting and folding them and placing them into a large Ziplock Bag will reduce volume and light your load. You can set them right on the fire, so you do not need a grill. Aluminum foil is a must-have for shore lunches, from cooking your fresh catch to hot dogs or warming your tabasco-soaked pizza.
Bamboo Chopsticks – Chopsticks are the ultimate utensil for both cooking and eating. Bamboo chopsticks are very inexpensive, reusable, and lightweight.
Spices and Seasoning – If you have a salmon recipe, great! If you need some help, check out this Salmon Recipe from Best West. Also, Ziplocs are great for carrying seasonings. They are small and compact, making them great to bring your spices. Protip- premix all your spices and hold them in one bag.
Platypus 2 Litre Collapsible Water Bottle – Why we Like it: It’s lightweight when empty, and 2 Litres of water is plenty to drink and use for cooking your spicy ramen noodles.
MSR Alpine Pot Set – Light, compact, and durable enough to use over the fire if you have to. You can use the pot for cooking your ramyun noodles and eating them right out of the pot.
MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe Stove – Fast boil times, a pressure regulator, and compact for easy carry and a push start ignitor for easy use. Best to use with your Alpine Pot to boil water for ramyun noodles or coffee. Make sure you get the right fuel for it.
Spicy Ramyun Noodles – These spicy noodles taste best on the bank of a river. Spicy, soothing, and delicious. These noodles are easy to pack, cook and will warm your soul, making you feel better on those disappointing cold days on the river. Additionally, the amount of trash to pack out is very minimal.
Well, there you have it. Do you have a shore lunch tip, gear, or experience you’d like to share? Chime in below. We’d love to hear about it.
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