This collection of tales is Kim Francisco's memories of his first summer working for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Commercial Fisheries Division in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Region. His experiences ranged from mundane to life-threatening, comical to tragic. He found it so satisfying it led to a lifelong career in natural resource management. These events occurred primarily in 1973, however, the timeline occasionally jumps to reach the final conclusion. Fishermen are notoriously difficult to persuade, so fisheries management mostly deals with people, which was interesting in Alaska's cross-cultural life. Life-long friendships are formed, and romance is part of every 21-year-old's life.


This is Mr. Francisco's first book, a dream of a lifelong reader/writer that was a long time coming. Kim is now 71 years old and a widower. His twenty-one years of service on the Iowa Natural Resource Commission, the longest-serving commissioner ever, has ended. His lifetime of public service has expanded his experience to include all public outdoor recreation activities.