Ifish for Food...is it worth it?

[Seelicious]

Last year I teamed up with the Oregon Food Bank with the idea being that folks could go fishing and then donate a portion or all of their catch to help feed the hungry in Oregon on a specific weekend.

We only had 10 days to implement the plan last year and it was a failure...at least as far as fish donations were concerned. (Special thanks to Pilar, Ocean Blue and Dave for their donations and to the angler in Astoria that gave up his fish) This year we were hoping to do this prior to the coho and bottom fish closure so that folks would be more likely to participate.

After spending a ton of time and energy last year with very little success...I want some feed back from the 'Dogs on whether or not to do this again.

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Bud

[OceanBlue]

I think it was a great idea. It needed more publicity than it got (not a criticism, I think it was incredible to pull it off in 10 days). Maybe the thing to do is to get some press on it. If it doesn't work again this year, maybe the thing to do is just market the phone numbers of folks who will come and pick up the fish when we get out/get fish/are very successful, etc.

I was planning on calling the dude in Newport this summer if we got into fish... but of course I have no earthly idea what I've done with the number. If I have it in the boat, I'll gladly call him the night before and let him know we're headed out and will call when we get back if we've got fish for him.

[Robalo Bill]

Hey Bud

I seem to end up with more fish than I can eat...as well as giving away alot to people that are not in need. Count me in...I can deliver whole fish, vacuum sealed or canned.

Bill

[Triple C]

So how can we do this. I mean from the stand point of the fish we catch. I'm willing to donate some of the fish we catch on the Triple C. How do they need to be processed?
Who do we contact when we have fish to donate? I'm sure
there's a bunch of us more than willing to help out.

[Pilar]

They came and got the fish from us in Newport. Then the guy got a TUNA! carking lesson. He was a happy guy by the fourth or fifth fish.

They will fillet and process. All you have to do is give up part of your catch. It will not go to waste.

[CrazyFish]

You mean that there are poeple out there that we can donate whole fish to. I usually wind up carcing and canning before I give it away.

I bet that if somone was willing to do the proccessing they would appriciate the fish a whole lot more.

[WP]

Somehow I missed out on this. I would gladly contribute a portion of my catch for a food share. Tuna in particular would be available every trip. I just need to know where to take it. I don't even mind carking it :smile:
I have been thinking about contacting the local food bank this year, I understand they will take fresh sea food.
Dave

[Pilar]

Yes, the group is called Lincoln County Food Share. They are often at the cleaning station by the Rogue processing donated fish. The day I first saw them was with Woody last summer.

They had baskets full of Steelhead. Naturally this got my attention and I struck up a conversation. It seems that the hatcheries donated fish to the group on a regular basis. Once escapement is met the hatcheries end up with many surplus fish. These guys and gals were quickly and expertly filleting the steelhead and packaging them for distribution to the needy families of Lincoln county. What a treat to get a food handout that includes fresh steelhead.

On the Ifish for food last summer the same guy came to the ramp and met us on the Pursuit. We each gave up a fish or two and gave the guy like 5 or 6 TUNA! He happily submitted to a carking lesson and then carved them up for the same purpose.

The man was just a bit overwhelmed by the generous gift and thanked us repeatedly. I know many of you are excellent fishers and often give away your excess catch. This event is a worthwhile way to suport a charity that volunteers to feed people that are less fortunate than we are. They don't have a boat or the leisure time or excess cash to play as we do.

Instead of freezer burned and thrown out ... why not fresh on some very grateful family's table?

Makes sense to me and count me in for this event this year.

Last summer we were one of two boats on the entire coast to make a donation. A salmon in Astoria and 6 TUNA! in Newport.

We can do better than that by a damn sight, think about it.

[Jimmy Carl Black]

This reminds me of the last party boat I went out on. I requested all of the carcasses. Took them home, put them on the grill, and got over 10 pounds of flaked salmon meat out of 23 coho carcasses. I've still got salmon patties in the freezer. There's lots of waste out there.

[wootersen]

Sounds like a great cause. I gave a lot of TUNA ! away last year, I'd happily give a fish or two to these guys.