Hi Mark,
It was indeed a great trip - best fishing yet, in many summers up there.
We tow almost 1900 miles in 4-5 days, and launch in PR, storing truck and trailer at Four Seasons storage. We were on the water 2.5 months last summer, anchoring in some cove 2/3 of the time.
Craig's about the fishiest place I know of in SE AK - maybe even better than fishing out of Elfin Cove. No cruise ships, so far less charter boats, and very near the outside. And some of the very fishy locations are inside the outer islands enough to be pretty well protected. Fine crabbing and shrimping too.
There are at least two fish processing places we've used there - actually both a few miles away in Klawock. We carry a very good 75 qt cooler, and fill it with flake ice at the commercial plant right above the fuel dock for only $2, so we keep fish in fine condition for a couple of days.
We bleed gut and gill salmon right after catching them, then put in cooler (those small enough to fit). The big king had to lie on deck under a wet white towel until we got back to town. We take heads off after returning to dock for delivery to processor, who vacuum packs and freezes for us. They accumulate the frozen fish and pack in 50lb boxes for air transport.
Guests (including wife and 10-year-old) join me for a week to 6 weeks at a time, and fly home with fish on Alaska Air. Fish can also be sent Fed Ex, but it doesn't always go very directly (through Anchorage, I have heard), and tends to take too long to stay well frozen. Can't bring fish home with me on the road - no way to keep frozen.
With halibut we bleed and fillet right after catching, leaving the four "fletches" whole, with some skin left on each one (federal regs). Fillets go into large ziplocs, and into cooler.
