Meet Your Fisherman
Hello, my name is Kyler McCarthy. Growing up in Seattle, sport fishing was a huge part of my life. The long days spent on the water with my dad are childhood memories that I will never forget. At the age of 16, I was first offered the opportunity to go up and try out commercial fishing in Alaska. I instantly fell in love. The feeling is very hard to describe to a non-fisherman. The monotony of daily life back on land is replaced with something more powerful. There is no traffic, there are no daily worries, there is no drama. It is just you and the ocean.
As I got older, I made it a priority to spend more time fishing than the summer prior. This included trying new fisheries and this is how I got introduced to Bristol Bay. This fishery was very different than what I was used to, but I enjoyed the opportunity to learn and experience something different. As I continued to learn summer after summer, I eventually found my self with the opportunity to run my own boat. This opportunity found me during the fall of my Senior year of College. I was set to graduate from Gonzaga with degrees in Mathematics and Finance. At the time, I was planning on being finished with fishing and was going to pursue a career in Finance. However, I ultimately decided that this was an opportunity that I would likely never receive again.
As I would tell stories during the off season, people would constantly ask if they could have some of the fish that I catch. This is how the idea for McCarthy Wild Salmon Co started. For those who know me, I am a health nerd. I am very conscious about what I put in my body and I want to know where it came from. 100 years ago, nearly all the food people consumed was sourced locally. People had personal relationships with their bakers, their butchers, and their fisherman. Through the industrialization of our food system, these relationships were lost. Today, nearly no one knows where their food came from. My main goal is to have a relationship with every person I provide fish to, which is why I hand deliver all fish. If you ever have any questions about the fish, please read the “Our Fish” page or give me a call at 253-973-2728.
