This time of year in Alaska comes with a potentially deadly hazard: getting stuck in the mud flats.
Hooligan season has brought waves of fishers back to the Turnagain Arm. Just days ago, a woman in the Portage area got stuck while fishing and nearly drowned before being rescued by the Girdwood Volunteer Fire Department.
"It's like harvesting pineapple," said Ieremia Sheck while netting for Hooligan.
He's joined by members of his family who watch and help load the fish he catches from the net to a nearly full bucket of freshly caught Hooligan.
"Getting this small guy right here is not an easy job, my hands are cold and stiff. The only difficult thing is the cold other than that it's pretty simple," said Sheck.
It was just days ago, near where Sheck was fishing at the mouth of 20 Mile River, that an identified woman became stuck in the mud off one of the flats and nearly drowned as the tide began to rise.