Tidelines: Tales of Alaska Fishing Communities Celebrates Lisa Rodgers

“Time and tide wait for no man.” It was a motto Raymond Roman Rodgers Jr., known to most in Upper Cook Inlet as “Puggy”, lived by until his passing last summer. Today, it is something his daughter, Lisa Rodgers, holds close as she carries the family legacy forward.

Lisa has never been defined by stereotypes. 

For five generations, her family has operated a setnet site on the East Side of Tikahtnu (Cook Inlet). Now Lisa carries the mantle, fishing alongside her three daughters, her smiling grandnieces never far from the net. Together, they are a formidable line of Inupiaq/Aleut commercial fisherwomen, proving that while the tide waits for no one, the Rodgers women are more than capable of keeping pace.

Six seasons ago, they founded Sakred Salmon, a direct marketing business that allows them to sell their catch directly to customers. At Sakred Salmon, they believe that the best wild Alaska salmon come from those who live in a deep relationship with the waters. Every salmon harvested is caught with care, and handled with great respect. 

Their mission: to honor the sacred connection between people, salmon, and place–to fish with intention, to protect what we love, and to share what we harvest in a way that sustains both body and spirit.

"Sakred Salmon — Wild fish, woven with family, tradition, and tide."

Many moons ago Lisa wrote a deeply personal piece for our Alaska Young Fishermen’s Almanac, volume #3. She spoke about her upbringing as a salmon girl. 

“I slept in totes and fished 24-hour openers that were extended for days on end; I witnessed the effects of the Exxon Oil spill on our fishery; I learned how to cook for a crew of 20+; I saw Mt. Redoubt Volcano erupt; I learned how to run a skiff, how to navigate tractors with trailers attached to them; I became a net mender — and pretty damn good at it; I experienced what it was like to swamp a skiff full of salmon on one of the roughest days I have ever seen.” 

Today, the hustle continues, and after a lifetime on the water, she’s seen just about everything. But nothing really prepares you for being told you can’t fish at all. Back in 2023, the east side setnet fishery in Cook Inlet was closed due to low king salmon returns. 

“As indigenous land owners and salmon people this shutdown was devastating to not only our livelihood but also to our roots as natives to this way of life. Salmon is the lifeblood to our people and we cherish the spirit of our salmon. To not be able to have the ability to fish the waters that our elders have fished to not only nourish our bodies but the bodies of the world has been difficult to accept.”

She described that summer as being a season of grief and disbelief.

“Time slowed down this summer, and during this time, we were gifted a very sacred blessing. The White Raven of Nikiski came to bless our fish site numerous times. The White Raven, in our heritage, is believed to be an elder who has come back to teach the wisdom of the old ways to the new generation of ravens on Earth today. They carry the wisdom of our ancestors. In our culture, it is more than just a white raven—it is a good omen.”

With the passing of her father, Lisa was once again met with a season of grief. She describes it as her “biggest heartbreak and greatest teacher in tradition”, explaining, “Every turn met me with unexpected moments that cracked me open and reminded me how deeply the tide can pull when you’re not ready for change.”

“We fished through grief, through the unknown, through the ache of missing his voice calling the shots. At 85 years old, my dad was still “the man in charge,” running fish camp with sharp eyes and steady hands. And suddenly, it was me….standing in his boots, leading blind, trusting the current to guide me. This season will forever be etched into my story. It was a season of heartbreak, surrender, and sacred strength. A reminder that even when the tides shift, love and legacy never drift away.”

Stepping into her father’s boots meant more than just taking the lead; it meant navigating her family through a fishery that had fundamentally changed under her feet. 

In 2024, low king salmon returns kept the East Side Setnet fishery closed to setnetting, and commercial dipnetting became the only commercial fishing option in its place. 

Instead of working traditional setnet gear at fixed beach sites, Lisa is now required to catch fish by hand with dipnets. For Lisa, that shift feels “crazy and very dangerous.” 

“Having to hold a dipnet in the roughest and strongest and extreme tidal currents. The nets we are allowed to use are only 5 feet in diameter…the depth of the bag must be at least one-half of the diameter, and no portion of the bag may be constructed of webbing that exceeds a stretched measurement of 4 and a half inches. Each net must be attached to a single, rigid handle and be operated by hand.”

Through it all, Lisa keeps showing up. Between a thriving business, a bustling fish camp, and a full family Lisa’s days are brimming with community, tradition, and a deep respect for the fish.

“I have learned that living the life of a fisherwoman means we must embrace change, just like the ebb and flow of the tides. The flow of the tide is a time for regrowth and for releasing disappointment, while the ebb of the tide brings in the force of love, renewal, and rebirth. The healing takes place in the internal waters of our very own emotional waters. Just like the waters of Tikahtnu, it resonates with our bodies' waters. Both are sacred. Quyana for letting me share my salmon life.”

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Thank you Lisa. May your love for the ocean and your family continue to echo your salmon roots. Good tidings to the Rodgers Family, may Puggy rest in peace; it is quite clear that he is greatly missed in your sweet community and beyond. 

To follow along with and learn more about Lisa and her family’s work, find Sakred Salmon:

Instagram: @sakredsalmon

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sAKredwildsalmon/