Thing: Fresh fish

Company: Boat Seafoods, Inc.

Boat: Howard H.

Float: 7

In: Westport, Wash.

Deckhands: Five total

Owned by: Barb and Douglas Fricke

Been fishin': Over 40 years

Nicest couple: I've ever met (for fishermen)

Jack Winters, dentist and husband of local socialite Vicki Winters, has developed an ongoing debate with me over which Washington coastal city is better - Ocean Shores or Westport.

I say Westport is the best; Jack says Ocean Shores is better.  Whatever, Jack. Go drill a tooth or something because Westport rocks, and that's a fact.

Both cities have their own dilapidated appeal, hole-in-the-wall pizza joints and secret superior clamming spots.  They are both 30 minutes outside of Aberdeen.  You remember Aberdeen, right?  It's that one town where that grunge "singer" was from whom punked out and killed himself?  Yeah, that one.

Side note: Rarely, if ever, will you see a country and western singer commit suicide or die of a drug overdose.  Hmmmm.  How ironic.

Digressing is fun.  Now back to Westport. 

Down in the most awesome Washington coastal city, Westport, seafood is abundant. The town offers a wealth of canneries, retail seafood joints, seafood restaurants, boats, fishermen, charter fishing boats, private fishing boats and - of course - fresh fish.

For a true fresh fish experience, my favorite destination is Float 7 on the Westport docks. 

The Fricke family, typically found on Float 7 in their boat, Howard H, catches salmon and halibut during May and June, while Tuna season occupies them throughout the summer.  In the off-season, the Fricke duo sells their canned tuna online. The website is coming soon at www.boatseafoods.com.

How much is fresh or canned albacore tuna at the grocery store?  I have no idea.  Do you know why I have no idea?  Because I don't need to know.  Instead, I buy it fresh off the Howard H at Float 7 in Westport. What I don't eat right away I can myself with glass jars and a pressure canner.

This is the part where I throw out the Texan in me and get all tree-hugger on your ass. The glass jars (that I recycle) hold fresh, locally-caught albacore tuna provided to me by an independent fisherman.  I add nothing to the tuna - just pop it in the jar, set it in the pressure canned and voila!

But of course, I will gladly drink a Shiner beer while doing all this.  No need to get too crazy with the tree hugging.