Hey it's a seal.
Don't eat my crabs,
bitch.
Growing up in
a coastal community,
in New England,
I felt a very strong
connection with
the water my whole life.
Now that I
live in Oregon,
I have the opportunity to
experience a whole new
water ecosystem
from the rivers,
to the waterfalls,
and the coast.
I wanna meet the people
that harvest from and
live in harmony with
all the waters that
Oregon has to offer.
I made it to
the Oregon Coast.
Vast beautiful views,
huge swells,
and a dangerous,
rocky inter-tidal zone.
We're about to meet up
with James Jungwirth, who
makes a living foraging
from this coastal area.
My wife and I moved out
here to Oregon in 1989,
and I was already
an avid seaweed eater.
Course when we
moved out here,
I wanted to get to know
all the seaweeds, and so
I started harvesting,
and drying, and feeding
my family with them.
We started selling
seaweed to our friends
and, at the local
barter fair.
We were looking for
a niche a way to support
ourselves coming out
here, and we found it.
Are there any seaweeds
that you can't eat or
are they all edible?
There's not really
a toxic seaweed.
If they taste good
they're okay.
The thing to remember is
that the seaweeds grow on
rocks.
If you find them washed
up on the beach,
that's like
the compost pile.
The garden is rocky areas
that are exposed at
low tide.
Eating seaweed is like,
one of the best
things you can do for
cardiovascular health,
for cancer prevention,
man I could just
go on and on.
Wow, this is beautiful.
This is one of
the most complex
ecosystems anywhere.
That's why we harvest
each plant in a way that
allows each plant to
continue to grow, and
reproduce so that it
maintains the integrity
of the ecosystem for
all the other things
that live here.
Oh, we got a Heron
out there.
Looking for
something to eat.
He's like us.
Yup.
So if you see over here,
this is Nori.
It's fairly tender,
just to eat right
off the rocks.
Oh, yeah.
It tastes like this
whole place.
If you could
imagine that.
So I see a nice patch of
bladderwrack over here.
When you harvest
this one,
you just harvest
the tips.
Cuz the rest of it is
a little bit tough.
I could eat this all day.
It's much better cooked.
How could it get
better than this?
So let's see what
we can find out in
the water here.
Oh, it's cold!
Ha.
It's so cold!
Mm.
I thought it was
gonna be like
tropical from the way you
were talking about it.
This is Oregon.
That look fresh?
Yeah.
So this is a Bull kelp.
We're lucky to be
able to find it.
Nice one washed
up like this.
It's actually like
probably the richest
source of potassium of
any natural food in
the whole world.
Well, do you wanna
get some mussels?
Yeah.
We might as well.
Sometimes they
can be poisonous.
Because there's different
kinds of bacterial
balloons in the ocean.
The Oregon Department
of Agriculture has
got a hotline and
a website.
You can check with them.
They're safe now.
They're safe?
I checked.
All right.
Perfect.
I saw some really
nice goose
particles over here.
They're actually in
the crab family, right?
They're a Crustacean,
correct.
Yeah. Whoa.
Check these out.
They're big ones, huh?
Holy Shit.
So the trick with these
is you want to cut them,
really close to the base
cuz you want to get as
much of the neck
as possible.
That's the part you e,
eat.
Wow, that's a big one.
What are these supposed
to taste like?
They taste like,
like lobster or
crab only wish they
could taste like.
Oh, my God.
I'm so excited.
Look at that.
I didn't think it could
get any bigger but
we weren't trying
hard enough.
This is great.
We got some proteins,
some vegetables.
We'll have a feast.
All from right here.
Just a little walk
on the ocean.
Hm.
Yeah.
It's a lot better than
going to
the grocery store.
You're just going to cook
them whole like that?
Right.
I just put a little bit
of water on
the bottom that way,
they just steam and they
doesn't take very long.
And it smells
like the ocean.
Is it almost done?
The shellfish
are pretty much done.
You can see how they,
their shells are opened
up on the mussels.
The bladderwrack's still
a little bit chewy, but
it's okay, everything
else is tender.
Should we put some like
specimens out on our
block that we found?
Sure.
Is it clean enough?
Looks clean to me.
Good man.
Oo, these look so good.
Pacific blue mussels,
right?
That's right.
Mm, oh man,
this is a good mussel.
Fresh.
Doesn't get any
fresher than this.
Cheers.
Could be nice in
a stir fry, huh?
It really would,
chopped up.
Oh, you could use these
like noodles, right?
They're al dente.
Bladderwrack?
Mm.
I think this is
might be my favorite of
the three, it's like
I love the texture and
it's super mild.
And then we
have the nori,
now the nori's got
a meaty taste,
cause you can taste all
the protein in there.
I agree, it really does.
How do you do that?
So okay,
you got to open it up,
oop, do you see that?
The skin isn't any good,
it's too tough.
So you just peel
that down, and
pull that neck
out of there.
That's rich, huh?
Wow, yeah.
It's definitely
a crustacean.
No doubt it.
This is in
the crab family.
Like, it tastes
like a crab, but
like, more intense.
Very sweet.
Very sweet.
So why don't more people
get down with these?
They look kinda strange.
You know,
most people think oh,
that can't be food.
It is like the ocean.
Delicious.
Today, we're
going crabbing in
Newtart's Bay.
This morning when I woke
up, I had no idea we were
gonna be like right
on the bay and
it was absolutely
beautiful.
The boat I'm going on,
like doesn't
have a captain.
Doesn't have any
experienced covers on it,
so
I'm basically in charge
of my own destiny here.
I thought I was going
on a real boat.
Fishermen.
Good morning.
I'm Zach.
I'm Gabby.
Gabby, all right.
Nice to meet you.
Got the boat all
ready for ya.
You've been
crabbing before?
No.
All right.
So this is the crab
measure, males only.
Five and
three quarters or larger.
As you see right there,
it's just
a little bit shy.
Okay.
So it's not
going to be a keeper.
I got you set up
with a couple rings.
Put it in the water,
it'll lay flat on
the bay floor.
And when we check it,
it kind of traps
them all up and
collects them
into the basket.
I got the boat all set
up and ready for you.
All right.
So we can go ahead and
meet on down at
the boat launch.
I'm gonna back
the boat down in,
pull it to the end of
dock, and I'll be right
back down to fire it
up and get you going.
Okay, awesome.
All right.
This is some
yellow trout.
Oh, yellow trout.
Delicacy for crabs.
Sure enough.
What you're gonna do is
you're gonna set these
and you're gonna wait
about 10, 20 minutes max.
And then you're just
gonna pull them.
The trap right here.
You're gonna wanna
let it soak for
about 45 minutes.
Got these little
trap doors on it,
every side that kind
of let's them in.
I hope you don't plan
on getting any crab.
There ain't
none out there.
What's like the best
place around here
to find crabs?
South, along the road,
about 20 to 40 yards
off the rocks.
It's the deepest
spot in the bay.
45 minutes,
let it simmer.
All right, over near
this jetty is where
the elusive red
crab lurks.
The seal is over here,
that's always a good sign
cuz those fat bastards
love to eat crabs.
I grew up on boats.
At one point I did take
a boat safety course.
I don't remember a damn
thing from that.
Oh, good.
This one has got
chicken on it.
Crab's favorite.
I love boating where you
can leave yourself on
shore I just go, just get
the fuck out, perfect.
This is where I feel
at peace, for sure.
Please, please,
please be crabs.
Oh, no, shit,
we didn't get anything.
Boring.
Maybe I should drop
my crab pots where
other people have
dropped their crab pots.
That's a real
fisherman mindset.
Come on crabbies!
All we need is one crab.
But I'd like to get 10 or
15.
That'd be better.
Come on little crabbers,
come to momma.
What the hell?
We just got some babies.
Not legal size.
Hey, it's a seal!
Throw me my crab, bitch!
That's pathetic.
They all might be,
and they're all gone.
What happened there?
I really hope this one
has some crabs in it.
It feels heavy.
Oh, my God!
Whoa!
I don't believe it.
I got crabs!
Whoo-hoo!
Oh, my gosh.
Come here, crabbies.
All right.
Let's get rid
of the little ones.
Wow.
We have a couple of
keepers here.
Look at that.
Doesn't even fit
in the measuring.
I will name you Bob.
Oh.
This is Johnny,
he's a rock crabby,
he's super feisty.
Poor guy,
I'm gonna eat you.
Wow, this place is great.
Throw those suckers in.
Okay, so
you want to tandem it?
And watch splash.
So how long has this
shack been around?
You know,
it's hard to say.
The current owners owned
it about 20 years.
Our summer time
activities include like
a full RV park.
Everybody brings
their own boats.
It's like
margarita-ville.
Are crab people crazy?
They can be.
What you find is
a thousand different
philosophies with
crabbing.
One year,
if we don't do too hot,
everybody comes out
of the woodwork with,
you know-
They're theories.
Scientific facts of why
we're not getting crab,
you know.
What makes Newtart Bay so
special?
Well, we don't have a lot
of rivers feeding in, so
it keeps the salt
content high.
And we're a smaller bay.
You guys have
it good here.
Yeah, you know in
our own little
pocket off the coast.
What's going on here?
They're getting red.
Is that a good sign?
Absolutely.
Oh, they look so good.
I love me some crab.
Do I need to get
a cool water?
We're going to get them
cooling off because
they're boiling
on the inside.
You ever had crab
butter before?
No?
The insides.
We'll just leave
it at that.
Okay.
All right.
Just take your finger
now, and
tug at the side of it.
Yep.
Pull it down.
Now we're gonna take
the shell and just pry.
Absolutely.
Mm.
And just set the crab
over to the side.
This right here is
the crab butter.
Cheers.
Absolutely.
Oh man, that's good.
Crabilicious.
All the guts, down
the center right here,
just wash right out.
And I got something
special right here,
I got you a crab heart.
There it is right there.
Mm, crab heart.
Right of passage.
I feel at one with
the crab now.
Whoo.
All right, grab a claw.
That's definitely
the most prime meat.
Do I just eat this?
Yeah, absolutely.
Oh, yeah.
Mm.
It's delicate but
rich at the same time.
Yeah.
It's hard to explain
but
It is.
Absolutely.
Want to
try some red rock?
Yeah.
The red
rocks are a lot harder.
You definitely need
crackers with them.
Yeah.
Don't even try to
get these going
without oh, ooh,
I just did empress cut.
Yeah.
Perfect
Mm.
It's really good.
I have to say,
I like dungeness a lot
better, but that actually
lived up to people
saying it's sweeter.
The texture.
A little bit different.
Is not as delicate.
Is not as delicate.
No.
But the taste is better.
Absolutely.
In a way.
I mean it's hard
to say better or
worse like,
it's just different.
Okay, now that I
eat the dungeness,
I like the dungeness
better.
And I eat the other one,
and
then I like that
one better.
I like it all.
It's so good.
Oh, man.
High five.
Good job.
Good job to you.
It's pre-dawn in
the Oregon winter and
I'm headed into
the mountains to learn
the art of fly fishing in
the freezing cold waters
of the Deschutes River.
Really interesting
terrain out here.
Like being on the moon.
I've heard fly fishing is
like the most difficult
form of angling
out there,
especially when it comes
to Steelhead trout.
Luckily, I have some
expert anglers with me,
two local chefs who
call even a bad day on
the river, way better
than a good day at work.
These fish face a lot
of challenges, so
every one is special, and
they're all
basically unicorns.
You know, it's not like
you're fishing with
a piece of bait, this is
almost like a cat toy.
Let's do this one.
All right.
I hope,
I don't have to pee.
It's part of
the adventure.
It's cool to pee
in the waiters?
Peeing in your
waiters is cool.
Call me Miles Davis.
Casting a two-handed
rod for
Steelhead is the pinnacle
of the sport.
Oh, it's chilly.
The principle of spey
casting is you're using
a long line, so you'll
see how thick it is.
And I'm going to
place the line right
on the water.
We're gonna use
that water tension.
You're gonna rip
the line off the water,
and you make
a forward cast.
All right.
So we flop it down.
Yeah, the flop.
Now, tear.
Very close.
It's gonna take you time,
it took me a year to
learn how to this.
Okay.
If you're out, you know,
doing all that,
it opens up the cast.
Whereas, if you are
keeping it really tight.
You're gonna keep
a much tighter cast.
Tear.
Yup.
And the thing with
fishing like this is you
can fish all day and
not catch a fish.
So if you're going to
spend all that time out
here, you might as
well have fun learning
something like this,
that's super technical.
Holy moley,
you just made a catch.
Is that good?
That just happened, yeah.
Really?
What exactly are we
making today?
I went hunting and
shot a deer so
we've got classic German
style venison stew.
You know, we went to
the farmer's market,
got some beautiful
red cabbage,
braised that up with
mountain huckleberries.
We've got hedgehog
mushrooms,
buckwheat spatzle,
buckwheat a huge
crop out here.
Mm.
So
it's not unreasonable
to say that all
these products are from
within a 100 or so miles.
The majority of the prep
we do ahead of time,
I just bring food
out in bags.
And that way anything
like a stew,
heats up really
quickly and
easily, so we can eat
a meal like you'd get
in a restaurant out here
on the river in no time.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Mm.
That's the bomb.
I'm standing next to the
man who not only hunted
this deer, but
cooked it for me.
It's really
a good feeling.
Check it out.
Bighorn sheep.
Oh, my God.
Those are so cool.
Huge horns,
like the horn to body
ratio is like intense.
I never get sick
of these things.
Here we go,
pickin up speed.
I fuckin love
rowing rivers man.
I grew up in New Jersey.
And you grow up reading
Fly Fishing Magazine, and
all these fancy
publications.
And you see these
gorgeous pictures
of places like this,
people fishing.
And it was always so
far out of reach for me.
I said, shit, well
someday if I ever make it
out west, I'm gonna buy a
drift boat, and I'm gonna
fish the way I've
always dreamed to fish.
That's sort of how
we ended up here.
It's one of my favorite
places on Earth.
Heron.
Oh, wow!
Big heron.
Wow.
Every single cast
you have to believe,
and you have to hope, and
you have to pray that
you're gonna see a fish.
And those who stick with
it are rewarded, but
they call a Steelhead a
fish of a thousand casts.
You cast 1,000 times,
you don't see a fish.
We fished 40 hours
in five days.
And then our
last days each,
we both caught a fish.
Yeah.
And it was worth it.
This really is the
youngest part of America.
And we still have a lot
to lose out here which is
why the managements
really important.
Back in the day it was
basically like, wow,
this river's
full of fish.
Let's take them all.
You know,
if we do hook a wild fish
we wanna bring it in as
quickly as possible.
And keep it under
the water the whole time,
these guys.
You know, hoisting these
fish up, and like,
look what I got, you
know, that's great for
Facebook, but it's
terrible for the fish.
You feel pretty
confident?
As confident as I can.
Oh, you're getting
a little loosey goosey.
Yep.
Oh.
All the rope,
and the elbow.
Almost.
I'm casting, like a ten
year old or worse.
God, I hate to say it,
but
I don't think I'm going
to catch a fish today.
Partially, because
I don't think I
deserve to catch a fish.
I respect people
that do this,
because it takes
a lot of patience.
Whoa, that looked good.
Did that feel right?
Yeah.
Right.
You've crushed it there,
with the casting.
Really?
Yeah.
You really actually, did
pick it up pretty quick.
I was impressed.
I never felt like I
did it right, though.
Neither did I.
Neither did you?
No.
And that's okay, too.
I would have never come
to do this on my own,
so thank you so
much for taking me.
This is like
really special.
I'll never forget it.
There are pheromone
like compounds in some
truffles.
It just makes you horny.
Oh, what?
Oh my God.
So good.
Waffles are all about
making your dreams come
true, right in
front of your eyes.
That's perfect and
you're perfect just
the way you are.
They're really wrapping
this up in style.
Yeah.
I put hallucinogenic
mushrooms in the risotto.
