Doyle was a former logger and true jack-of-all-trades, but found his true passion on the water. He was a commercial fisherman and shrimper for more than 40 years. He spent most of that time on his boats; F/V Deann, F/V Thomas E, F/V Dusty and the F/V Aries.
Born in Browerville, Minnesota in 1931, Doyle grew up working on the family farm. Seven of the Sarff brothers had the dream of going to Alaska to fish and in 1967, Doyle and his brother Gerald "Red", headed north up the Inside Passage in a converted 50-foot steel lifeboat. Initially, Doyle settled his family in the Ketchikan area where he began his commercial fishing career, but in the early 70's brought them to their forever home in Wrangell.
Not one to ever stop working, Doyle would continue to do some form of commercial fishing until 2010 which was the last time he would have a salmon trolling permit with his boat the F/V Aries. He fished for just about everything there was in the ocean! In the mid-1990's to early 2000's he would fish for halibut, salmon and rockfish on the F/V Dusty. His primary boat, the F/V Thomas E would be fished from the late 70's through 1995. On the Thomas E he would fish halibut, salmon, rockfish and shrimp. For a time in the 80's, he would run his own little shrimp business. His first recorded purchase of a fishing boat was in 1976 with the F/V Deann which he would shrimp and halibut fish. Some of Doyle's favorite fishing and shrimping spots include Snow Pass in Clarence Strait, Deer Island, Earnest Sound, Level Island and Tide Island.
Doyle passed away on 7 August 2023 in his beloved home of Wrangell.
Submitted by Granddaughter, Deann Torsak
Born in Browerville, Minnesota in 1931, Doyle grew up working on the family farm. Seven of the Sarff brothers had the dream of going to Alaska to fish and in 1967, Doyle and his brother Gerald "Red", headed north up the Inside Passage in a converted 50-foot steel lifeboat. Initially, Doyle settled his family in the Ketchikan area where he began his commercial fishing career, but in the early 70's brought them to their forever home in Wrangell.
Not one to ever stop working, Doyle would continue to do some form of commercial fishing until 2010 which was the last time he would have a salmon trolling permit with his boat the F/V Aries. He fished for just about everything there was in the ocean! In the mid-1990's to early 2000's he would fish for halibut, salmon and rockfish on the F/V Dusty. His primary boat, the F/V Thomas E would be fished from the late 70's through 1995. On the Thomas E he would fish halibut, salmon, rockfish and shrimp. For a time in the 80's, he would run his own little shrimp business. His first recorded purchase of a fishing boat was in 1976 with the F/V Deann which he would shrimp and halibut fish. Some of Doyle's favorite fishing and shrimping spots include Snow Pass in Clarence Strait, Deer Island, Earnest Sound, Level Island and Tide Island.
Doyle passed away on 7 August 2023 in his beloved home of Wrangell.
Submitted by Granddaughter, Deann Torsak
Doyle's ingenuity was unmatched!
Doyle being able to jerry-rig everything to make it work was also very frugal as all from his era seem to be. He seemed to carry it to the extremes.
He did multiple fishing entries. Shrimp was one. Purchasing new shrimp pots was a huge expense for his small operation. He put his ingenuity into gear and was able to create some nice frames but needed a cover for the frames (this was before web size regulations). His wife, being as industrious as Doyle, was willing to sew up the covers once they figured out what would work. One day mending her pants, Delores asked Doyle if that material would work. Eureka! The perfect material was located. Polyester pants. The thrift store was loaded with 50's, 60's and even some 70's polyester pants. They got busy and sewed up tubes for all the shrimp pots. There were paisley, hot pink, flashy colors and prints. Wish we would have taken a photo.
Shrimp pots wear out and need replaced and since they had used all the pants, a few years later they started looking for other options. They settled on 33 gallon trash cans. The Sears store wondered why anyone would want to order and buy 150 garbage cans. They sent an inquiry to the local store here to ask about the oddity. Doyle would throw away the top, cut off the bottom, sew mesh on the ends (that they used this time) and put in a little door.
Doyle was always able to come up with a solution!
Submitted by niece, Rebecca Smith