Skagit’s Own Fish Market
THE SHOP
If you’ve driven Highway 20 west from Burlington toward Anacortes, you’ve most certainly passed Skagit’s Own Fish Market. Positioned a half-mile off Interstate 5 on the south side of road, it is in a large, blue, industrial-looking building. It’s not only full of fresh, locally caught seafood, seasonings of all kinds, and other local foods, but it’s a great place to grab a seafood lunch.
THE ATMOSPHERE
This is a friendly, local, no-fuss market with ice-packed display cases showcasing the catch of the day. In summer, when fishing is most abundant, it’s busy from open to close. Check the website for hours.
KEY PEOPLE
Tana and Eric Skaugrud own the fish market. They had spent years wintertime-fishing Dungeness crab in the Puget Sound. One day their neighbor left a six-pack of beer on their porch asking for some crab in return. This transaction launched their endeavor, leading to farmers markets and eventually the store that has been in business since 2009.
Fishing has been in both families, going back several generations. Tana credits Eric as being the “heart of the business.” Eric spent years as a commercial fisherman in the Bering Sea.
WHAT YOU’LL FIND
Come for fresh fish, and stay for lunch. The menu features an oyster hoagie for $9.99, fish tacos for $6.50 each, and a seasonal Dungeness crab sandwich (market priced), just to name a few. There are tables to enjoy your meal just outside the front door under a covered roof. And really, you should.
In the fall, Dungeness crab is abundant. It’s commercial crab season and the best time to eat crab, due to the colder waters. It’s also a good time for mussels and clams. It’s all about freshness at the market. Tana says, “If it wouldn’t go on my table, it’s not going in our store.”
The shelves are stocked with local items including Trilby’s BBQ Sauce, Dapper Swan Chutneys, Northwest Wild Foods Jams & Honey, Lopez Island Creamery ice cream.
OWNER’S FAVORITE
Tana loves her crab “Northwest style”—cold with a little bit of butter, cocktail sauce and a good salad. For salmon, her go-to recipe is to combine a little butter, soy sauce, brown sugar and lemon, coat the fish with the sauce and then grill or bake it. She loves her oysters raw or barbequed with lime, Worcestershire and wasabi.
For more content like this, check out our Shop section here.
