Fishing, Alaska Style

Fishing, Alaska Style

     It's a great time of year in Katmai National Park in Alaska. Salmon are running and bears are feasting.  Every day hundreds of visitors are flocking to Alaska to view the bears. An estimated 20,000 viewed them in 2016.     

     I'm watching the bears, too, but remotely from Arizona.  In fact, I have breakfast and lunch with them almost every day.  The bear cams located at Brooks Falls are better than ever and very popular.   

  This experienced fisherman knows he only has to wait patiently and the fish will come to him.

This younger bear has picked a spot further down the river, away from the big guys.  It looks like luck is with him today as he holds his snagged fish.

The site is not only fun, it's educational. The Park Service provides free e-books that teach about grizzly bears. Even more interesting is that it tells us the name, age, sex and other known information about individual local bears.  Ranger talks are broadcast frequently, too.   For anyone who isn't fortunate enough to watch the grizzly bears in person, the bear cams provide the next best chance to see these great animals up close.  

So the next time you have a few spare minutes or need a relaxing break, check out the Brooks Falls Bears.  Just be careful--bear cams are addictive!

North to Alaska

       
           From the time I first heard Johnny Horton sing "North to Alaska" in 1960, I've wanted to go there.   This month I finally made it. 
           Alaska was everything--and more--than I expected.
           The first clue that Alaska was different came when I saw the Alaska Airline's plane.  A flying fish.  

     In Anchorage, fish rule.   

 

          Ship Creek was lined with fishermen and women from early morning to night.   Except there isn't "night" in Alaska now so I'm not sure if the creek was ever without someone fishing there.    

 

 

  The Comfort Inn, where we initially stayed, was next to Ship Creek.   You could borrow poles, go across the street, and catch your lunch.     There was even a bait shop nearby.

 

One man caught his fish while we were there.  I don't know what kind of fish it was, but it was big.

 

 

        We went to the local artisan's fair on Sunday where we found more fish.   I love quesadillas, but I wasn't ready for ones made out of salmon.  

 

 

         Walking around Ship Creek and down to the bay was interesting, but I was after bigger fish.   I came to Alaska to see Denali and the wildlife that live in the Park.    Early Monday morning Kent and I would board a motor coach, the Anchorage Denali Express, for the 5 hour drive to Denali.