Best grizzly catching salmon viewing?

[jamminlion]

Looking for the best grizzly catching salmon viewing. Looking at a one way cruise either before or after a few days in Anchorage, Homer, Seward region. Prefer not to fly in for viewing, but I will do what I have to do. Absolutely prefer to do this on our own, not with a big group, definitely not a cruise excursion.

 

Thanks!

[mapleleaves]

you didn't mention WHEN, and that's the most important factor. Salmon runs occur at different times at different locations, and there are peak periods as well.

Flying to a prime bear viewing area during a peak period will offer the best opportunity, but if you're willing to take your chances, you MAY see bears around a hatchery fed stream/river in late afternoon early evening. You also need to be very careful if you're creeping around the river bank looking for bears. The last thing you want to do is startle a bear, especially one with cubs.

Our last trip was the last 2 weeks of August and in Valdez bears were quite active by the hatchery .... to the point they put up a digital reader board along the road advising people to be BEAR AWARE. People occassionally see bears at Russian River Falls near Cooper Landing.

Timing is everything for the kind of bear viewing you want.

The Alaska Fish and Game site is a good resource. And if you go to the Alaska forum of tripadvisor, there's a bear viewing thread under Top Questions.

[huskyguy]

The best places are the McNeil River and Brooks Falls - both world-famous for exactly what you're looking for. Both are air access (from Homer most commonly), both require permits, and McNeil River is a lottery permit draw. Brooks Falls is best mid-July and again in mid-September, the McNeil River is July to mid-August. "Best" draws crowds, so you'll be there with groups of people from all over the world. Other places are distant "second-bests" but are much easier/cheaper to access.

[jamminlion]

Thanks very much. We haven't decide on exactly when. Though we do want to see the salmon run. First trip we saw them, last trip we were a couple weeks too early. Not planning on going bear viewing on our own, a good guide, and a good location is what we are looking for.

 

Thanks for the info. Homer is definitely a few days stay for us, so that'll work!

[cruisinlawn]

any word on what to expect here in mid-July? TIA

[trophy_23]

We flew out of Kodiak back to the Katmai coast and it was fantastic!! It was just us, no other groups. They were not fishing, but digging clams etc. Saw a lot of bears and got some amazing photos!

 

 

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