WILDLIFE

BROWN BEAR

Brown bears, commonly misrepresented as scary “grizzlies,” are drawn to our serene neck of Alaskan wilderness because of the excessive summertime salmon runs. Adult Alaskan brown bears typically eat 80–90 pounds of salmon per day in the summertime. It’s true — they love salmon just as much as we do! There will more than likely be several opportunities to snap photos of these majestic, well-fed beasts.

BALD EAGLE

Brown bears and bald eagles go hand-in-hand here in Southwest Alaska. Whether we’re fishing in the king salmon area or visiting a nearby hidden gem, we often spot massive brown bears and bald eagles soaring over thousands of wild salmon. Despite only weighing 8–14 pounds, bald eagles have a 7.5-foot wingspan, which is extremely intimidating to most mammals (including brown bears). Bald eagles are often seen lording in the high trees, soaring through the air and swooping to nab hefty salmon.

RED

We might be one of the only Alaska fly-fishing lodges to have a pack of wild red foxes call our vast property home. Red foxes have binocular vision, so they do most of their hunting during the few hours of darkness here in Bristol Bay. We’ll often spot their sheening eyes early in the morning — but sometimes they’ll just casually trot past us.

GRAY WOLF

It’s unlikely you’ll spot a gray wolf on your Alaska fishing adventure, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Alaska has the largest gray wolf population in the United States (and it’s not even close). The Alaska DNR estimates that there are somewhere between 7,000 and 11,000 gray wolves in our vast state, many of which call Southwest Alaska home. Several of our fly-out fishing trips to nearby Katmai National Park and Preserve featured the pleasure of spotting one of these increasingly endangered beauties.

1. Time for Relaxation: Alaskan waters promote relaxation. Not only will you be lowering your blood pressure, but you’ll also feel decreased anxiety as you’re away from your daily life stressors.

2. Sun Exposure: Not only does sun exposure increase your mood, but it’s also a great source of vitamin D, which boosts your immune system and promotes healthy bone growth.

3. Working Out Your Body: During the Alaska fishing season, the fish are plentiful, and there’s no doubt you’ll be catching fish upwards of 30 pounds while on Bristol Bay. This means you’ll be using your entire body to battle with these massive creatures. Not only will you be using your legs, core and upper-body strength to reel in your catch, you’ll also be working on your balance!

4. Breathing in Fresh Air: Spending time around fish and wildlife during the Alaska fishing season means you’ll be outdoors for more extended periods of time. Breathing in the fresh air away from the polluted city most breathe in daily will decrease your risk of heart disease, respiratory issues and lung cancer.

5. Increasing Awareness: While fishing, you’ll actively be using your senses and natural instincts if you want to land the biggest salmon you’ve ever laid your eyes on. Being aware of your surroundings during the act of fishing will translate to your daily life. In addition to being aware of what’s going on around you, you’ll be using your natural instincts. The minute you feel a tug on your line or find yourself too close to wildlife for your own comfort, you’ll be improving your reaction time in your environment.