Alaska Sporting Journal - September 2023

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• Expansive master suite with his & her bathrooms and laundry facility

• Guest wing with 2 bedrooms each featuring full baths.

• Additional bedrooms possible

• 2 fully equipped kitchens, penthouse features kitchenette

• Bathroom on every floor

• Shop/garage/man cave 1800+ sq. ft. with ½ bath and laundry facility

• 8 original concrete grain bins/basement with constant temperature for wine storage or additional storage space totaling over 1,000 sq. ft.

• Attached 1 bdrm/1bath apartment with separate entrance

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OFFERED AT $975,000

PUBLISHER

James R. Baker

GENERAL MANAGER

John Rusnak

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Andy Walgamott

EDITOR

Chris Cocoles

WRITERS

Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Brian M. Kelly, Pete Robbins, Dave Zoby

SALES MANAGER

Paul Yarnold

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Brian Abker, Guy Ricciardulli, Zachary Wheeler

DESIGNER

Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Kelly Baker

WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND

MARKETING

Jon Hines

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Katie Aumann

INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER

Lois Sanborn

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES media@media-inc.com

ON THE COVER

Rylie Booth grew up around her parents’ Bear Trail Lodge in the heart of the Bristol Bay area. Now married, Rylie and her husband Wade Booth will someday grab the baton from Nanci Morris Lyon and her husband Heath. (BEAR TRAIL LODGE)

MEDIA

CORRESPONDENCE

43 PASSING THE ROD

Nanci Morris Lyon has long championed protecting Bristol Bay from the Pebble Mine while also hosting anglers on bucket-list adventures at her and husband Heath’s Bear Trail Lodge. Now, with the Lyons’ daughter Rylie preparing to take over running the lodge, Bristol vet Pete Robbins profiles the family’s passion for hospitality and Rylie’s vision for the future.

FEATURES

26 SOLVING THE COHO PUZZLE

On multiple trips to Southeast Alaska and the Mat-Su Valley, Brian Kelly has discovered his passion for targeting the state’s iconic coho. He’s convinced that fishing for these migratory salmon is akin to emptying the pieces of a puzzle onto a table and trying to put them back together. Sometimes, as Kelly describes, “It’s the puzzle that you never fully complete.” But he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

34 MINE WITH METAL FOR RIVER SILVERS

(BEAR TRAIL LODGE)

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

15 The Editor’s Note  17 Alaska Beat: News and notes from around the Last Frontier 21 Outdoor calendar

23 Kenai Silver Salmon Derby preview

More coho talk, this time from our From Field to Fire columnists Scott and Tiffany Haugen. First up is Scott, who prepares anglers for the peak of Alaska’s silver runs in September with some of his favorite lures for scoring limits at your favorite river or stream. And Chef Tiffany creates a flaked-fish bruschetta recipe that can be served multiple ways with whatever you’ve caught this season.

53 WELCOME TO THE BEARS’ LAIR

Dave Zoby has shared plenty of fishing holes with bears. But most of those encounters occurred while he was focused on casting – albeit while keeping an eye out for bruins on the prowl for a salmon dinner too. It wasn’t until he joined a Katmai National Park and Preserve bear-viewing tour that he realized something was missing from the experience. “I never learned much about these misunderstood creatures,” he writes. Come along as Zoby shares some of what he soaked up while getting within sniffing distance of one of Alaska’s apex predators.

with

About 10 years ago, I went on a family trip to Alberta, Canada. We decided to check out the Edmonton area, mostly because my sister got us VIP tickets to the city’s annual fair, but we also got to check out the thoroughbred racing on site. My dad was excited to do a side trip to the car collection at the Reynolds Museum, and my sisters and nieces made it a priority to shop at the absurdly massive West Edmonton Mall.

One item on our itinerary that I was most interested in was an early-evening drive to Elk Island National Park, located about 40 minutes east of Edmonton. We’d read about how great the wildlife viewing was at the park, highlighted by large herds of buffalo. Indeed, after an early dinner, on the drive towards the main park entrance we spied a herd on the side of the road and got super

EDITOR’S NOTE

excited we’d see more once inside the park around dusk. But all we ended up seeing that summer night were a couple of jackrabbits. The park’s buffalo must have known we were coming.

I was disappointed but I also know there is no sure things when it comes to spotting critters in their natural habitats. Sometimes, the buffalo don’t cooperate, but my good friend Norv and I were treated to an unlikely visit by a fox in Estonia while we ate an outdoor meal at a farm we stayed at. I’ve seen reindeer grazing in Finland and a family of koalas along the Great Ocean Road in Australia. I was pressed for time on my only trip to Yellowstone, but still managed to spy a few bull elk and deer along the main road through the national park. It’s exhilarating.

As Dave Zoby writes this month about his experience on a Katmai National Park

and Preserve bear-viewing expedition (page 53), he felt a never-before spiritual connection with the park’s magnificent bruins. At one point, one of the bears seemed a little too interested in investigating those pesky humans who were keeping their proper distance but relishing an opportunity to get somewhat close to one of Alaska’s apex predators.

“We were relieved as the bear moved away,” Zoby writes of the thrilling encounter, “but more than that, we were connected in some new way.”

And that, friends, is what the outdoors should be all about. It’s also why we should be fighting to ensure such experiences never go away. Whether you’re an angler, a hunter or just looking for bears or a buffalo herd, it’s that connection to nature that makes it all worthwhile. -Chris Cocoles

Dave Zoby’s close encounters with Katmai National Park and Preserve bears exemplify what makes outdoors experiences so cherished and fulfilling. (DAVE ZOBY)

ADFG, USFWS COLLABORATING ON KENAI RIVER COHO TAGGING PROGRAM

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are collaborating on a Kenai River coho tagging program. This marks the second year of what ADFG calls “a three-year study to assess run timing, migratory patterns and spawning distribution of coho salmon in the Kenai River drainage.”

“A sample of up to 490 esophageal-implant radio transmitters will be deployed into healthy coho salmon each year. Radio-tagged fish will also be tagged with an identifiable five-digit yellow-colored T-bar tag near the base of the dorsal fin,” ADFG and USFWS said in a press release.

“Tagged fish will be radio tracked throughout their migration to spawning grounds using a combination of boat, aerial and ground surveys, including fixed receiver stations strategically placed throughout the entire Kenai River drainage.”

Using a radio tag and a T-bar attached at the base of the dorsal fin, 490 coho salmon are being tracked and analyzed by biologists from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “to assess run timing, migratory patterns, and spawning distribution of coho salmon in the Kenai River drainage.” (ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME)

AL

ASKA

BEAT

TWEET OF THE MONTH

Anglers who catch these tagged coho are being encouraged to report them to ADFG area research biologist Tony Eskelin at (907) 262-9368 or USFWS fishery biologist Ken Gates at (907) 260-0126.

“Radio-tagged fish can be identified by a small antenna wire trailing from their mouth and a small, yellow-colored tag near the dorsal fin,” the press release stated.

NOTABLE NUMBER

10.86 POUNDS

Size of the coho Fairbanks resident Natalie Chamberlain caught to win the Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby. Chamberlain was crowned “Queen of the Silver Salmon Sisterhood.”

age is constantly combatting some of the usual large metro issues like crime and the homeless, but city wildlife officials also had to kill an aggressive black bear that was charging residents. “We are having Alaska problems,” the Anchorage Police Department wrote in a Facebook post .

(VALDEZ FISH DERBIES)

TRAVELING ANGLERS’ CALCULATED RISK DURING PANDEMIC PAID OFF

While I’ll admit that we were cautious – carrying wipes and sanitizer with us everywhere, and wearing masks (especially on float planes and other confined spaces) – overall the experience was exceptionally positive. That starts with the people of Alaska.

To be honest, I’d expected a state founded upon a “frontier mentality” to be resistant to some safety measures, but everyone seemed to take them exceptionally seriously. They also seemed thankful that we were there, aware that tourism is a big part of the state’s income, as well as just being generally friendly.

Last year, Bear Trail Lodge was a social hub, with guides and various groups of anglers mixing freely. This year, not surprisingly, there were fewer guests, and we semi-socially distanced inside, but that had its benefits, too.

At the lodge, we were able to spend even more meaningful time with the always-attentive staff, getting to know them better and picking their brains about the fisheries. On the water, there was simply less pressure. One of our flyouts was to Brooks Falls, which was far less crowded than in 2019, though still had an ample number of visitors. On our other two flyouts, however, there was no sign of other recent human activity. It was like going back in time, being the first to discover new rivers. That was exceptionally special, and while I’m sure the fishing would have been great either way, it was one of the rare times a 21st century angler can have something like that all to himself …

Did we tempt fate? Perhaps, but it seemed like a calculated risk, and one that paid off. Honestly, our biggest regret is that we didn’t stay longer. -Pete Robbins

-U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska, after Arkansas resident Edward A. Bundy pleaded guilty to illegally killing a caribou and transporting it. Bundy was fined $12,000 and prohibited from hunting anywhere in the world for 18 months.

At the height of the pandemic in summer 2020, guests and employees at Bristol Bay’s Bear Trail Lodge did what they could to stay safe. (PETE ROBBINS)

FROM THE ASJ ARCHIVES – SEPTEMBER 2020

“Let Mr. Bundy’s actions be a reminder that illegal killing and transportation of wildlife will not be tolerated. Our office will continue to be vigilant in working with our partners to identify and prosecute individuals who choose to commit crimes in violation of the Lacey Act.”

• Complete fish care: filleted, vacuum sealed, flash frozen and boxed to be flown back with you

• Rods and reels all in A-1 condition

• Complete boat care: boats are cleaned and fueled every time you come in

• Bait and tackle for both salmon and bottom fishing

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

Sept. 1 Black bear seasons open in Game Management Units 1 (Southeast Mainland) and 2 (Prince of Wales Island

Sept. 1 Archery bull elk season opens in GMU 3 (Etolin Island)

Sept. 1 Moose season opens in GMU 5B (Yakutat)

Sept. 1 Black and brown bear seasons open in portions of GMU 6 (North Gulf Coast and Prince William Sound)

Sept. 1 Moose season opens in GMU 7 (Seward)

Sept. 1 Wolverine season opens in GMU 10 (Aleutians)

Sept. 1 Bison season opens in GMU 11 (east of the Copper River, south of the Klawasi River and west of a line from Mount Sanford to Mount Wrangell to Long Glacier, west of the Kotsina River)

Sept. 1 Brown bear season opens in GMU 14A (Mat-Su Valley)

Sept. 1 Mountain goat season opens in GMU 14A (south and east of the Matanuska River)

Sept. 3 Last day of Valdez Silver Salmon Derby and Halibut Derby (valdezfishderbies.com)

Sept. 6 Bison season opens in GMU 11 (drainages of Chitina River east of Chakina River and south and east of the Nizina River)

Sept. 12-17 Kenai Silver Salmon Derby (kenaisilversalmonderby.com)

Sept. 15 Brown bear season opens in GMUs 1 and 3

Sept. 15 Moose season opens in GMU 3 (Petersburg/Wrangell)

Sept. 15 Deer season opens in GMU 4 (Chichagof Island east of Port Frederick and north of Tenakee Inlet and remainder of unit)

Sept. 15 Brown bear season opens in GMU 4 (Admiralty/Baranof/ Chichagof Islands)

Sept. 15 Mountain goat season begins in GMU 6D (North Gulf Coast and Prince William Sound)

Sept. 25 Elk season opens in GMU 8 (Southwest Afognak Island)

For more information and season dates for Alaska hunts, go to adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.main.

Black bear season opens in game management units on the Southeast mainland, Prince of Wales Island and North Gulf Coast/Prince William Sound. (USFS/DON MACDOUGALL)

TIME

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GIVING BACK TO THE RIVER

KENAI COHO DERBY PROCEEDS HELP FUND CULVERT REPLACEMENT ON KEY TRIBUTARY

BY CHRIS COCOLES

What’s billed as “The World’s Most Responsible Fishing Tournament” is living up to its mission of maintaining and preserving Kenai River salmon runs as its seventh edition arrives this month.

With both king and coho salmon fisheries seeing closures and restrictions throughout Alaska, organizers of the Kenai Silver Salmon Derby, set for Sept. 12-17 and headquartered at the mouth of the famed river, know that the proceeds they raise this year will directly benefit local salmon runs.

“There is a growing sense of excitement for this year’s derby. Each year, the number of participants and interest from sponsors has been growing,” says Liam Floyd, programs and facilities coordinator for the Kenai Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center. “And this year, we’re excited to see the first proceeds from the derby result in a conservation project.”

Floyd, with some help from local fishing community and city members, explained what that project entails.

“In partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, the city is working to replace an existing culvert, installed under a city water main, with a fish passage culvert

to enhance salmon habitat in Cemetery Creek, located within the (the city of Kenai),” Floyd says.

Cemetery Creek, a Kenai River tributary, was analyzed by USFWS and found to have the highest concentration of kings and coho along the lower river. But while “salmon do not spawn in the creek,” Floyd says, “smolts from upriver utilize the stream as a rearing habitat before migrating to the open ocean.”

The site, right at the mouth of the river by Kenai Municipal Airport, was toured by city officials, USFWS reps and Kenaitze tribal interests, and they spotted 1- and 2-year-old coho smolts rearing in Cemetery Creek and the culvert.

USFWS plans to provide technical direction and funding for the project. The Kenai community is providing design and construction management services, plus the Kenaitze Indian Tribe said it will apply for federal funding to help complete the plan.

“City administration proposed $5,000 be allocated from the derby proceeds, which represents the first use of proceeds toward a project,” says Floyd. “USFWS has offered the additional $25,000 for preliminary design and cost estimation needed to facilitate a grant application this fall for the remaining design and construction funds. In order to meet the fall grant application timeline, the Kenai City Council enacted legislation to appropriate the funds for replacement of an existing Cemetery Creek culvert with a fish passage culvert at its August 2, 2023 meeting.”

Adults and kids alike can compete for daily prizes and overall $5,000 (for adults) and $1,000 (for youths) grand prizes at the seventh annual Kenai Silver Salmon Derby. Proceeds go toward a soon-to-begin culvert replacement project on a Kenai River tributary important to young coho. (KENAI SILVER SALMON DERBY)

‘MAGIC WEIGHT’ RETURNS

One of the ways this event differs from other, more traditional largest-weightwins formats is that on each of the six derby days a “magic weight” will be determined from spins of two homemade wheels that set a weight in pounds and tenths and hundredths of a pound. Each fish of 4 pounds and above – there’s a three-fish limit per angler – is eligible to be included in the magic weight draws.

“We have received a positive response from the community on the magic weight aspect of the derby over the years. Focusing on a random weight shifts the focus from a ‘biggest fish’ derby to one that provides the community a bonus opportunity to get outdoors in a fun and healthy way while supporting the river and contributing to conservation efforts,” Floyd says.

“The Kenai Silver Salmon Derby start-

ed out as a new kind of fishing tournament that reduces selective fishing practices that lead to catch-and-release injuries, which compromise the health of the silver salmon population in the Kenai River.”

PRIZE BREAKDOWN

Daily awards of $100 for adults and $50 for youths are on tap, and the grand prize of $5,000 for adults and $1,000 for youths will be handed out at the end of the event. Floyd said participants can purchase tickets at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center (on weekdays only), the Three Bears store in Kenai, the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce (on weekdays only) and Sportsman’s Warehouse in Soldotna.

“The work the city and chamber of commerce have done in previous years, along with the support from local busi-

nesses and Three Bears as the official weigh-in site, have made setting up this year’s event a smooth process,” adds Floyd, who also pointed out the hard work from the start by Kenai City Manager Terry Eubank in collaborating with event partners and sponsors. “We’re excited to explore adding an additional weigh-in station, as well as additional locations for participants to buy tickets.”

COMMUNITY PRIDE SHINING

In representing the Kenai Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Center, Floyd is excited about the growing derby and its emphasis on helping protect the resource of returning salmon to the popular Kenai River fishery.

“This is the seventh annual derby, and we saw a lot of families and youth participating last year, as well as people who have participated since the beginning of the derby,” Floyd says.

“I think everyone can be proud of how this derby has been structured and continues to grow; it’s exciting to see Kenai have a derby that offers a chance to have fun and win prizes while giving something back to salmon habitat.” ASJ

Editor’s note: For more on the Sept. 12-17 event, go to kenaisilversalmonderby.com or email info@kenaisilversalmonderby.com.

“The Kenai Silver Salmon Derby started out as a new kind of fishing tournament that reduces selective fishing practices that lead to catch-and-release injuries, which compromise the health of the silver salmon population in the Kenai River,” says Liam Floyd of the Kenai Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center. “And this year we’re excited to see the first proceeds from the derby result in a conservation project.” (KENAI SILVER SALMON DERBY)

Plenty of boats will be on the water around the community of Kenai at the mouth of the Kenai River for the derby, which has been steadily gaining momentum each year. (KENAI SILVER SALMON DERBY)

PUTTING TOGETHER THE COHO PUZZLE

WHETHER HE’S FISHING THE SALT OR RIVERS, IT’S FIGURING OUT THE BITE THAT DRIVES ONE ANGLER

BY BRIAN M. KELLY

The tidal flats have a distinct scent at low tide, one that I long for when I am missing my happy place in Alaska. On this lovely misty early fall morning, each deep breath of the unique aroma of the salty sea air of the North Pacific was quite intoxicating.

The pace of my steps through the exposed patches of kelp and mussel beds was a little more accelerated than normal, as this would turn out to be the morning that dreams are made of. There was a heightened sense of anticipation from the minute my alarm woke me from a deep slumber: The weather change we were longing for had finally arrived and it had brought the mother lode of coho swimming just off our rod tip.

It had already been a successful trip, with limits coming for the entire group by 9 each morning. But the relentless sundrenched skies kept the fish that were around us from really coming unglued. That all changed with a much-needed low-pressure system, which rolled in from the Gulf of Alaska. It brought low clouds, light rain and enough breeze to provide a surface disturbance that flipped the switch in the brains of the coho into full-on attack mode.

AS WE DROVE THE road along the Gastineau Channel, it was difficult to keep

the wheel straight. It was an unending parade of fresh coho jumping as far as the eye could see. It was a bit of a mad scramble to get the gear on and hike out the peninsula, where the fish had been congregating all week.

The first cast and two twitches of my jig elicited a violent strike from a large buck that had bad intentions. Per usual, he rolled up the line and broke me off on the sharp edge of the gill plates. Hmm. Not the way I wanted to start this day, but it turned out to be the only tackle disruption of the morning.

When the bite really fires up, one tends to lose all track of time or desire for nourishment or hydration; it’s all about landing this fish, releasing it unharmed and launching another cast into what seems like an unending school of eager, hungry coho.

The highlight of this memorable morning was a window when the wind laid down and the angle of the light was perfect to allow a glimpse into the water for a few moments and appreciate what was happening. To actually see a line of blue-backed coho, fresh in from the Gulf of Alaska, strung out as far as the light would allow was truly a sight to behold.

Instead of casting through this immense school, I stood there in complete awe and just took in the moment. The

Author Brian Kelly hoists a gorgeous coho, caught during a magical morning on the salt. The upper Midwest resident likens targeting the salmon species to “opening a puzzle box and spilling the pieces onto the table.” (BRIAN M. KELLY)

salmon swam by at a steady, purposeful pace, as the seals and sea lions must’ve had their fill from previous days and let these fish be. The only disturbance came from a large hook-nosed male, which would swim up through the school just to let the rest of his compatriots know he was planning to be top dog when the spawning ritual arrived.

The urge to hook another fish got the best of me, so I gently flipped my jig out so I could watch the reaction of fish on the retrieve. Coho are the most inquisitive of the Oncorhynchus family, a trait that is heightened when they are schooled up. A pack of three or four fish would break away from the school and race to see which could eat my jig first. Usually, a smaller fish would make a burst at the lure, but would get muscled out by larger kin, typically a male. And they never missed; not on this day.

The next morning brought the same weather but a completely different attitude. One can never expect coho to be lit up every day, even in Alaska when

you’ve timed the run dead on. The fish were still there and still coming by us in droves, but we were foul-hooking them in the side rather than the jig being down their mouth, like the day before. Then it dawned on us. These fish still had that open ocean instinct and were slashing at our jigs, just like they would slash at schools of herring in the high seas.

After a few lure changes, the fish got back into chomp-down mode. The thump of an all-black skirted spinner –no flash, no bright colors – did the trick on this particular morning. Which brings me to my point about chasing coho in the salt: Bring a wide assortment of lures or flies along on each and every outing, as these fish can change their mood with every tide swing and weather change.

I LEARNED THAT LONG ago, on my first salmon fishing trip to Alaska. The flight to Anchorage from Chicago O’Hare had felt like an eternity. My fishing partner was already on the ground ahead of my arrival, scouting out the coho streams

of the Mat-Su Valley. Technically, I was going “unguided,” but I’d been afforded the opportunity to be shown around by my friend, who had logged the miles and learned the hard lessons from previous trips on his own.

Water conditions were less than ideal, as a massive low-pressure system had rolled into the valley and was dumping steady rain day after day for several weeks. Fortunately, these watersheds can take some rain; after all, it is Alaska and rain is as common as sun is to the Florida Keys. While the water was stained and running higher than normal for this time of year, it was not muddy and there was certainly enough visibility for these coho migrating out of Cook Inlet to see our presentations.

As we hiked down the narrow trail to the river, my senses were heightened; this was bear country. Even though my fishing partner carried a nickel-plated bear deterrent – a revolver – and I was armed with my mighty bottle of storebought pepper spray, the sense of pend-

Sharing the water with bears – also in search of tasty, fat-rich salmon –adds to the thrill of these adventures for anglers. (BRIAN M. KELLY)

ing grizzly doom was front and center. Of course, we never had an issue with bears; the underbrush and never-ending series of deadfalls along what will be kindly described as the “trail” that we followed upriver was another story. Eventually, the dense patch of spruces opened up to reveal a textbook bend hole with a convenient gravel bar to wade onto. My second cast across the run, which my mentor affectionately deemed the “Meat Hole,” resulted in a smashing strike from a fresh coho. Life brings us many “firsts” along the way, and this first had me tingling from head to toe. It

was an absolute specimen of an Alaskan coho – dime-bright, with sea lice and the never-say-die spirit that makes coho so easy to love.

I slept like the dead that night, having just flown across the country and now being filled with the sensory overload that comes with an Alaskan adventure and the satisfaction of fresh filets in the freezer. It all sent me into one of those slumbers where your eyes shut and then the alarm goes off, with nothing but a peaceful calm in between. Well, maybe not for my fishing partner, as I apparently snored like the proverbial freight train

A limit of Little Su silvers makes for a job well done and probably a good dinner and a beer back in town. (BRIAN M. KELLY)

Kelly with his first Little Susitna River silver. (BRIAN M. KELLY)

that night. It happens.

On the drive down to the river the next morning, we came around a bend and startled a fox that was curled up and sleeping comfortably in the middle of the road. We slowed down, as the fox seemed a bit irritated to be awoken by our presence in the predawn darkness of this mid-August morning. (I put the emphasis on predawn, as coho don’t use banker’s hours.)

With headlamps on and starting our hike through the Alaskan bush, my pal abruptly stopped ahead of me, stuck his nose into the wind and said, “I think I smell a bear; you better lead the way.” As I took a step, he burst out in laughter because I’d fallen for his joke. If you can’t mess with those you fish with, who can you mess with?

When we arrived at the Meat Hole, which turned out to be the first-light honey hole on this particular trip, the air was dead calm, the woods eerily silent. Just as the skies began to light up in the east, we were startled by a loud crash coming down the hillside behind us.

We began yelling “Hey bear!” with the worry that we had somehow pissed off a grizzly and he was coming to get us out of his neighborhood. But that wasn’t the case. Instead, a cow moose was busting the brush with the intention of crossing the river.

As the adrenaline from the tense situation wore off, we saw her calf wander out from the brush on the opposite bank to greet mama as she swam across the river with ease. It’s moments like these that make Alaska so special.

CHASING UPSTREAM-MIGRATING COHO is like opening a puzzle box and spilling the pieces onto the table. Where do you start? How will this all come together?

Start with the “where” when it comes to the river. Coho will settle in the lower sections as they ride in with the high tides. If the rivers are low, the fish will hang down low and wait for the next rain event to move upstream. This situation can lead to an epic bite, as the fish will be concentrated. But you had better show up early, as the fish will get stale in a hurry once the sun gets on the water.

The “where” can also be way upriver, if a persistent low-pressure system brings high river conditions. Coho get

the well-deserved nickname of “silver bullets,” as they will fly up many miles of river in short order, only stopping to catch their breath in the cold outflow of a creek or slough, all while maintaining their ocean-bright hue.

As for the “what” portion of the puzzle, that is the beauty of the coho. They will hit nearly any presentation you

throw at them; just not at once. Which means, you pack it all and let them tell you what they want. On that day, at that moment, it works, but not tomorrow or the next day or even the next year. Which is why I love coho so damn much. It’s the puzzle that you never fully complete, but in the back of your mind you will. Someday. ASJ

all

This fat buck coho hit the beach during an epic salt bite for Kelly. Sometimes it

works; sometimes none of it does. “It’s the puzzle that you never fully complete, but in the back of your mind you will,” Kelly writes. “Someday.” (BRIAN M. KELLY)

Remote, Comfortable & Affordable

Our remote Alaskan fishing lodge is situated on the upper stretches of the beautiful Egegik River. You’ll watch some of Alaska’s most stunning sunrises, complete with a distant, active volcano. We are a fishing camp specializing in coho fishing, brown bear viewing, and flyout fishing adventures to even more remote destinations in the Last Frontier.

Coho Fishing The Egegik River

The Egegik River is touted by many experienced anglers as the best silver salmon stream in all of Alaska. Becharof Lodge On The Egegik River was the first fishing lodge to become established on the breathtaking Egegik River, and is less than a 5 minute boat ride from some of the best fishing holes on the entire river.

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Included in your fishing trip:

• 5 days fishing/5 nights stay in camp

• Experienced, fully guided fishing.

• Comfortable cabins furnished with beds, cozy comforters & bedding.

• Home cooked meals, snacks, and nonalcoholic beverages.

Trips

• Transportation from the lodge to prime fishing holes on the Egegik River.

• Freezing and vacuum sealing of your fish, up to 50 lbs., per angler.

$4,850per person

MINE WITH METAL FOR RIVER SILVERS

THESE HARDWARE OPTIONS WILL TEMPT COHO INTO STRIKING

BY SCOTT HAUGEN

September in Alaska is like having Disneyland all to yourself! There’s so much to do and so many places to go, be it hunting or fishing.

But when it comes to coho, September is prime time. Coho are fun and easy to catch and there are a lot of them. Coho are also hard-fighting salmon, make excellent table fare and they’re great for canning and smoking.

One of the greatest things about fishing for coho in creeks, small streams and rivers is, no matter your level of experience, you can catch them. They’re the ideal fish for everyone. It’s easy to find a place to bank fish for coho. While the mornings are typically the most productive, fish can be caught all day long. This means the whole family can enjoy a silver salmon outing, from youngsters to elders.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to catch coho is by casting hardware. Simply grab a lure, tie it to a 10- or 12-pound mainline, and you’re set. Coho are not leader-shy, so many folks like using a 30-pound braided mainline, tying the

Coho are not leader-shy, so swivels can be tied directly to a braided mainline which will result in less gear being lost and more fish landed. This coho couldn’t resist a Flash Glo spinner. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

FIELD

TRY FLAKED SALMON ON BRUSCHETTA OR IN BREAD SALAD

BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

There’s a lot of fishing to be had in Alaska this month, and if you’re looking for something different and tasty, think bruschetta.

Toasted bread with a flavorful topping can be a great starter served traditionally with the topping on the bread or deconstructed and served beside freshly toasted croutons. Add some chopped onion and cucumber, mix them together and you create a memorable panzanella – bread salad.

Any cooked or canned fish will work in this recipe; added ingredients offer endless variations. It’s great with trout because it’s such a mild meat, but we’ve

enjoyed it with coho, sockeye salmon, pike and even bottomfish.

1 cup cooked, flaked fish

2 tablespoons tomato, finely chopped

2 tablespoons black or Kalamata olives, finely chopped

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

½ teaspoon granulated garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh chives for garnish

Remove skin and bones from cooked fish and flake into chunks. Remove seeds and pulp from tomato before finely chopping. In a medium bowl, mix tomato, olives, capers, basil and garlic until thoroughly combined. Gently mix in fish and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with garlic parmesan croutons or slices of toasted baguette with fresh chives for garnish if desired.

GARLIC PARMESAN CROUTONS

Two slices bread, cubed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon granulated onion

¼ teaspoon salt

ents until thoroughly combined. Spread croutons on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 10 to 14 minutes or until crisp. Turn once halfway through cooking for an even crisp.

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Seafood, and other best-selling titles, tiffanyhaugen.com.

In a large bowl, gently mix all ingrediBruschetta, toasted bread with a flavorful topping, “can be a great starter served traditionally with the topping on the bread or deconstructed and served beside freshly toasted croutons,” writes cookbook author Tiffany Haugen. “Add some chopped onion and cucumber, mix them together and you create a memorable panzanella – bread salad.” (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

FIELD

lure directly to that. For this, tie the braid directly to a snap swivel or duolock snap swivel, then change out spinners or lures as often as you wish. This way you don’t have to keep cutting and retying the braid.

AVOID THE BOTTOM

Two of the biggest challenges when casting lures for coho are snagging fish and getting hung up on the bottom. If coho are schooling in large numbers and you’re hooking them in the back with each cast, downsize the spinner and go with a slower retrieve. Casting across the stream and swinging the lure downstream, letting the natural current flow provide the action rather than speedily reeling it, will also result in fewer silvers being snagged. This approach will also reduce hangups on the bottom.

Coho are aggressive salmon, so keeping the spinner moving off the bottom is wise. This is where lighter-weight hardware is ideal, for tenacious coho will travel a long way to attack them. Coho will also follow spinners a great distance before striking them, so when you start reeling in, keep the pace slow and steady all the way to the rod tip. There are few things as exciting in salmon fishing as having a big and aggressive silver nearly rip the pole out of your hands – 3 feet from the rod tip –  in mere inches of water.

Fishing lures in slower-moving, deeper water where coho hold is very effective and also results in fewer hangups. When fishing lures in calm water, cast beyond the holding fish or cast well upstream and gently work the presentation into the target zone. This will keep from spooking fish and result in more bites. Coho will also hold on the river bottom in riffles and fast-moving sections of water. They’ll travel through fast-moving water too.

WORTH THE WEIGHT

When fishing fast water, it may be necessary to use a heavier lure in order to keep it in the strike zone and more effi-

ciently control the action. If the lure is coming to the surface, go to a heavier one. If it’s raking the bottom, either reel faster or switch to a lighter-weight lure.

Coho spinners consisting of a flashy blade that easily spins on a bright body – or body with a bead and a rubber skirt –are tough to beat. Yakima Bait Company’s Flash Glo UV Casting Squid Spinners are my favorite, and any color combination of

pink and silver are deadly. Chartreuse and green are also good colors to have in the tackle box. The ½-ounce versions are a great all-around choice.

If it’s windy and you need to cast farther or the river being fished is big and deep, upsizing to a larger ⅝- or ⅞-ounce UV Casting Spinner – minus the skirt – is wise. It’s easy to swap out the large treble hooks for a siwash hook on the bigger spinners.

September coho fishing with the family is a great way to spend the day. Here, sisters Hilma and Ellie Korpela are all smiles over these silvers caught near their home in Southeast Alaska. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

BEST OF CHARTERS

FIELD

I’ve also had good success with Kodiak Custom lures and Blue Fox spinners.

Pixee and Dardevle spoons have been go-to options for years in Alaska. I’m a fan of the ½-ounce Pixee with a built-in rattle, and similar-sized Dardevle spoons. Spoons cast with less air residence than spinners, so lightweight options can be used, keeping in mind that heavier versions are good for big water and bucking the wind.

Coho fishing with lures is simple, fun and affordable for the whole family. And what better way to enjoy salmon fishing, than with family and friends. ASJ

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular book, Bank Fishing for Salmon & Steelhead, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott’s adventures on Instagram.

Lures can be fished in a wide range of streams throughout Alaska. Author Scott Haugen took this whopper coho in a small stream near where he used to live in the Panhandle community of Hyder. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

2.8L

LIGHTWEIGHT.

The

Nearly

responsive and fuel efficient,

to handily propel a variety of boats. On top of that, its 50-amp alternator offers

either

Experience

LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER

BRISTOL BAY LODGE KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY

BY PETE ROBBINS

There’s no room for gender stereotypes in the outfitting or guiding businesses, where everyone is expected to pull his or her weight, and more.

But to the extent that any onlooker hasn’t yet realized that, Nanci Morris Lyon and her daughter Rylie Booth (née

Lyon) are ending all doubt. With the second generation of female owner-operators, their Bear Trail Lodge in Bristol Bay is thriving.

Both Rylie and Bear Trail Lodge (907246-2327; beartraillodge.com) were born in 1999, and while Nanci didn’t

take over the operation until 2009, Rylie effectively grew up on the water. Or at least near the water.

“I hated fishing,” Rylie admits.

Having been raised in the belly of the beast, she started guiding as a teen, but only out of economic opportunity and a

Nanci Morris Lyon and daughter Rylie Booth are the epitome of a family-owned Alaska business. Nanci is thrilled that Rylie will soon be ready to take over the family’s Bear Trail Lodge, located in the heart of Bristol Bay. (BEAR TRAIL LODGE)

sense of duty. She says that “it felt like a job.”

“It was only when I left that I realized what it meant to me – the people, the support and the community,” Rylie says. “I hadn’t had a chance to soak it in and realize how special it is.”

Nanci didn’t believe that her daughter would ever return to the lodge after leaving for college.

“In my heart, I really wanted her to find something she loved doing and enjoy a great life,” Nanci explains, adding that she

grew on

never got her hopes up too high. When Rylie announced her decision, “I was stunned and thrilled,” Nanci recalls. “I still can’t believe that I am that lucky.”

Now, Rylie and Nanci begin the delicate dance of turning over control, or some portion thereof. Nanci intends to remain intimately involved in the lives of both of her babies, but after nearly a quarter century she’s prepared to turn over some of the big-picture decisions about the lodge to Rylie.

Rylie knows that she has “very, very

as

guide,

big shoes to fill,” not only as a second-generation operator in a difficult and occasionally cutthroat business, but also following in the footsteps of a pioneering female angler and lodge owner. Nanci has taken no prisoners, cut no corners and still works every day to produce a superior experience for an often-demanding type of client.

The family made it through the trials of Covid – unlike some other lodges less prepared to weather the storm – but there still seems to be more competition

Rylie wasn’t a diehard angler in her younger days, when she helped out

a

but the lodge life

her. “It was only when I left that I realized what it meant to me – the people, the support and the community,” she says. (BEAR TRAIL LODGE)

Bear Trail Lodge’s location on the Naknek River makes for quite a spectacular setting for anglers who come here for the epic salmon, trout and char fishing.

(BEAR TRAIL LODGE)

than ever before. Fortunately, in gradually handing over the reins, Nanci recognizes that the business needs to adapt or die, on and off the water, and she’s 100-percent confident in her successor.

Bear Trail Lodge is in good hands. Not just good genetics and good training, but those of a young woman not afraid to get her hands dirty in pursuit of success.

THE CHALLENGES OF TRANSFERRING LODGE OWNERSHIP

Any second-generation owner needs to be mindful of two truisms that are opposite sides of the same coin: 1) You need to understand and build upon institutional knowledge; and 2) You need to be willing to deviate and change things that need to be changed. Actually, for that matter, the first generation transferring things needs to have sufficient backbone and flexibility to account for those two things as well, and there are bound to be disagreements.

Fortunately, Nanci recognizes that Rylie’s schooling at the University of Montana, combined with her hands-on experience on the water, allow her to real-

istically move them into the 21st century.

“She’s been fantastic about it,” Rylie says of her mom. “She’s a pretty open-minded woman, and there are definitely some changes that are already occurring. For example, we never had any sort of CRM (customer relationship management) software; no way of keeping it consistent. Many of our clients have grown to become friends and family. We know their birthdays and things like that, but it can be hard when you’re juggling hundreds of different people. It helps us save money, save time and elevate the customer experience. Now we’re more prepared and I think it shows.”

Nanci admits that Rylie “dragged me into the digital world, kicking and screaming the whole way, but it definitely saves time. Technology has always been a challenge here because we’re remote. Historically, we had poor internet, but just by changing us to Starlink we’re now paying less with better service.”

GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCE, GENDER DIFFERENCES

Rylie acknowledges that she can’t imag-

ine what her mother must have gone through to convince wary customers to trust her with their hard-earned cash, their valuable vacation time and their lives. “The doors are much more open now than they were then,” she says. “Especially for me, in this decade.”

Still, Rylie knows that there’s a certain breed of client who is not going to listen to her – possibly because she’s young, possibly because she’s female, and possibly because he’s not used to listening to anyone, or perhaps a combination of all three.

“Of course, it depends on the circumstances,” she adds. “But there are certain situations where I just have to accept that they feel like they know everything, and they have to fail to a certain extent before they’ll listen. Sometimes there’s no point in wasting your breath.”

Nanci terms her daughter “an amazing young woman,” but also recognizes that in a customer-service industry, and particularly at a high-end experience, expectations are high and tolerance for shortcomings is minimal. Nanci likes Rylie’s approach when it comes to things

like technology, where she has greater expertise, as well as the fact that while her daughter is forceful, she also knows when to sit back and listen.

“I learned through the school of hard knocks,” Nanci adds. “She hasn’t had to do that as much, but her ability to learn is admirable. She knows when to sit and listen and not want to take over a situation.”

That’s a particularly complicated dance, since many, if not all, employees are senior to Rylie. Bear Trail Lodge has a proven track record of keeping employees – most have been with them at least five to seven seasons – but many of the positions are highly specialized, and it’s an employee’s market right now. One wrong move, particularly from someone seen as junior, or with less authority, and credibility is lost.

Fortunately, Rylie has earned their trust and respect by being out on the water day in, day out and under some trying conditions, and knows the process as well as or better than just about anyone. Her work day is longer, too, because in addition to guiding, she’s coordinating the next day’s trips and making sure that everything is running according to plan.

Rylie and her husband Wade Booth both grew up around the Alaskan fishing lodge/ outdoor scene. So it’s a natural fit for them to want to be involved. “What I see out of Nanci and Rylie and [Nanci’s husband] Heath is that they work harder than just about anybody else I’ve met in the industry,” Wade says. (BEAR TRAIL LODGE)

here. But I also know that the Bristol Bay scene has gotten ‘business’ and more expensive. In some cases there are declining salmon runs, and there’s a different vibe on the river. What I see out of Nanci and Rylie and Heath is that they work harder than just about anybody else I’ve met in the industry. Yes, they butt heads occasionally, but it’s always because they’re working towards the same goal.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The ultimate handoff will occur when an unforeseen or unforeseeable problem occurs. In recent years, the area was confronted with a potential game-ender in the form of Pebble Mine.

While Rylie was away at college during a portion of the fight, she was

FAMILY AFFAIR

It would be inappropriate to suggest that Nanci and Rylie are running the lodge alone or have the sole say and stake in managerial matters. Heath Lyon, Nanci’s husband, has been fishing in Bristol Bay since 1991 and is one of the most requested guides at the lodge. He also does a yeoman’s work – albeit quietly – and makes sure that the entire experience is up to snuff.

Rylie recently married Wade Booth, an experienced outdoorsman, 10-year guide and float plane pilot, whose daily presence means that there’s no off time.

“It’s not always easy; I’ll put it that way,” Rylie says. “We’re still learning how to make everything balanced, but it would be unrealistic to think that we could separate our home life from our work life. This is home. This is work. I’m blessed that I got to witness my parents work together for years. It can be stressful, and I 100-percent commend my parents for the example they set.”

Wade has lived the family lodge experience – “My grandpa started a lodge in 1972,” he says – and knows through working with several such businesses what made some succeed in the past and what sort of changes are necessary to keep this one running successfully in the future.

“I wanted to follow in my grandpa’s footsteps,” Wade says. “And the reason I remain in this area is for the same fishing and flying and outdoors that kept him

With her mom being one of the most vocal advocates of keeping the Pebble Mine out of Bristol Bay’s pristine salmon waters, Rylie wants to continue the fight. “She’s been exposed to the political side of things,” Nanci says.

Nanci does it all in the day-to-day operations at the lodge, and that work ethic has served the family well over the years.

(BEAR TRAIL LODGE)

(BEAR TRAIL LODGE)

home for much of it, and remained informed throughout. It was a good but painful lesson that no matter how completely you think you’ve extinguished the fire, it can always spring to life violently once again – and again, and again.

At times when Nanci would much rather have been fishing or working on immediately pressing lodge business, she was

shaking hands, sending correspondence and explaining to all sorts of ears the importance of Bristol Bay’s salmon runs.

At the time of this writing, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is once again raising the possibility that the project will be resuscitated. He’s leading a state push to get the United States Supreme Court involved, so the job never ends.

Assuming that Pebble Mine is put to bed once and for all, Rylie hopes never to be confronted with a similar villain, but she’s been groomed her whole life to be prepared if one arises.

“She’s been exposed to the political side of things,” Nanci says. “As a result of Pebble Mine, she can knock on Congresspersons’ and Senators’ doors.

“This is home. This is work. I’m blessed that I got to witness my parents work together for years,” Rylie (right) says of her new life as a future lodge operator. “It can be stressful, and I 100-percent commend my parents for the example they set.” (BEAR TRAIL LODGE)

That’s a huge leg up on the state side, and I believe she’ll be able to blow down barriers on the federal side. As a young person, she shook the hands of both President Obama and John Boehner, the Speaker of the House.”

That was exposure at home, but just as Rylie believes that going to Montana helped her appreciate the uniqueness of

Bristol Bay, Nanci believes that it gave her daughter perspective on problem-solving that couldn’t necessarily be achieved with Mom looking over her shoulder.

“She needed to see how the world works,” Nanci says. “She needed to understand that life isn’t always fair, and to learn how not to fail. I didn’t have her life mapped out for her. She had her own life

to live and I’m glad that this is the one she chose.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

Fortunately, post-Covid travel remains booming, despite occasional reports of economic struggles. Bear Trail Lodge filled up early for prime dates in 2023 and is already fielding those same inquiries for next year. That’s a great situation for a second-generation operator to step into, and a luxury that allows them all time to think about next steps.

Nanci, admittedly a “AAA personality,” claims that she never had time to dwell on her role as a woman in a male-dominated industry. “I never thought about it for two seconds,” she says. “I knew I could do it, and I just did it.” But all of that attention to the dayto-day needs of the business, plus occasional fire drills like Pebble Mine, meant it was sometimes difficult if not impossible to pull the business forward.

Now, Nanci, who made clear that she’s “not retirement material,” will have time to consider that bigger business picture, and to enjoy how her two offspring – the lodge and her daughter –have grown and matured.

And as she transitions in the lodge life, will she fish more?

“Hell yeah,” she says. “I already have, and I get to fish for myself. I really like that.”

Those comparatively carefree days on the water reflect her ability to see that the business she’s molded in her image has room to grow without compromising that identity.

“I can’t wait for Rylie to take up some new idea and put it into play,” Nanci says. “There’s still a lot of opportunity in Alaska, and here in Bristol Bay, and to some extent this place is so wide open, like an untamed horse. There’s still time to turn it into anything you want – a thoroughbred, a jumper or a barrel racer, or all three.” ASJ

Editor’s note: Pete Robbins lives in Vienna, Virginia, and is a senior writer for Bassmaster and a member of the Board of Directors of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. He and his wife Hanna blog about their extensive fishing travels and learning experiences at Half Past First Cast (halfpastfirstcast.com). He can be reached at fishmore@halfpastfirstcast.com.

BONDING WITH THE BRUIN

GETTING CLOSE (VERY CLOSE!) TO KATMAI’S BROWN BEARS

BY DAVE ZOBY

Fires in Alaska’s Interior created a haze that went for miles. As we bumped over Cook Inlet in one of Emerald Air’s two de Havilland Twin Otters, you couldn’t see the halibut fleet at Flat Island or the snow-capped volcanoes that rise out of the sea.

We all wore headsets to listen in as the pilot and the guide narrated. Lance Bassett, a retired Navy man who has been working as a bear guide in Katmai for 10 years, told us about the history of the region, spending extra effort trying to explain the huge tides and geographic features of this area. We had a 60-minute flight from Homer to Hallo Bay, where we’d spend the day observing and learning about coastal brown bears.

Lance talked about the little village of Seldovia, once a herring fishery and trading hub for the entire Cook Inlet area.  As we approached Katmai National Park and Preserve, the smoke thinned, then disappeared completely. A rugged landscape of glaciers and rock peaks emerged from the smoke. We snapped photos with our cell phones, but even the newest models couldn’t capture the distance and scope.

Lance said we were approaching Swikshak Bay, a once prominent fishing area where workers harvested clams in great numbers. But like so many Alaska stories, this one is a story of boom and

A bear-viewing expedition along the coastal area of Katmai National Park gave author Dave Zoby a newfound appreciation for these remarkable predators. (DAVE ZOBY)

bust. Overharvesting crashed the clam populations. The operation shuttered. Tides swept the skeletal buildings away.

“Now all that’s down there is an old truck rusting on the beach,” said Lance.

During our safety briefing Lance had given us a lot of information. The philosophy of Emerald Air – and all of the Homer bear-viewing companies, really –is that we are guests to the bears’ realm. Lance said that we should always stay in a group, walk in single file, and never stray. While eating –  Emerald Air recommends foods that don’t “crumb” and are easy to pack in case you must move out – we were told to sit down and eat over our backpacks so that no bits fall into the grass. They forbid fish products for obvious reasons. None of the bear-viewing companies want bears to associate people with new, interesting foods.

Lance showed us the satellite radio and gave us a briefing on how to use it. But most of all, he stressed that the park limited us to 50 yards when viewing these bears. Lance showed us the range finder he would be using throughout the outing to make sure we adhered to this rule.

“If we find ourselves between bears and a bear approaches,” Lance added, “we’re going to bunch up and let him pass.”

LIFE HAS BLESSED ME with several visits to Katmai National Park over the years.

Guests on the bear-viewing trip got to explore the remains of a humpback whale along the shores of Cook Inlet. (DAVE ZOBY)

Participants were reminded to stay at least 50 yards away from all bears. Zoby had seen plenty of bears on previous Alaska fishing trips, but focusing solely on observing the bruins changed his perspective. (DAVE ZOBY)

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But those were fishing adventures, where myself and a few other trout-obsessed fly fishermen stumbled around in kneehigh rivers trying to catch and release the biggest rainbow or char we could find.

We saw bears. We said, “There’s a bear with a cub; there’s one with a salmon,” among other things. But I never learned much about these misunderstood creatures.

Frequently, when bears lumbered down to the river, I reeled up and went elsewhere. Traveling to Katmai with Emerald Air (emeraldairservice.com) was going to be different. They were the first aviation company built specifically around bear viewing. The driving philosophy of this service is for customers to have a life-changing experience, to create new stewards for wild places and wild animals. Sure, they want you to see and photograph bears. But they also want something lasting and ineffable for their clients.

The bear-viewing industry in Homer, which has been growing steadily over the

years and now seems on par with their world-class halibut and salmon fishing, offers more than just photo ops. Guides are trained about the flora and fauna of the area. Because bears primarily eat sedges in early summer, the guides are botanists by necessity. They can point out the grasses and sedges bears prefer, like arrow grass and beach peas. Some plants – for example, goose tongue – are edible for humans and you are offered a chance to sample some if you desire.

These professionals grow their knowledge until they become naturalist guides. They even throw in a bit of anthropology and history when the moment is right. Guides like Lance have spent thousands of hours in the field – he’d led a three-day scouting trip earlier in the year to Hallo Bay before the season kicked off – and they can guide you to new discoveries about an animal you thought you knew. Demystification is the goal. For example, Lance spoke at

length about how the bears socialize, and what behaviors we might witness during our time with them. We were making this trip in late June, one day after the summer solstice, and this would be prime breeding season.

“You might see some chasing in the meadows,” said Lance. “The boars will chase the sows, stopping here and there to smell the urine, trying to see if she is receptive.”

OUR PILOT, ERIC, SWUNG us into Hallo Bay for a landing. The vista opens like an “amphitheater” – Lance’s word, not mine. And it’s true; the beach is backed by dramatic cragged mountains and glaciers. The tideline was strewn with huge sea-girt fir trees that had tumbled ashore in storms. Verdant meadows pocked with saltwater ponds were where we’d spend the day. Eagles perched on enormous, sea-polished trees that had grounded on the infamous Alaskan

The sheer size of Katmai’s bruins is incredible when compared to those in Denali National Park.  “Say a 600-pound male in Denali – that’s a big bear. It is a little bit bigger than a female out here. A male out here is 1,200 pounds,” guide Lance Bassett told the group. (DAVE ZOBY)

tides. I spotted several knots of other bear-viewing groups moving single file among the waist-high grass. Lance said he gets tingles each time he comes here and sees these peaks.

In waders, we came ashore on a steep beach awash in shells, pumice and polished nobs of driftwood. Strange humps of bullwhip kelp rotted sweetly in the sunlight. The landscape was hard to fathom, as well as difficult to judge scale.

I noticed that my fellow bear enthusiasts were whispering. One tends to accept the grandeur of such places privately and with introspection. I was whispering too. Already, Lance had spotted several bears in the meadows. He explained that the tall grasses were not the bears’ primary foodstuff; rather, the low grasses and sedges were.

“We’ll be walking around the low grass, because it’s their food. What we don’t want to do is walk in their food, because it destroys it,” Lance said.

We found a bear trail and moved along as a group. Our first bear was a young sow that sprawled on her belly and plunged her face in goose tongue. Occasionally, she looked up at us, but mostly she grazed. Lance ranged her to make sure we were adhering to park rules. We snapped photos. Then more photos. But again, a photo can never capture the feeling of being there. Eventually, we grew quiet. We only watched. Again, there was the inclination to talk in hushed voices, or not talk at all. After a while, we moved on.

Lance talked about the difference between these coastal brown bears and their inland cousins. “These get a lot bigger than interior grizzlies, about twice the size. And that’s based on geography, which is also the food source because of the geography,” he said.

“They have a lot of food out here, where they don’t have very far to go to get the food. Right now (late June), it’s grasses, sedges and other plant material mixed in with some clams. Maybe some mussels, and maybe something that’s dead on the beach.”

The real feeding opportunities arrive when the salmon show up. Lance said that there are many salmon streams in the area and with the arrival of these fish in July, the bears gorge themselves

and put on their winter weight. Salmon are the engines that drive these bears to become behemoths.

“Say a 600-pound male in Denali –that’s a big bear. It is a little bit bigger than a female out here. A male out here is 1,200 pounds,” he said.

Lance thought the sow we were watching in the low grasses was about 300 pounds. I tried to imagine what a bear over 1,000 pounds might look like.

CROSSING A BRACKISH CREEK, we came upon a fresh set of tracks. A tuft of bear fur was caught in some underbrush. Lance picked it up and passed it around. He smelled it and encouraged us to do the same. Contrary to what people think about bears, they do not smell rank unless they have been feeding on carrion. The fur smelled like the ocean.

Last year, a 20-ton whale washed ashore and the bears of Hallo Bay had a special treat. Lance said it made for outstanding bear viewing – you always knew where they’d be – but you had to hold your breath when you were downwind of the carcass. He said we might go over and look at the bones later.

But someone had spotted something along the beach. Fog rolled in along the beachfront. A blonde sow and her two “spring cubs” trotted in the high grass. They were moving out towards the beach. The policy for Emerald Air – most companies, for that matter – is to take extra care when encountering sows with new cubs, or spring cubs, as they are called. These bears are more vulnerable than others, more skittish.

“We don’t want to upset the cubs –we don’t want to upset mama,” Lance

A good pair of binoculars comes in handy for the spectacular views of Katmai and its wildlife. (DAVE ZOBY)

Imagine being close enough to hear this bear’s teeth gnawing on whale bone, and close enough for the bear to look directly into your eyes. “Our lives were never in danger – the bear was more curious than threatening – but something about the encounter changed the dynamic in the group,” Zoby writes. It was an experience they wouldn’t soon forget.

said. “We don’t want to push any bear out here at all.”

These cubs were the first spring cubs anyone from Emerald Air had seen this year. I could tell Lance was delighted by the sighting of the young bears. He took out a small notebook that he carries and scribbled some field notes.

Sixteen bears were visible as we moved as a group through the high grass. We watched a subadult chase a sow from afar. Bears emerged from the mist along the shore break, or vanished in the folds of the landscape, only to pop up from the high grass a little further away. An eagle flew over with a starry flounder in its grip. We decided to go see the whale. We were only a quarter of a mile away.

The humpback had come ashore during huge tides and storms. In the summer I frequently see humpbacks spouting off Elizabeth Island, at the southwest end of the Kenai Peninsula. I wanted to see one up close. Of course,

this one had been ashore for over a year, and was strewn across the marsh, but it was a chance to see more.

No vegetation whatsoever grew near the whale bones; the constant visitation of bears had hard-packed the sand and dirt. The sun-bleached bones were scored with marks where bears had returned to gnaw. It seemed like a great gathering spot for bears. I lifted a single vertebra; it must have gone 50 pounds. The ribs were taller than any of us. There were bear beds and tufts of fur. There were also wolf tracks in the sand.

A young boar strolled towards us. There were bears all around, with no real way to exit the area without walking into other groups. So, we huddled in the whale bones while the bear came on. He knew we were there.

Stopping at the lower mandible of the humpback, the bear straddled the long bone and gnawed for a bit, his wet fur and concave face quite clear to us. I was close

enough to hear his teeth on the bone. Lance reminded us to stay together. He talked to the bear in soft tones.

“It’s alright,” he said to the bear. The bear locked eyes with our guide. But he continued to come forward. Lance held a flare in one hand (in all his years in Katmai he has never had to deploy one), and he used his index finger to reprimand the bear.

“No!” he said. He stood between us and the bear.

The bear startled. It was as if he had never heard a human voice. He looked at our faces, individually. Did he look at me specifically? It felt like it. I know how ego and anthropomorphism is warned about when writing about wild things and places. I know that, and yet I still believe that the bear wanted to investigate us as much as we wanted to see him. Lance told him “No!” once more.

The bear circled and moved off through the boneyard. We were relieved as the

(DAVE ZOBY)

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bear moved away, but more than that, we were connected in some new way.

WE BEGAN THIS ADVENTURE as strangers, but we had experienced something together. Is this that ineffable thing Emerald Air wants for its customers? Our lives were never in danger – the bear was more curious than threatening – but something about the encounter changed the dynamic in the group.

As we worked our way back to the beach to where our pilot would pick us up, we stopped and looked back at the various bears in the low grasses. There were sows with second-year cubs, solitary boars, the subadult tirelessly chasing the sow that would not accept him, and solitary sows flopped in the patches of goose tongue and beach peas. The sedges, in some places, were grazed down to nubs.

Before we waded out to the plane, I tucked a tuft of bear fur in my pocket. ASJ

Editor’s note: Dave Zoby is a freelance writer out of Casper, Wyoming, and the flyfishing editor at Strung Magazine. Follow him on Instagram (@davidzoby).

Bassett takes field notes at Katmai National Park. “If we find ourselves between bears and a bear approaches,” he told Zoby and the rest of the group during their tour, “we’re going to bunch up and let him pass.” (DAVE

ZOBY)