Lake Clark National Park and Preserve August 18, 2015

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, AK

We were greeted by sunshine and blue skies. After a hearty breakfast we headed out to the main beach.

Tide was low and the mud flats were exposed, so we waited just a bit, and out came the bears – two two-year old orphans (mom was around but had abandoned them early). The still rising sun made for great lighting for photography. The bears nibbled on clam shells, fish carcasses and even sticks – and played and chased each other. It was a blast to watch.

Following the bears down the beach we got all sorts of photos – including some great fresh paw prints in the wet sand. After the bears crossed the mouth of the creek, they made their way back inland. We followed from a respectful distance, and ended up coming out on the other side of the creek crossing from where we had started the night before.

We watched the pair for a good long while, then crossed the creek, passed by the lodge, and looped back out to the beach. Some of the SSCL staff was out clamming, which was neat to watch.

Then a sow with her two two-year old twins started making the same tour the earlier pair had made. We watched Tim from Natron swoop in and land on the beach for a brief visit with a handful of folks doing a short day tour. They were only there for 15 minutes or so, and one guy just didn’t want to get back on the plane – he just wanted to keep watching the bears.

The highlight of the visit was this mom and her two cubs. While mom went about her business searching for food, the twins ran and chased each other and generally seemed to be having a grand old time. When the trio got to Silver Salmon Creek, mom got into the middle of the creek and sat/soaked. She waited patiently, but no salmon made a move upstream at that time.

Then the cubs got into their own sparring match as mom kept waiting on food. Watching them toddle around upright while they worked on their own style of wildlife MMA was as entertaining as it gets. Then one of the cubs, feeling frisky, decided to “fight” with the sow.

She endured it for a little bit, getting swatted and nipped by one of the little ones – then she took them to school, wrestling and nipping back, rolling around in the shallow water, teaching them the skills they would need after this year when they would be heading out on their own. All this took place between 25-75 feet from us as we all looked on, enthralled.

In addition to our group of 4 (we were paired up with another couple for our visit), there were two photo tour groups with us, and a couple other smaller groups. Some folks don’t like the larger groups of folks being around, but one reason this works safely is that there is safety in numbers.

Most had tons of camera gear like LJ, but the guides really do a great job of respecting the bears, and making sure everyone gets good angles to view and photograph. Great views and lighting for photographers means the same for non-photographers as well.

The tide was coming in, so we headed back for lunch. We didn’t photograph all the meals, but did remember some, and that day we had chicken alfredo for lunch, with a mixed greens salad (they have wonderful gardens right on property so it’s as fresh as it gets) with a delicious balsamic dressing, fresh baked rolls with butter, and a homemade cinnamon apple bar square.

Mid-afternoon was peaking tide, so the bears retreated for the afternoon until the tide would shift since salmon hunting at high tide for them is not very practical. After lunch, I headed back to the cabin to rest and try to catch up on blogging about our trip a bit.

LJ got together with Mark, the resident fishing guide, and headed down to the creek to the crossing area to try my hand at catching some of those Silver salmon. While you can rent rods, reels and tackle at the lodge for a nominal additional fee, LJ had brought two 6 foot medium-light action spinning rods to fish along the way on our two week trip, but specifically for our time here.

LJ: Mark set me up on the low, shallow spot of a big bend in the creek, where there was a nice long deep hole on the other side to work. It was, in short, one of the best afternoons of fishing I’ve ever had. Seemingly every 2nd or third cast I hooked up, having a ball on the light tackle I was using, as those Silvers surged and peeled line, leapt clear out of the water, then rocketed off in another direction. In addition to the many Silver salmon I hooked up, I also caught two Dolly Varden, and my first Pink salmon, which was a beauty.

Mark said he had to go back to get three folks to come down to fish, so when we returned, I got Bev and we headed back down to the river. I finished my solo time before we went back hooking up and landing Silvers on 11 of my last 13 casts!

When we returned, the fishing “slowed” a bit to a hook up maybe every 3-10 casts – but the fish were fresh and full of fight! Funny thing was that the first fish Bev caught was a flounder that had made its way up the brackish water. Then I caught a little tiny sculpin – all of maybe 3 inches long.

Salmon reigned after that, offering 2 hours of solid entertainment and fun. We caught and released most of the fish we landed, but did keep 2 each to bring back for processing to bring home.

Then it was off to dinner. That night we had grilled chicken, broccoli, whipped sweet potatoes, fresh cornbread and butter, and a salad with greens, onions, shaved carrots and tomatoes with an amazing herb dressing. I have no idea what was in it, but it was one of the best dressings I’ve ever had. I meant to ask if I could get the recipe but forgot to with all the bears and fishing to get to!

Then we made one last late evening run out along the beach, seeing a single sow (the one that had abandoned the twins). The setting sun on Slope Mountain was a sight to see before we turned in for the night.