Lots of bears right now...it's interesting to see their different methods of catching the fish...

Explore! Brooks Falls Webcam

LOL there are some entertaining idiot comments on that page, too:


"Is it possible that bears eat these salmons while they are still living? For me, they seems moving in bears' paw."

I like to be there the first week of October. No tourists and the trout fishing all to ourselves. Of course over say a 8 hr day of fishing, you might actually only get 4 hrs in the water with all those bears cruising around.

Must be awesome to be able to get out there when there are few tourists.
Looks like this is one place where the salmon fisherman hang out...I am not sure of the precise location, I am assuming near the park headquarters?

Lower River cam

The water is a bit slow down there. That camera looks like it is on the viewing platform right beside the floating bridge. I have been stuck on that bridge for an hour waiting for the bears to move away from the gates on the end of it. I really like to fish for trout at the outlet of Lake Brooks where the river begins. That spot is easier to deal with all the bears as well.

I would pass on Brooks any day though to fish at Grosvenor. That place is about a 2 minute plane ride from the cabin we stay at on Naknek Lake. The trout fishing is there is unreal!!

If you like being there, I assume the idiot staff has left by then.

There is a few people there closing it down. We fly in with my friends 206 and we do our own thing.

thanks for that post of webcam link, thats awesome! I know im not headed up there but I going to alaska for the first time in less than a month!!

You're welcome. Good luck with your hunt in the Brooks Range. Maybe you'll see some bears up there, too!

Hey Ptarmigan, I was looking at the Katmai Map http://www.nps.gov/katm/planyourvisit/upload/KATM_Park%20Map_for_web1.pdf
and was wondering if you have been up to Nonvianuk Lake and the National Preserve area? Looks like there are a bunch of lodges up there... sure would be a sweet place to work.

I have not been over to Kulik. My buddy worked there for a summer as a camp hand. He loved being there but didnt get paid enough to stay. He did create some excitement though. One day it was blowing pretty hard and they had him go burn trash. He burned for a bit and went back to the lodge. Not long after there was a lot of hollering going on and people on phones and radios running like crazy. I guess some embers flew into the woods and started a nasty little forest fire. He said it wasnt one of his shining moments, starting a forest fire in a National Park and all.

Oops!

I was looking at Kulik Lodge online, almost 100 percent positive reviews on Trip Advisor, etc. Sounds like that company is a good one, usually if the guests are happy so are the
employees, even if they're only paid in views and fish.

Looks like the salmon run at Brooks is winding down. I hear there is another run late August/September.

cool webcam

Rough looking old bear on there right now, I think he lost a fight!

Or maybe won several...

Very well could have went that way too. He was not a little bear that's for sure.

Probably Ted, Otis, or Ugly.

Ted loses against Ugly back in 2007:

Ouch! The bear I saw stood out, dark colored, bad right ear that was mangled with some bald spots on his face and side. All on the right side, the right ear was kinda broke over almost sticking straight out to the side. Pretty big bear too. He either gave worse or got the raw end of the deal.

Sounds like Otis. The floppy ear is recent.

Big boar now.

*bump* Otis is on the bear cam right now. Looks like he weighs twice as much as he did a few months ago!

*Bump* 2 of the cameras are up now. Lots of fish on the underwater cam!

http://explore.org/live-cams/player/river-watch-brown-bear-salmon-cams

My kids loved the falls cam. I had no idea this existed. Anyone know what year the bear known as "diver" went away?

Unfortunately, the falls cam isn't live yet. There is a a bear that did a lot of diving in the "jacuzzi" area last year but don't know if it is the one to which you refer.

"Diver" was the big boy in there about 16 years ago. Spent most of his fishing time upside down. There used to be some nice trout in there. Loved it when the park closed and the bear police were gone. I truly despised guiding clients there for sockeye. Despised "fishing" for sockeye anyway but was worse there with Ranger Rick looking over your shoulder the whole time. They were nice people but got in the way of my program.

OUCH..that ain't gonna' be "rubbed evenly"...

There's been a yearling cub by himself on the Lower River Cam...looks like he is have a great time!

http://explore.org/live-cams/player/brown-bear-salmon-cam-lower-river

The cub is in a tree right now. Ranger's are answering questions...
http://explore.org/live-cams/player/brown-bear-salmon-cam-lower-river

My six year old daughter and I have been watching this for the past several days. She has even begun naming some of the bears. She is particularly fond of one with some large white bare spots on his back. She gets very excited when "Yogi" gets a fish.

Sounds like the "cubadult" may have been adopted by another bear, or is at least tolerated...

http://blog.explore.org/possible-spotting-of-missing-cub-on-bearcam/