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Flyout
to Wolverine Creek
Fly-out
fantastic!...
Up close and personal with the Brown Bears of Wolverine Creek
Big
River Lake, West Side Cook Inlet
"When
the pilot said we'd see bears, I did not think they'd be five feet from
the boat." This is a typical reaction after visiting Big River
Lake and the rocky mouth of Wolverine Creek.
Located
just 25 minutes from Kenai by float plane, this glacially turbid lake
is nestled into the side of a coastal mountain, on the eastside of Cook
Inlet. Its waters are half blue and half brown. The blue portion of
the lake represents clean feeder streams of rocky, mountainous origins,
like Wolverine Creek. The murky, brown water comes directly from grinding
glaciers, with no lakes or clean flows to filter its path. The line
where the two sources meet is obvious from the water and stunning from
the air.
With
increasing frequency, float planes depart from Kenai Peninsula Lakes
ferrying anglers to remote fishing waters. Big River Lake and Wolverine
Creek offer a wealth of attractions visitors yearn for and few will
leave disappointed. Although almost anywhere in Alaska it's possible
to catch a wild salmon and see a bear, few places can guarantee it,
especially in a six hour visit. This is the lure of this tiny mountain
stream, which holds epic size schools of ocean bright sockeye and silver
salmon. Reluctant to advance before rains swell their natal creek, these
fish inherently return to their schooling nature and gather in large
packs. Eager anglers cast into the masses, enjoying repetitious hook-ups,
and wide open fishing mayhem.
Then
it all comes to an abrupt halt as if a referee stepped out of the bushes
and blew the whistle. But it's not a referee, it's a brown bear. Guides
caution their clients to reel in and sit tight, others struggle with
hooked fish, feverously trying to net the splashing salmon and get them
into the bear proof cooler before it's too late. This time it's just
one bear, but soon the young male bolts for no apparent reason and a
big sow and three cubs waddle into the feeding grounds.
This
scenario occurs dozens of times daily, as five to ten boats filled with
fly-in anglers, sit as little as five feet away. It's common, but none
the less alarming, to have a brown bear swimming the water inches from
your boat, in search of salmon.
This
always exciting fishery begins in mid-June and stays good until late
fall. The first fish to arrive in the Big River system are sockeye salmon.
These fish average 4 to 7 lbs. and are extremely tough fighters, especially
with no current. Most are ultimately headed for Wolverine Creek, which
is nothing more than a scattered rock pile, left behind by retreating
glaciers. Draining a smaller lake, the creek drops elevation at a significant
pace and without sufficient volume, fish are reluctant to enter its
precarious flows. Bears of all shapes and sizes converge on Wolverine
Creek to dip into the constant migration of salmon. When the creek is
low, the bears know the outlet of the lake is the best place to fish.
Without coincidence, this is also where the lake's daily angling population
is fishing and although confrontation has been non-existent, the air
is ripe with excitement, fascination and fear.
Located
just to the right of the creek's mouth, is a series of huge boulders
that the bears use to peer into the massive schools of salmon. Often
with two or three cubs in tow, mama will nonchalantly sander up to the
highest rock, completely oblivious to the many boat loads of gawking
anglers, pointing fingers and snapping cameras. Her attention is dominated
by the ever shifting mass of fish, enjoying a welcome respite to the
barrage of hooks as all fishing must cease when a bear is nearby. Keenly
focused on the thickest portion of the school, the massive ball of fur
and muscle splashes into the lake, headfirst, with only slightly less
grace than an Olympic diver. Usually she comes up without the silver
medal and more often than not she's less than a foot from someone's
boat. After several minutes of fruitless swimming, the bruin will switch
tactics. She crowds the school toward the creek where the water is shallow
and laced with rocks. With a frightening burst of adrenaline, the bear
will run the fish toward the shallows usually stranding a few. As they
twist and turn to free themselves for deeper water, the experienced
mother, eager to feed her hungry cubs, seizes a struggling sockeye.
In seconds she rips it to shreds, dividing it accordingly. The family
will then exit into the forest and the human fishing frenzy resumes.
This
remarkable display of wildlife occurs daily if not hourly at Wolverine
Creek. Anglers often become irritated by the constant flow of bears,
as it often puts a significant dent in their fishing time. There are
very few other places in Alaska, or in the world, where you have this
consistent parade of wild bears, especially in such close proximity
to visitors.
Combined
with the excellent fishing for sockeye salmon in June and July and silver
salmon in late July through September, the bears of Wolverine Creek
are well worth seeing. The ability to view these remarkable wild creatures
in their natural setting along with some of the finest fishing in Alaska,
makes this once secretive lake a focal point during the summer season.
If you go, you can plan on other boats and arriving planes as sure as
you can plan on seeing bears. The fish are always there too, so this
trip rarely disappoints. Even in the pouring rain, most will agree this
is a once in a lifetime experience, not soon forgotten
If
this sounds like a trip you might be interested in, we will gladly make
all the arrangements for you. We feel the integrity of our exclusive
flight service is second to none. Let experienced pilots and top-notch
float planes take you to some of the finest fishing and wildlife viewing
Alaska has to offer. Fasten your seatbelt and prepare for take
off.
