The bears of Alaska's Katmai Reserve are legendary. They grow to obscene sizes and luckily, tolerate anglers who show any small amount of common sense. It is not unusual to fish with bears close enough to make those experienced with brown bears in the interior of Alaska or Kamchatka or Yellowstone shudder. Prior to hibernation they are a fat and happy crew. They have gorged on berries and fish all summer. They continue their gluttony well into the fall like a football-loving couch potato with a giant bag of greasy chips and two six packs of beer.
To see them is worth a trip to Alaska in itself. When you throw in the superb fishing opportunities the state provides, Alaska should be on anyone angler's bucket list.
Here then are the bears of Katmai. You might enjoy this first....
Shower, then a snooze after a fish dinner...
This big guy is the winner in my book! He will sleep well this winter.
The bros make an appearance...
And then Mom (with triplets) takes the family fishing...
She is a snorkeler... some bears dive from shore, others chase in the shallows and some steal from others.
Hope you enjoyed these photos.
Thanks to Leslie Jones for the use of her images.