Natalie is an incredibly knowledgeable and gifted guide, and this trip was one of the most memorable I’ve taken in my life. The trip started off taking a Cessna flight from Gusthavus to Honnah that she arranged. We met Natalie at the airport, and she let us store our bags at her place, and then we were off down some old but well maintained logging roads on Chicagof Island to find some incredible and isolated fishing spots full of chum salmon and dollies. We went to about five different spots over the course of the day, and I got to fish and remembered how incredibly relaxing it can be!
So the population of bears on Chicagof is about 3 per square mile, and there are no guarantees you’ll see any. We knew that up front, but we still held out hope. About two hours into the trip, while casting in the river, we saw one pop out onto the rive to our right maybe 60 yards away. It was exhilarating, but we felt safe the entire time (Natalie briefed us ahead of time on what to do, and she came prepared to protect us if needed). We backed away, saw the bear catch a fish, and amble back in the woods. Over the next three hours we saw three more bears on that river, and we heard a fourth. Each time it got my heart pumping, but we maintained a safe distance and were fine the entire time.
By the end of the trip, we were exhausted, but we had each caught (and released) about 7 fish, and even managed to briefly hook a salmon! The water was so clear, though, and the salmon so beautiful, I think I enjoyed watching them dart quickly through the cold waters from the bank more.
It was over all too soon (who knew 6 hours could go so slow and so fast at the same time?!), and we were on a Cessna flight to Juneau to head home. It’s been almost a month now, but I still can’t wait to go back. I feel like we found one of the most spectacular and tranquil places on Earth, and I’m so glad that Natalie was willing to share it with NatVenture Tours!