Combat Fishing

When the salmon are running it seems like everyone in Alaska wants in on the action and with prime fishing locations at a premium the competition for the good spots is referred to as "combat fishing" - things can get testy between the participants vying for the limited space. Today I stopped by one of the prime fishing spots near Anchorage, Bird Creek, to watch the action - not a lot of fish being caught, but plenty of action.

Just a portion of the participants

Same stretch of creek shortly after arrival of this Grizzly Bear

 

Another bear pic - this one a small Black Bear. Notice the coller, a local told me that it was a "nuisance bear" that was relocated from Anchorage to the wilds near Hope.

 

Guess this is a suitable time for an Alaskan bear joke. First some background info (very complicated joke) - there are two types of bear in Alaska, the Black Bear and the Brown (Grizzly) Bear. The common advice given to visitors when in bear country - make lots of noise (you don't want to surprise a bear) talking, singing and even wearing little bells are common suggestions. Also, carry Bear Spray (high powered pepper spray) in case all that noise you're making doesn't work. Now for the joke: When you're on the trail and find some bear poop how do you tell if it's a Black or Grizzly bear that is nearby? Answer: If the poop has lots of berries in it, it's a Black Bear. If the poop contains little bells and smells like pepper spray, it's a Grizzly!