Icy Strait Point: River Fishing & Bear Watching Day Trip

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1/6

Duration4h

GroupUp to 6

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Alaska’s wild rivers, brown bears and Tlingit village stories

You’ll travel from Icy Strait Point through Hoonah’s Tlingit village to remote rivers on Chichagof Island for guided fishing and bear watching. Feel the hush of old forests, try your hand at spin or fly fishing with all gear provided, and maybe spot brown bears along the way. The wildness lingers long after you leave.

Step-by-step itinerary

Fishing and bear watching excursion

Pick up at Icy Strait Point
Drive through Tlingit village of Hoonah
Travel on old logging roads
Arrive at remote river in Tongass Forest
Put on waders and walk to fishing spot
Fish for Salmon and/or Trout
Watch for bears and wildlife
Optionally walk to multiple fishing spots
Drive back to Hoonah
Drop off at port or destination

The Experience

I didn’t really expect to feel nervous stepping into waders, but there I was on Chichagof Island, awkwardly tugging them up while our guide—Tom—chuckled about “city folks.” We’d just driven out from Icy Strait Point, past Hoonah’s weathered houses with Tlingit art peeking out here and there. The air smelled like wet cedar and something sweet I couldn’t place. Maybe berries? Tom said the salmon were running late this year, but we’d try our luck anyway.

The logging road felt endless—muddy in places, potholes everywhere—and honestly, I lost track of time just watching the trees blur by. At one point Tom slowed down so we could see a brown bear lumbering off into the brush. It was bigger than any animal I’ve ever seen outside a zoo. He told us Chichagof has more brown bears per square mile than anywhere else in North America. That stuck with me. When we finally reached the riverbank, it was quiet except for water rushing over rocks and some birds making a racket upstream. The first cast felt clumsy; my hands were cold but I didn’t care much.

We fished for trout mostly (I tried fly fishing—badly). There was this moment when Tom pointed out some wild berries growing near the bank and dared us to try them. Li laughed when I tried to say their name in Tlingit—probably butchered it. We didn’t see any more bears up close, but somehow knowing they were around made every snap of a branch kind of thrilling. Lunch was just snacks we’d brought along, eaten standing up with wet gloves and all.

On the way back toward Hoonah, everyone got quiet for a bit—just tired or maybe thinking about those bears still out there in the forest. Sometimes you do something that sticks to your ribs in a weird way; this day trip from Icy Strait Point was like that for me. Can’t really explain why.

What’s included

Your day includes private transportation from Icy Strait Point or Hoonah port, all fishing gear and waders provided by your local guide, plus plenty of time exploring riverside spots for salmon or trout—with chances to spot wildlife like brown bears before returning to town at the end of your trip.

Good to know

Demanding physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by NatVenture Tours