SE Alaska Black Bear + fishing

[KayakMacGyver]

First time applying in Alaska and I've got 2 individual applications in for SE Alaska Black Bear 2020/2021. We've applied for a unit with pretty good odds of drawing and I'm optimistic that at least my wife or I will draw. We will be traveling from Florida.

My question relates to picking a week. Against my true desires, I'm going to book us a stay at a remote lodge for this trip. Given the logistics of a true diy experience, I feel like we'll get more time to enjoy Alaska by going this route on our first trip up there, rather than working through the potential pitfalls and hassles if I handled this all on my own. If it were me and a buddy, no doubt I'd camp or stay in a forest cabin. However, I'm bringing the wife and that changes things a bit.

Very interested in the opportunity to do some fishing and was wondering what week in May would afford the best opportunity enjoy both Bear hunting and fishing? Or, does it matter? What should I expect to catch? As I understand it the bears will begin to rub in mid to late May, so I've focused my planning on the first week in May. I know weather is the ultimate variable, so that could change alot.

If you were going to pick a week to hunt black bear in SE Alaska in 2021, what would it be? The place we are looking to stay at says it really doesnt matter, as we will see plenty of bears regardless. It's simply a matter of hunting them before they rub or not. They are in the business of filling up their lodge, so I'm skeptical od the biased opinion having read on Randy's SE alaska trip from several years ago that he recommended going later in the season to see more bears.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

There were a bunch of us that went at various times this passed summer.

Seemed like timing was more important for fishing than it was for hunting.
The run timing tool is helpful, there is a salt and freshwater one.

Sport Fish Run Timing, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

www.adfg.alaska.gov

I was there the second week in May.

...

Congrats again @wllm1313 !

www.hunttalk.com

 

[ignorethefringes]

First time applying in Alaska and I've got 2 individual applications in for SE Alaska Black Bear 2020/2021. We've applied for a unit with pretty good odds of drawing and I'm optimistic that at least my wife or I will draw. We will be traveling from Florida.

My question relates to picking a week. Against my true desires, I'm going to book us a stay at a remote lodge for this trip. Given the logistics of a true diy experience, I feel like we'll get more time to enjoy Alaska by going this route on our first trip up there, rather than working through the potential pitfalls and hassles if I handled this all on my own. If it were me and a buddy, no doubt I'd camp or stay in a forest cabin. However, I'm bringing the wife and that changes things a bit.

Very interested in the opportunity to do some fishing and was wondering what week in May would afford the best opportunity enjoy both Bear hunting and fishing? Or, does it matter? What should I expect to catch? As I understand it the bears will begin to rub in mid to late May, so I've focused my planning on the first week in May. I know weather is the ultimate variable, so that could change alot.

If you were going to pick a week to hunt black bear in SE Alaska in 2021, what would it be? The place we are looking to stay at says it really doesnt matter, as we will see plenty of bears regardless. It's simply a matter of hunting them before they rub or not. They are in the business of filling up their lodge, so I'm skeptical od the biased opinion having read on Randy's SE alaska trip from several years ago that he recommended going later in the season to see more bears.

I can't help, but please, PLEASE post your strategy and live hunt for all of this. I'm also in FL and this type of trip is a bucket list item for me.

 

[KayakMacGyver]

There were a bunch of us that went at various times this passed summer.

Seemed like timing was more important for fishing than it was for hunting.
The run timing tool is helpful, there is a salt and freshwater one.

Sport Fish Run Timing, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

www.adfg.alaska.gov

I was there the second week in May.

...

Congrats again @wllm1313 !

www.hunttalk.com

Thank you Wllm for the excellent resources!

 

[N_8]

Where I live in northern SE May means dragging herring around for King Salmon. Generally, fishing improves for other species as the month progresses. If I were you, I'd figure out the nearest ADF&G sportfish office to where you want to hunt, and give the area bio a call. This is a good time of year to do it, lots of bio's chained to the desk in Dec/Jan.

 

[rmyoung1]

I’ve been twice to SE Alaska. Stayed in Point Baker at Calder Mountain Lodge both times and hunted primarily Kuiu Island. Went the third week of May both times. May is a little early for King Salmon and halibut. You will catch loads of rockfish, though. For the bear hunting, you want to be sure to be there when the grass is nice and green and coming on strong. I think that’s the risk of coming early.... a late winter could postpone the green-up, which means fewer bears out at the shoreline.

 

[muskeg]

Bear hunting in S SE is good from late April into June ... you can be selective and get a non-rubbed Bear even in June. There are early risers that will be rubbed even in early May. There will be late sleepers that will have good hides in June. And there are some Bear that rub while in the den. After June 1st there is no meat salavge requirement and some hunters wait till then to hunt.

As for fishing Halibut they can be caught starting early. Note that the Rockfish limit is now 1 (non-palagic) fish per day (1 Yelloweye per year). King Salmon gets better as May progresses. But also the King fishery has been in disarray lately with some complete area closures. All the King Salmon Derbys in SE have been closed. It usually takes many rod hours per King even when fishing is good.

Beginning in 2020, all vessels sport fishing in the saltwaters of Alaska must have a functioning deepwater release mechanism (DRM) on board, and all rockfish not harvested must be released at depth of capture, or at a depth of 100 feet.