Bears catching salmon livecam 2022 (Brooks Falls - Katmai National Park)

jasmillo

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These are on some tv in our house all day in the summer. I’ll also be making my second trip there this year in September. It’s a carry over from 2020 so we ended up going twice. My wife is completely obsessed with these bears and can identify the majority of the adult bears that frequent Brooks. If you really get into it, there are some fascinating back stories to many of the bears, the area, etc.. It’s hard to not get attached to some of them (my favorite happens to be bear 503…aka “The Prince of Katmai”). That said, if you watch enough, you get reminded quickly that these are wild bears and and it’s a rough world out there for many of them. Especially mothers and cubs, and sub adults.

The dynamics that play out at the falls is fascinating though. The jockeying for the best fishing spots, some bears killing it, sub adults failing like the newbs they are. Lots of drama on display, some gruff interactions….kind of like PNP during a pink year :).
 

jasmillo

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Some phone picks from my last trip in July.

How many bears can you count in these photos. Interesting thing is there are usually more bears in the water when less fish are around. When fish are abundant, they stuff themselves, and clear out quickly. One night I counted 32 bears from my vantage point on the platform.


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Some fun on the trail out to the viewing platforms. A very common occurrence at Brooks. Usually multiple times a day. Pretty much anywhere else in the world, these encounters would be sh*t you pants moments. Not here though. You get used to it quickly. Still need to take precautions though. They are brown bears :).

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A couple of real photos my wife took.

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Ariel view I was we headed to another spot in Katmai via a float plane. The lodge and campground are on the right side of the frame. The viewing platforms towards the upper left. Gives you a sense for the walk out there. Takes about twenty minutes.

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Amazing place. The cams have made it much busier than it used to be from what I hear. It’s probably helped the bears too, as well as all of Bristol Bay with so many people invested in the welfare of the bears worldwide.

Oh, and the fishing halfway decent as well in that general area ;).

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Xoxo

I find this absolutely captivating to watch. Better "reality" TV than virtually anything else out there these days.

Livestream from Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park (on the Brooks River).


I love this!
 

Northern

Seeking SMB
Forum Supporter
When I visited Katmai last year, some of the guys from our lodge got trapped in their float plane for 45 min when they landed at Brooks. A couple bears ambled over and plopped themselves down right outside the plane for a nap!
(Our own visit to Brooks went smoothly - bears kept their distance and the trout didn't)
Fantastic place - would love to go back!
 

Xoxo

I love watching this live stream. I finally got to see a bear catch a salmon. They are very patient!
 

DFG

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
I once fished Montana Creek up in Talkeetna and caught a bunch of huge rainbows using beads. In truth I was disappointed. Several times I thought I was snagged when in fact I had hooked up. That same trip I fished the Russian, just up from the confluence with the Kenai. I was fishing mice, but since the silver run was tapering off the fish were more geared to eggs than the mouse pattern I was using. Even though I had only one hook-up (and subsequent break-off) it was actually more satisfying.
 

Brute

Legend
Forum Supporter
These are on some tv in our house all day in the summer. I’ll also be making my second trip there this year in September. It’s a carry over from 2020 so we ended up going twice. My wife is completely obsessed with these bears and can identify the majority of the adult bears that frequent Brooks. If you really get into it, there are some fascinating back stories to many of the bears, the area, etc.. It’s hard to not get attached to some of them (my favorite happens to be bear 503…aka “The Prince of Katmai”). That said, if you watch enough, you get reminded quickly that these are wild bears and and it’s a rough world out there for many of them. Especially mothers and cubs, and sub adults.

The dynamics that play out at the falls is fascinating though. The jockeying for the best fishing spots, some bears killing it, sub adults failing like the newbs they are. Lots of drama on display, some gruff interactions….kind of like PNP during a pink year :).
I'm going back to the Katmai late Sept next year...I've fished it before the sockeye this year, and in '19 & '21 fished it in the middle of the sockeye run. When I was there this June, at Brooks (or anywhere for that matter) I didn't see a single bear; that's never happened before on a trip to AK.
 

Tom Butler

Grandpa, Small Stream Fanatic
Forum Supporter
Some phone picks from my last trip in July.

How many bears can you count in these photos. Interesting thing is there are usually more bears in the water when less fish are around. When fish are abundant, they stuff themselves, and clear out quickly. One night I counted 32 bears from my vantage point on the platform.


View attachment 26751View attachment 26752

Some fun on the trail out to the viewing platforms. A very common occurrence at Brooks. Usually multiple times a day. Pretty much anywhere else in the world, these encounters would be sh*t you pants moments. Not here though. You get used to it quickly. Still need to take precautions though. They are brown bears :).

View attachment 26743

A couple of real photos my wife took.

View attachment 26747

View attachment 26746


View attachment 26748

Ariel view I was we headed to another spot in Katmai via a float plane. The lodge and campground are on the right side of the frame. The viewing platforms towards the upper left. Gives you a sense for the walk out there. Takes about twenty minutes.

View attachment 26744

Amazing place. The cams have made it much busier than it used to be from what I hear. It’s probably helped the bears too, as well as all of Bristol Bay with so many people invested in the welfare of the bears worldwide.

Oh, and the fishing halfway decent as well in that general area ;).

View attachment 26762

View attachment 26750
Thanks for posting those, I doubt I'll ever visit but it's really neat to see, nice photos.
 

Xoxo

I find this absolutely captivating to watch. Better "reality" TV than virtually anything else out there these days.

Livestream from Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park (on the Brooks River).


I love this so much and pop in every once in awhile. Only one bear shown on camera now and as I’m watching the salmon are jumping a ways behind him but it doesn’t see them. Or maybe it’s no longer hungry and doesn’t care?
 

Xoxo

I find this absolutely captivating to watch. Better "reality" TV than virtually anything else out there these days.

Livestream from Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park (on the Brooks River).


I am fascinated by this live cam of the bears. Today is super active and the most salmon I’ve seen them catch. I did watch a mom eat a salmon with her cub by her side, yet the mom ate most all of if without feeding the cub. The cub kept trying to get a bite but she kept taking the salmon away from it to eat it herself.
 

Matt B

RAMONES
Forum Supporter
I am fascinated by this live cam of the bears. Today is super active and the most salmon I’ve seen them catch. I did watch a mom eat a salmon with her cub by her side, yet the mom ate most all of if without feeding the cub. The cub kept trying to get a bite but she kept taking the salmon away from it to eat it herself.
WHAT?! Someone call DSHS.
Maybe she was showing the cub how to eat the choicest parts.
 

Dloy

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
I spent a few months (late 70s) in Katmai mapping the bays along Shelikov Strait. On the beach solo most of the time. The “old hands” warned about the bears. The first couple weeks, nada. Then it was pretty much every day.
 
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