Bears eating salmon in mid-late August

Question

We're planning a short trip form the UK, mainly just to try to see bears eating salmon out of the river again. We saw this in Brooks Falls twenty years ago and can travel August 17-25, so we want to find the best place to maximize sightings. Im told that Brooks falls is good in July and September but NOT in August. Would there really be no bears ? Is Lake Clark/Geographic harbour any better during these dates ? I realize nothing is guaranteed but can anyone give me an idea of quantity of bears/numbers in each month at these or other locations ?

Is it better we wait until we can travel at a different time ?

thanks

Shaun Southern

Answer

Your travel window of August 17–25 falls into a very specific part of the salmon run cycle in Alaska, and you are absolutely right that bear activity varies a lot depending on the location and timing. The great news is: you *can* still see very good bear–salmon action in mid to late August, but Brook Falls is not the strongest location during that exact window. Other areas—particularly in Lake Clark National Park—offer much more reliable viewing at that time.

To understand why, it helps to know that the timing of salmon runs differs by river system. Some peak in July, others in August, and some last into September. Bears simply go where the fish are.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of your main options and what you can expect during your dates:

Brooks Falls (Katmai National Park) – The famous July peak is when the largest sockeye runs pass up the Brooks River. By mid-August the run has tapered off significantly, and many bears disperse to feed on berries, carcasses, or move toward other creeks. There *will* still be bears in the Brooks area, but often fewer at the falls itself. Counts can drop from 25–40 bears in July to as few as 2–10 in late August.
Lake Clark National Park: Crescent Lake, Silver Salmon Creek – A much better choice for your dates. The salmon run in these systems peaks in mid-August, and bear activity can be excellent. Crescent Lake is known for extremely close bear viewing from boats as bears chase fish in clear turquoise water. Silver Salmon Creek offers both river and tidal-flat feeding, and lodge guides track bear movements daily.
Geographic Harbor (Katmai Coast) – Strong option for mid-late August. Bears here feed on salmon in coastal streams and creeks, and the runs here tend to peak later than the Brooks River. Many photographers prefer this location in August for both quantity of bears and dramatic scenery.

If your main focus is maximizing the number of bears actively fishing for salmon, Lake Clark and the Katmai Coast are your best bets for the specific time you can travel. Brooks Falls is spectacular but not at its prime during your dates because the sockeye run is already past peak.

To help you compare more clearly, here is a broader summary of bear visibility patterns by region and timing:

Best for June–Early July: Hallo Bay, coastal sedge meadows (bears grazing, not fishing yet).
Best for July: Brooks Falls (biggest salmon-fishing numbers).
Best for Mid–Late August: Lake Clark (Crescent Lake), Silver Salmon Creek, Katmai Coast/Geographic Harbor.
Best for September: Brooks River (post-spawn salmon), McNeil River (lottery only), and Katmai rivers.

Given your constraints, the places with the most consistent salmon + bear feeding interaction between Aug 17–25 are:

Crescent Lake (Lake Clark NP) – Reliable fishing bears, great numbers, accessible by floatplane from Anchorage/Homer/Soldotna.
Silver Salmon Creek (Lake Clark NP) – Excellent guide-based bear viewing; bears feed in creeks and on shorelines.
Geographic Harbor / Katmai Coast – Higher concentration of bears than Brooks at this time.

If your absolute top priority is dozens of bears at peak salmon action, then July (Brooks Falls) or September (Brooks River) are the strongest months—but that doesn’t mean August 17–25 is poor. It just means Brooks is no longer the strongest location. In Lake Clark and the Katmai Coast, mid-late August is actually one of the best times of the entire season.

So: No, you do not need to wait for a different month. You simply need to choose a different bear-viewing destination. With Lake Clark or the Katmai Coast, you can absolutely have a world-class bear photography trip during your exact dates.

Bears eating salmon in mid-late August

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