I Went Fishing in Icy Strait and Here's What Surprised Me

I couldn't remember the last time I went fishing.  My grandmother took me to a local pond when I was five or six, but aside from that, fishing has never really been part of my outdoor routine.

That changed last summer when I spent a few days in Icy Strait. 

I went freshwater stream fishing, and I have to say, it ended up being one of the standout experiences of my time there.  Not necessarily because I caught a fish (although catching that pink salmon was pretty exciting), but because of everything that came with being out there.

1. The Quiet

We were a small group of nine: seven guests and two guides.  Once we left the busyness of the cruise ship area, we traveled along old logging roads toward a remote patch of land owned by the local tour team.  

Our guide led us on a short walk to the stream, and then the pace of the morning changed completely.

For the rest of the morning, there was very little around us except the sound of the stream and the occasional conversation from our group.  We spread out along the water and fished.

Coming from the hustle and bustle of a cruise port, that quiet was probably the first thing that struck me. 

2. Our Guide's Patience

Our group had a pretty wide range of fishing experience.

One family had clearly done this before.  They were comfortable with their gear and happy to get started, so they didn't need much instruction.

Then there was me. 

I hadn't done much fishing, so our guide spent quite a bit of time helping me figure out what I was doing with a spinning rod.  He was incredibly patient, even when my casting was, in his words, a little aggressive. 

I worked on it, cast after cast, and eventually got the hang of it enough to hook a pink salmon.  That moment made all the practice worth it. 

3. The Possibility of Seeing a Bear

I'll admit, knowing we were fishing in a remote area of Icy Strait made me think about bears. 

Our guides took the appropriate safety precautions and explained that bears are common in the area.  We knew there was a chance we could see one while we were out fishing.

We didn't see any bears that morning, but honestly, I liked knowing they were out there.

There's something different about standing in a quiet stream knowing that you're in their habitat.  It made the experience feel a little more wild and reminded me that we weren't just visiting Alaska from a distance.  We were actually out in it.

4. Learning Why Catch and Release Matters

When I finally caught my pink salmon, I was mostly focused on getting a picture.

Our guide snapped one before I gently guided the fish back into the stream.  The guide explained why the fishing here is catch and release and why protecting fishery matters.  That part of the experience stuck with me.

It was a good reminder that experiences like this depend on taking care of the natural resources that make them possible in the first place.

More than catching a fish

Would I call myself a fisherman now?  Probably not.

But I understand why people love it a little more than I did before.

For me, the best part wasn't even catching the salmon.  It was getting away from the crowds, standing in a quiet stream in the middle of Icy Strait, and having a few hours to slow down and pay attention to what was around me. 

And maybe that's what surprised me most about the experience.  I went into it thinking the fishing would be the memorable part. 

Instead, it was the place.