Why We Love It
Glacier Bay’s Bear Track Inn is on the shores of the Icy Strait in Gustavus, Alaska at the entrance to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. There is no place else like Glacier Bay. We had one of the most incredible experiences in our lives kayaking with humpback whales in the Icy Strait. You fish Inside Passage waters for calmer seas and fantastic salt water fishing. For families wanting more, choices include glaciers, whales, bears, kayaking, hiking, flight seeing tours and even golf. With Glacier Bay as the setting, you build the vacation of a lifetime for every member of your group.
Package Details
Pricing varies for the time of stay and is based on double occupancy and includes round-trip flight from Juneau. Fishing charter prices are per person, per day for salt water fishing. Fresh water fishing prices are per day and varies depending on location and transportation.
Daily Schedule – Sample
We create a custom itinerary so that you will be able to pick and choose your activities. Below is a sample four-day fishing package. We will customize your package and can add activities before and after your stay at the Lodge.
Day One
Getting to Bear Track is one of the easier trips to Alaska. We can fly directly from Florida to the Lodge in one day and be at the Lodge for an early dinner. Your journey starts by getting from home to Seattle where commercial jet service connects to Juneau which is about two and a half hours away. From Juneau, Alaska Air offers an afternoon flight or smaller regional carriers also provide service. Our article “Flying in Alaska is a Way of Life” describes details of planning your air travel and we are always available to help.
The staff of the Bear Track Inn will greet you at your arrival at the Gustavus airport and take you to the lodge by van. At the Inn, you check in, receive fishing licenses, and have a short orientation. Depending upon your arrival time and custom package, you may depart soon after check in on an excursion. If you arrive later in the day, you will enjoy your first wonderful dinner at the Inn.
Days Two Through Five
Breakfast starts at 6:00 am Alaska time. Each day is customized depending upon the fishing or other activity you have chosen to experience that day.
Last Day
Check-out is 10:00 am. All of your fish is professionally process, flash frozen and packaged in airline approved boxes to be checked as baggage. The staff transport you back to the Gustavus Airport for your return trip to Juneau and connecting flights home.
Fish Species
Why is Glacier Bay Alaska a great place to fish? The map below tells the story. Cross Sound is the passage from the Gulf of Alaska to the Icy Strait and the Inside Passage. The Icy Strait and Inside Passage coastal waters is the migration path for salmon that spawn in the local rivers and streams. Halibut spawn during the winter months in the Gulf of Alaska and then migrate back to coastal water feeding grounds. These waters are teaming with herring and other bait fish.
The chart below shows the most popular Alaska fish species and the months they are running. Each location may have different times and not all fish may be available at every lodge.
You can read more about these fish in our article “What Is Your Favorite Alaska Fish Species? A Difficult Decision.”
Accommodations
Bear Track Inn is a beautiful log Inn with 14 large guest rooms, each with two queen size beds and a private bath. Rooms have either a view of the water or the surrounding meadows. Breakfast is served in the dining room each day and lunch is provided for any of the excursions. Dinner. Dinner typically offers three to six entrees that may include beef, pork, local wild game, and of course salmon and halibut. The chef will prepare special diet meals, vegetarian dishes, and there is a children’s menu.
Other Activities
We first discovered the Icy Strait and Glacier Bay Alaska like many people when we went on an Alaska cruise trip. One of our best excursions was a float plane from Juneau to Admiralty Island to watch bears catching salmon.
A few years later, we returned to Glacier Bay Alaska. We had met the proprietor of Bear Track Inn in Gustavus and wanted to stay there and sample all of the activities in this spectacular setting. We took the Glacier Bay Alaska tour on the National Park Service boat that is the only tour allowed in the Park. The weather was perfect and we had a great view of Mt. Fairweather. The guide said the discoverers of Glacier Bay named the mountain fair weather to entice people to settle the area (just like Greenland). On another day, we went on a guided kayaking tour in the Icy strait with another couple (five of us total). We kayaked for several hours and were within a few hundred feet of many humpback whales. We were so close at one point, we actually joined all three kayaks together to make sure the whales could see us.
Contact Us
Glacier Bay is one of the most fabulous places I have ever been. Bill and I kayaked with humpback whales on a trip and it was amazing. We also took the National Park Service boat trip back into Glacier Bay on a beautiful day. Bear Track is a beautiful lodge and a great place to stay. Give me a call at 855-711-7773 or complete the contact form below and I will work with you to customize your dream luxury fishing vacation. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you on the water soon.
-Lisa Montgomery
