Coastal brown bears each have their own style of fishing. Some stand in the water or on the bank and wait for fish to swim by, some walk down the middle of the creek, some run through shallow water scaring the fish into motion, etc. This particular large male stood up and walked on his hind legs in the water in order to get a better view then lunged after the fish. It worked for him pretty well. He's a little goofy looking with all of his fur shed down to summer length except for the back of his head/neck.
It was a tough day of shooting with varying volumes of rain falling with corresponding changes in thickness of overcast. By the end of the day all of the rain gear had soaked through on both me and the equipment.
All shot on a rainy day with Nikon D850/200-500mm f5.6 handheld. Images are posted to fit the narrative and not necessarily in the same order that they were shot.
Uploaded large for viewing in the light box.
1) Here he is walking up at the creek to his favorite fishing spot.
2) His uncommon style of fishing, more specifically how he spots fish. Check out the muscles in his "arms".
3) Going for it.
4) Score.
5) Some bears eat the fish right there in the water. This guy preferred to take it onto the bank all the while looking around to make sure no one was going to try to take it from him. He has a chum salmon also known as a dog salmon because the natives dry them to feed sled dogs over the winter.
6) And a portrait opportunity albeit not of the most photogenic bear, what with the hair style.
7) And an action portrait. Unfortunately I clipped his hump. I've never been much good at zooming during action and it is even more difficult with the 200-500mm. This was shot at 410mm.