One of the great things about staying at Brooks is the diversity of water you can fish. Right out of your door you have the Brooks River itself, famous for its trout and salmon. You can also access Margot Creek from the lodge, either via boat, or bus ride and hike from the road to the Valley of 10,000 Smokes.
Margot is primarily a char fishery, so for a little variety, Dad and I hopped aboard a bear viewing tour boat, had a bouncy ride across the lake, and headed off upstream to explore a little and find some fish. Margot is a fairly small stream, with dense brush along the banks, and also VERY dense with bears. Many of these bears are used to seeing people at the Brooks River itself during the fresh salmon run, then move to Margot after for easier fishing.
Right after leaving the boat, I'm purposely talking loudly to Dad (to alert any furry friends), burrowing head down through a bear tunnel along the bank in the shoulder high grass and overhead bush canopy. Out of nowhere, a hefty brown bear exploded from its nap about six feet in front of me and proceeded to ramble off right past us into the dense brush.
Welcome to Margot Creek.
A few yards after that, we broke out into the stream to be greeted by a big old boar, who wasn't very keen on letting us pass quietly and giving up his fishing spot. After some 'back off language' in the form of yawning, swaying, and posturing, he eventually got tired of us and meandered off into the brush.
At first it was hard to find the time to look into the water instead of at the banks, but the char of Margot eventually showed themselves, staged up behind the salmon or in nearly every little hole, blow down, or micro-eddy that looked like it should hold fish. Hefty fish, already putting on winter weight, but nothing particularly long or as colored up as we'd hoped. We'd find a hole, watch for bears, probe with a few casts, watch for bears, land a fish or two, watch for bears, and move on.
Eventually it was time to turn around, which immediately makes you realize that now you have to re-dodge all the bears you dodged on the way up. We watched some new young adults feed on a gravel bank, paying us no mind, and sure enough, old grumpy pants was right where we left him, back in HIS spot.
Bottom line, if you want to catch char in Margot Creek, it's a great outing, catching strong char in small places. Bring along a spotter -- and a cushy seat -- if the wind picks up, the ride back on Naknek Lake can rattle you far worse than any surprises waiting in the brush.
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