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Angler John Easton ran into the grizzly -- almost literally ran into it -- last summer while floating his favorite Susitna Valley trout stream. The time was early evening and fishing for rainbow trout had been quick-paced all day. Newly arrived chum salmon and a few old, spawning kings occupied every run and tail-out and the trout -- some of them better than 2 feet long -- lay behind the salmon, scavenging stray eggs.

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Easton, of Anchorage, was rowing his two-man pontoon raft around a bend when something ahead caught his eye. Perhaps 20 yards away, and closing fast in the current, a salmon-fishing grizzly waded belly-deep in a pool, unaware of the raft. Taken by the sight, Easton watched the bear, forgetting momentarily that he was drifting dangerously close.

The bear looked up just as Easton began back-paddling with his oars. For a moment the grizzly gazed, seemingly struggling to identify the form approaching in the narrow stream channel. The tension grew until, suddenly, the bear turned and splashed to the stream's edge, pausing once to turn for another look before crashing into an alder thicket.

That's how days on the water sometimes go in this country north of Anchorage, where wildlife, great fishing and views of Mount McKinley are regional hallmarks. Largely remote and framed by the Talkeetna Mountains to the east, the Chugach Range to the south and by the Alaska Range and 20,320-foot Mount McKinley to the north, the merging Susitna and Matanuska valleys form a West Virginia-sized chunk of land collectively called "the Valley" by locals.

The stream John Easton fished last summer is one of scores that dash and murmur through the region, some little more than an hour's drive north of Alaska's largest metropolitan center. Many of these fish-rich streams, along with scores of equally productive lakes, are easily reached via the state highway system and smaller local roads. Among these, the George Parks Highway serves as the gateway to many fine Susitna Valley streams and lakes, while the scenic Glenn Highway, snaking between the Talkeetna and Chugach ranges, provides access to Matanuska Valley waters.

Rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, grayling, arctic char, landlocked salmon, northern pike and five species of salmon are among the sportfish species anglers will find here. Fishing season in the Valley begins when the lakes, frozen since October, break up sometime in early May. Trout, grayling, char, landlocked salmon and pike become particularly active this time of year, making early-season angling some of the best.

Area lakes range from fewer than 10 acres in surface area to several hundred acres in size, allowing anglers opportunities to troll light gear from skiffs in big water, or to paddle canoes or float tubes in smaller, easily worked places. Most popular among the scores of lakes scattered between Sutton and the foothills of the Alaska Range far to the northwest are the more than 70 lakes stocked annually by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Lakes providing excellent fishing are scattered throughout the region around places like Point MacKenzie, Wasilla, Palmer, Big Lake, Willow and Talkeetna. Maps of state-stocked lakes can be found on the Division of Sport Fish online at www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/lakedata.

Light fly tackle or spinning gear is perfect for trout, char and grayling in area lakes, where fish range from 12 inches to 24 inches and rarely weigh more than three or four pounds. Popular spinners include No. 0 or No. 1 Mepps, Rooster Tails and Panther Martins. Power baits or single salmon eggs can be very effective, as can earthworms or meal worms. Fly-fishers employ a variety of streamers and dry flies to match area hatches; marabou Lake Leech streamers and small Elk Hair Caddis dry flies cover a lot of bases.

Unless the weather is exceptionally warm, most fish are taken in shallow areas between 3 and 10 feet deep. When surface temperatures rise beyond 60 degrees in midsummer, however, fish often move to deeper, cooler waters.

Northern pike are found in many Valley lakes, particularly those connected to stream systems. These fish aren't stocked, and are especially plentiful in waters such as the Nancy Lakes canoe system and remote Alexander Lake. Spoons, such as Daredevils, work well, though many lunkers are caught on herring baits dangled below bobbers. Fly-fishers can have good luck using bass poppers, deer-hair dry flies, and brightly colored streamers. Be sure to use steel leaders to keep these toothy predators from shredding your line.

The first salmon to arrive in Valley streams are the kings. Although a few appear in places like the Little Susitna and Deshka rivers in late May, area runs don't really heat up until June. Peak fishing in the upper Susitna Valley occurs as late as the first week of July. Valley kings can weigh in excess of 70 pounds, though most average between 25 and 30 pounds. These heavyweights require stout rods and reels capable of holding 150 yards of 30-pound-test line.

Behind the kings come scattered runs of red salmon, normally arriving in mid- to late June, followed by pink salmon in July. Chum and silver salmon begin to appear in Valley streams by late July or early August. For these salmon, medium-weight tackle is sufficient. Eight-pound-test lines are plenty for the smaller pinks, while most anglers prefer at least 10- or 12-pound-test for the larger reds, chums and silvers.

Kings, pinks, chums and silvers all take a variety of spinners, spoons, baits and flies. Most popular among Valley anglers are Vibrax spinners, Pixee spoons and drift rigs that combine Corkies and a hank of red or green yarn over a single hook. When regulations permit the use of bait, fresh or cured salmon roe drifted along pool bottoms can be hard to beat. Red salmon can be more difficult to catch, since they only occasionally strike lures and baits. Most anglers use small, sparse streamer flies, such as the Sockeye Orange or Russian River bucktails for red salmon.

Some of the best road-accessible salmon fisheries are the Eklutna Tailrace, Little Susitna River and Willow, Little Willow, Montana, Sheep and Caswell creeks.

As salmon appear in Valley streams each summer, fishing for other species improves accordingly. Rainbow trout, Dolly Varden and grayling here depend on the life cycles of salmon, thriving on eggs, juvenile salmon, and the flesh of dead, spawned-out fish. Rainbow trout to 30 inches and 12 pounds are caught in some area streams.

Fishing for trout, Dollys, and grayling normally heats up in late June as the king salmon start spawning, improving throughout the summer and becoming excellent in late August and September. Many anglers find fly-fishing gear to be most effective for trout in Valley streams. Middleweight rods rigged with floating lines and 10- to 12-foot-long leaders are standard.

Although many types of flies and spinning gear are effective for catching trout and other species, beads are often used to imitate salmon eggs. Fly-fishers carry beads in a variety of sizes and colors to "match the hatch" as salmon spawn. Once the right bead is selected, it is threaded onto the leader and a short-shanked hook tied onto the end of the leader. The bead is then slid 1 to 2 inches above the hook and held in place by jamming the point of a toothpick in the hole of the bead. The outside end of the toothpick is then broken or nipped off so that only the bead can be seen.

A split-shot or two is placed about 18 inches above the bead, to keep the bead rolling along the stream bottom like a salmon egg.

This technique works so well that some traditional fly-fishers eschew beads, preferring old-fashioned fur and feather creations to the plastic, glass and ceramic salmon-egg imitations. These anglers catch plenty of fish using Glo-Bugs, Iliamna Pinkies, Babine Specials and other mock salmon-eggs spun from chenille, saddle hackles and marabou.

Accessible as some Valley fisheries are, the lion's share are remote. Anglers who don't mind spending a few dollars to have a piece of water pretty much to themselves might consider springing for a riverboat drop-off. The Susitna Valley with its dozens of lightly-fished, boat-accessible salmon, trout and grayling streams is a great place for this. For $200 or less, it is possible to hire a local riverboat operator to drop you off on Lake Creek, the Deshka River or many other area waters. Arrange to be picked up later in the day, or bring along camping gear.

Air-taxi operators based in Anchorage, Willow, Kashwitna and other Parks Highway locations provide fly-out charters for fish of all species. Popular fly-out destinations include Alexander Lake for pike fishing; the Talachulitna River for float trips for salmon and trout; and the Chuitna, Theodore and Lewis rivers across Cook Inlet for salmon.

For more information, check out the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Web site (www.state.ak.us/adfg/sportf/sf_home.htm).

Freelance writer Ken Marsh lives in Anchorage.

What locals say

"We end up with a couple thousand tickets purchased every year, and it's a very family-friendly event. The whole family can get out and do this. And we do get quite a few out-of-state participants too. The guides do a good job of letting them know it's available."

-- Cheryl Metiva, executive director of the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce, sponsor of the Mat-Su King Salmon Derby