Glacier Bay was a mere indent in the thickly frozen Icy Strait when Captain George Vancouver sailed by in 1794. By the time John Muir arrived in 1879 (he gets historical credit for"discovering" the newly-formed bay), the ice had moved nearly 50 miles inland, beginning the formation of what is now Glacier Bay and providing scientists with a unique opportunity to study glacial activity and the way landscapes form in the aftermath of glacial retreat.

What does this mean for the angler? For starters, try your luck on the largest sport fish in Alaska—the Pacific halibut. May through September is high season for these monsters. Silver, king, and pink salmon and Dolly Varden trout also teem in the underfished rivers of this gorgeously isolated park. You'll probably not stumble across too many others of the human sort—but beware of ursine encounters! And keep your eyes on the water for more than the fish—humpback, minke, blue, and orca whales like to hang out in the bay too.

Move on to Katmai, Alaska