Ran into this little guy while fishing one of my favorite California backcountry lakes last week.

I’d never seen a brown bear out here willing to come down to the lake’s edge, especially with boats nearby, but this juvenile had no fear whatsoever. He ate a belly-up crappie right in front of us and then waddled away up the hillside.

We kept our distance from the boat, knowing that mama bear wouldn’t be far behind. There are three rules when it comes to bears in the wilderness.

Don't surprise or creep up on them. Don't bother them while they're eating. And stay away from the little ones because mom and dad are overly protective.

You can read more about avoiding confrontations with bears in the Sierra Nevada here.

Photo by Brian Milne