Alaskan salmon fisherman Matt Kelly (Robert Ryan) doesn't care who he runs over in race to get ahead in life. He even manages to exploit his friendship with Jim Kimmerly (Brian Keith) so he can make time with Kimmerly's fiancee Nicky (Jan Sterling). As a capper to his many misdeeds, Kelly's recklessness results in the loss of Jim's fishing boat during a glacier avalanche. Finally getting wise to himself, Kelly tries to make up for his past perfidy with an all-out act of self-sacrifice. Featured in the cast of Alaska Seas are two TV-stars-to-be: Gene Barry, of Bat Masterson and Burke's Law fame, and Ross Bagdasarian, who as "David Seville" was the creator/mentor of Alvin and the Chipmunks.