Dolly Vardon?

[Dman]

I've seen quite a few DV (this was 10+ years ago) come out of the Skagit system over 10lbs.  My personal best was only 7/8ish.  One of my ol' flyfishing buddies got a 15 sumthin when we were stealhead fishing.  I lost 1 about 10-12lbs right at my feet when the bugger starting doin their typical roll maneuver.   

 

The "Dolly" varden char is more of a term for an anadromous char.  Bull trout or char are more described as a land-locked char specie. 

That is my basic understanding too.

 Another good read:

 http://www.wildlifenews.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlife_news.view_article&articles_id=147

 

[coastalghost]

Thanks for the link Dman....

[Bearhunter]

The Sauk produces some giants, along with the Suattle.  Back when you could fish it we caught a few up in the Suattle.  Another good one is the Cascade, and there is bull trout in it also, the upper reaches of the cascade is a good spot to find them, not sure if you can fish up there anymore though.  Bone asked if the sauk had chums, yes it does have a chum run, we used to see them up in the sloughs out of Darrington.

[Bscman]

I've fished the lower skagit for dumpy's every season I could, and catch at least 1 or 2 dolly's a year on pink spoons....all of 'em in the 3-5lb range.

[jackelope]

Question for some of you locals.  Does it get any chum?

yes.

[singleshot12]

So do the Bull trout from rivers like the Columbia end up traveling into the rivers like the Skagit system?

[Dman]

So do the Bull trout from rivers like the Columbia end up traveling into the rivers like the Skagit system?

 No, that is really my point, Bull trout populations are not transitory from salt, to other fresh water systems the way Dolly Varden populations are. In other words, their populations have remained in the same areas over long periods of time and will not expand by nature, so in that regard Dolly's should be fished for anywhere Bull trout don't currently reside, as there is limited chance Bull trout would expand into that area. I do agree with bolstering their populations in their traditional range, problem is their historical range is not agreed on by most biologists.

[singleshot12]

Hmmmm...I'm going to write a letter to the Salmon and Steelhead council...

[singleshot12]

Well now I hear from a very reliable source that there are five nets across the Skagit river netting the so-called endangered run of Kings? The Indians police themselves now which basically gives them the opportunity to net any day of the year for any species of fish? And the Skagit is listed as one of the best rivers for sport fishing?
And last but not least the top guy in charge of the fisheries tells me he estimates that the whole Skagit and Samish will be shut down to ALL sport fishing in about five years,mainly due to groups like the Sierra Club and other "save the world organizations".
What's it going to be like to tell my kids-"Well we can't fish anymore?"

[jackelope]

here's some info/babble/talk from another site  if you want to do some surfing.

http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/board/showthread.php?t=45738&highlight=skagit+closure

http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/board/showthread.php?t=45889&highlight=skagit+closure


http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/board/showthread.php?t=45314&highlight=skagit+closure

you could spend days there reading about closures and other resource related stuff...

[singleshot12]

Thanks for the links jackelope,it's a sad deal, but I'm glad to see there is alot of concern at least.