dolly varden

[jeepster]

for years these used to be one of my favorite species to fish, mainly becuase you spend hours with maybe only one or two hits.... and when one hooks up, it is a big mean sob that waits till your line is only a few feet away to hit.... and when they do its an explosive shallow water strike and they fight like hell for thier size...

i used to troll the swinomish channel and cast from a few spots from shore for dollys (mainly using crocodile spoons), but havent fished for em in years... used to do pretty good in the salt with my best pretty close to 28 inches.... dont have a little boat anymore so i cant access my better spots. but ive heard of people catching em on the skagit out by conway.... anybody know of some spots where i can get in there with a flyrod?

-Erik

[Widgeondeke]

I don't know of any areas around the Swinomish Chanel or near the salt. I've only caught a fe smaller ones while fishing the upper reahes near Nehalem.
They do fight bigger than their size.
C&R always

[Button Nubbs]

Croc spoons off the beach are a blast! I did it when I was working in ak. We would stand like 15 yards from the water line and cast most times they would hit right before the spoon came out of the water. 

I have caught a handful or so on the sky but all were when I was targeting steelhead. I've heard the skagit system can be phenomenal.

[Shed Stud]

You guys are fishing for dollies? In washington? 

[D-Rock425]

I use to fish them all the time around darrington.  The Saul has a ton of them during the summer months.  You use to be able to keep 2 over 20 inches not sure anymore.

[woodywsu]

Bull trout / Dolly varden are listed as threatened under the ESA. However, certain rivers in western washington allow retention of this species and can be counted toward your daily trout limit. Read the regulatins very carefully and follow the rules and you shouldn't have any problems. If caught targeting this species in closed waters.... and you will pay the consequence.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Madison]

I believe they are not legal to target in the salt.(i know this was true, not sure if it still is.)  Even though some well known people and guides like to fish over them.

[CMG]

Dolly fishing - Those were the days... long gone, at least in areas I used to go. In the 70's and 80's most of the oldtimers wouldn't keep them, said they were bottom feeders. I thought they were the best tasting fish around. Especially smoked. Used to catch some real nice ones up the chiwawa, and tributaries. i can only tell fish stories to my sons now 

[jeepster]

well my goal for tomorrow was just shattered...........

guess the entire skagit is closed...... 

since when was fishing ever this complicated? i remember the days when i wanted to go fish, i went and that was that.

[270Shooter]

I caught a few fishing on the naches fishing for trout. They do fight pretty good but mine were only around 16 inches.

[cohoho]

I like Dollies....

[HuntandFish]

Got to love the dolly fishing. A buddy and I use to go and have 30+ fish days a piece, with a few monsters of around 6-8lbs thrown in. That was in the skagit system, before it got closed/mud slided out. We still target them once or twice a year and do really well. I am thinking of doing a couple day float this summer focusing on dolly's. Should be fun! 

[Phantom Gobbler]

The Upper Sections of all of our major rivers in NW WA have some dollies (Nooksack, Skagit, Stilly and Skykomish Rivers).  We have had some good luck flyfishing for them after the river levels have dropped.  They take a sunken streamer well,and the initial strike and run is electrifying on light tackle.  The severe flooding the last ten years has caused some big time changes in the upper rivers and tributaries.  And some of our can't miss fishing holes no longer seem to hold any fish.  So we also need to continually explore to find new areas.

The dollies follow the summer king salmon runs upstream in river systems mentioned above.  We have also had good luck using egg fly patterns fishing them below strike indicator some some split shot to get the fly down.

Dollies can save the day when other targeted fish are not available.

[ribka]

A lot in Alaska

[singleshot12]

That looks like a char there ribka, char dolly pretty much the same fish tho.

I fished Dolly Varden for years mostly in the salt. Not sure why they closed down the whole state and left the Skagit open for 20" retention. I understand that the Bull trout is not doing too well in a couple of streams hundreds of miles from the Dolly infested waters here in the puget sound. Yep I remember when the limit was 8 or 10 and we always had the smoker full, heck and before that their was a bounty on Dollys. 99% of their diet is salmon and steelhead eggs and smolts. I really don't understand why they closed it. Out of the hundreds we used to catch not one was a Bull trout.

[400out]

You guys are fishing for dollies? In washington? 

[270Shooter]

All I catch in the Tieton River now days are most dollies. They fight good and love flies. I would say the catching ration is a good 2 dollies to 1 trout in the rivers. I also have caught a some in Rimrock and Clear Lake. They range from 16-21 inches

Yeah I've caught them in the tieton too. Sure seems like there are plenty around. Also, there seem lot be a lot more squaw fish around, especially in the naches. Me and a buddy caught over 50 in one little hole in about 20 minutes.

[jeepster]

they sure take a clouser pretty damn well.............


the only time ive caught one in a river was on the kenia......

one of the most amazing game fish ive ever taken on a fly rod........

[singleshot12]

In the salt water we tried a little fly fishing but mostly used spoons and cutplug herring. The most productive fly I tied was a silver Mylar bait fish imitation.. If fishing them in the river I would try a fly imitating a salmon egg, betcha it would knock em dead.

[jordano]

Bull Trout?? Who fishes for those.........

[Hyde]

... If fishing them in the river I would try a fly imitating a salmon egg, betcha it would knock em dead.

I usually reserve my last day on Kodiak for dollies.  The Buskin river runs near the airport, which makes it easy to get a half day in before the jet leaves.  The Buskin is filthy with dollies, but most will be in the 12-18 inch range.  A small bead pinned to a small hook will result in a fish-a-cast.  I fish them with an indicator.  I got one nice surprise the last trip, a 5 lb steelhead.  On a 4 wt, it was a battle!  I was up and down the stream like a mad man trying keep him from breaking me off. 

[singleshot12]

... If fishing them in the river I would try a fly imitating a salmon egg, betcha it would knock em dead.

I usually reserve my last day on Kodiak for dollies.  The Buskin river runs near the airport, which makes it easy to get a half day in before the jet leaves.  The Buskin is filthy with dollies, but most will be in the 12-18 inch range.  A small bead pinned to a small hook will result in a fish-a-cast.  I fish them with an indicator.  I got one nice surprise the last trip, a 5 lb steelhead.  On a 4 wt, it was a battle!  I was up and down the stream like a mad man trying keep him from breaking me off. 

Hyde that sounds like a lot of fun on light fly gear..  You say you fish them with an indicator?


Does anyone know how to tell the differance between a Dolly and Bull?

[ribka]

... If fishing them in the river I would try a fly imitating a salmon egg, betcha it would knock em dead.

I usually reserve my last day on Kodiak for dollies.  The Buskin river runs near the airport, which makes it easy to get a half day in before the jet leaves.  The Buskin is filthy with dollies, but most will be in the 12-18 inch range.  A small bead pinned to a small hook will result in a fish-a-cast.  I fish them with an indicator.  I got one nice surprise the last trip, a 5 lb steelhead.  On a 4 wt, it was a battle!  I was up and down the stream like a mad man trying keep him from breaking me off. 

Hyde that sounds like a lot of fun on light fly gear..  You say you fish them with an indicator?


Does anyone know how to tell the differance between a Dolly and Bull?

Try here http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/bulltroutid/default.htm

Caught many dollies in the Kenai area. And they loved egg patterns. The crystal meth egg pattern produced the best in orange and pink. Very easy to tie

[time2hunt]

JORDANO
Whats with the flagger vest in those pics
Brian

[singleshot12]

Tried that link ribka but didn't work 

[Hyde]

You say you fish them with an indicator?

Yes.  I just fish them nymph style. 

I also went to Kodiak one year specifically to fish for pinks in the surf.  That is a total hoot, not at all like fishing them in fresh water.  They are hot and pissed off, especially on a 4 wt.  You wait for the breaker to roll, and you spot the school of fish IN the breaker, before it crashes to the beach, It's like you're looking into a big window.  Anyway, once the breaker settles, shoot a short cast in the vicinity and do some quick strips.  When they're in, you better hold on.  They crush the fly.  They leap and thrash, it's big fun on a 4 or 5 wt.  I take a 6 wt too just in case the wind is up.  That's August, and the big dollies are starting up the streams then.  We typically fish the tide for the pinks, then hit one of the many rivers for dollies on the way back to town.  Streamers on the swing with a sinking line and a 5-6 wt is the ticket there (anything 2 inches long and brown).  I love Kodiak!  I wish I could make a living there.   

[Gobble Doc]

I've caught a lot on the Skagit swinging a white marabou.  Also on the Cascade nymphing egg patterns.  I have only done catch and release and won't keep them.  We need something left in our rivers for our kids.

[jordano]

JORDANO
Whats with the flagger vest in those pics
Brian

my dad is a fisheries Biologist for Chelan County PUD and his buddy we were with, is a fisheries biologist for Seattle City Light. He was doing studies on Steelhead and Bull Trout... it was when the river was closed so we had to wear vests to show we were doing research not just fishing a closed river...

[Phantom Gobbler]

JORDANO
Whats with the flagger vest in those pics
Brian

my dad is a fisheries Biologist for Chelan County PUD and his buddy we were with, is a fisheries biologist for Seattle City Light. He was doing studies on Steelhead and Bull Trout... it was when the river was closed so we had to wear vests to show we were doing research not just fishing a closed river...

Jordano, Nice looking dolly varden!   

[jordano]

Jordano, Nice looking dolly varden!   

Thanks Phantom!