In many places this particular fish is endangered and is not in here for specific
fishing purposes, rather, it’s so anglers can identify it from other species
of fish and hopefully make the informed decision to release it unharmed.
The distribution of the Dolly Varden is in western North America, in the U.S.
and Canada, and East Asia. These fish have been touted to get up to seventy-pounds
but I have yet to seen one over twelve. I do know that they can reliably get
up to twenty but not much more than that, though I’m sure there are some
who will take issue with this observation.
Dollies, as they are sometimes called, have a beautiful grey to green body with
white irregular spotting from the gill plat to the tail. Ordinarily, the spots
will have an orange ring that circles them making this fish worthy of photographs
for those few that will be caught. These protected fish are voracious feeders
and only respect fish larger than themselves and will actively feed on anything
else within the vicinity of where they hold. They can be found in seams of eddies,
slots, and drop-offs; so when fishing these areas be sure to be on the lookout
for them if your within their respective habitats. I say it’s always better
to err on the side of caution. If you’ve think you’ve landed one
and aren’t sure about it, take a picture and put it back. The best way
to avoid any philosophical conflict is to take a copy of local fishing regulations
out into the field, which I’ll always recommend.
