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 Dollyville
by Steve Konen
Inside Angler
For SEATTLE INSIDER
A yell, barely audible over the rushing water of the Sauk River broke my mid-winter's daydream. Looking downstream, I saw Skid's flyrod bowed deeply and his bright orange fly line pulsing from the far side of the river and back to the faster water in the middle. He took two quick steps downstream and his rod suddenly unbowed, the line pinging back with the sudden release. The universal body language of a fish coming unbuttoned.
The fish in question on this February day is a Dolly Varden, which many folks think is a trout, but is actually a member of the Char family.
Dolly Varden
Salvelinus malma
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Dollies, as they are affectionately known, are sea-run fish similar to steelhead and salmon, as they ascend the rivers of their birth in the fall and winter. They can get quite big, with fish as big as four and five pounds not terribly uncommon although average size is more like 16 inches or so.
When they are in their spawning colors, Dollies are spectacularly colored and beautiful fish. Orange and Pink spots adorn a blushing pale skin, not unlike that of a Brook trout. And the other thing that makes them attractive to the fly angler, are their numbers. If you've found one Dolly, you've probably found a school of 'em. They provide a fine excuse to get out of the house and actually have a chance of catching something on a winter's day.
Again, I heard the almost imperceptible yell over the river, and again, I saw Skid fighting a fish as he moved downstream.
Sauk River
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This time, he had the fish hooked solidly, and I scrambled through the thigh deep water to get down to him and get a picture. Alas, this fish wasn' t nearly as big as the one he had lost, but it was a fine little guy all the same. A male without the brilliant colors of it's spawning color-adorned mates, but what the heck; I would have taken it.
Okay, what's the deal? On this day, my fishing partner Skid had hooked three dollies, and landed one. I had received nary a bite, not to mention losing a dozen flies during the course of the day to to the river bottoms of the Skagit and Sauk Rivers. I fumed as we stumbled on our frozen feet up the snow covered trail and through the woods back to my truck. I swore revenge and redemption and to return to this spot armed with the correct flies.
Of course, that was over a month ago, the business of life has once again interfered with my fishing. Impending trout season, and the early months of spring offer fine fishing for native steelhead, so I'm not sure I'll be out again this year targeting the mighty Dolly.
Dolly Varden inhabit most of our easily accessible West-side rivers such as the Sauk, Skykomish and Skagit rivers. They prefer the slower, "tail-out" sections of rivers, and will willingly take spoons, bait or flies. The best time to fish for them is late fall through spring, although you may hook up with one any month of the year.
So if you find yourself with a few hours to spare some mid-winter day, you may want to see if you can find your own private Dollyville.
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