Part of the experience when you fish with Mike Kinney is that you learn a little of what a "mountain man" knows. I've always enjoyed catching dollies between steelhead but I see them in a much different light having learned a lot more about them during this strong dolly year. Smart, beautiful native fish!
Last week, closing out the season on the Skagit below the Dalles bridge, I caught an 8-9 pound D.V. It mugged a big 2/0 General Practitioner and fought so well that I thought for the first minute or two that I had a steelhead. Several years ago I caught another of the same size, and like this recent one, on a floating line!
This is not to brag up my angling prowess, but to praise this underrated fish. Our dollies seem to be averaging larger in recent years, as the benefits of Washington's angling restrictions on dollies kick in. Dolly varden are as beautiful, strong, pristine and straightforward as their native waters. It occurrs to me that if our rivers held no salmon or steelhead:whoa: , then dolly varden would be sought and admired as one of America's major game fish.
Be careful what you write as there are some people that will jump down your throat for mentioning about catching too many Dollies. Even if it's legal to do so. :tsk_tsk:
Be careful what you write as there are some people that will jump down your throat for mentioning about catching too many Dollies. Even if it's legal to do so. :tsk_tsk:
I must have missed something... Not to be facetious, but why would someone get upset over another angler catching these fish and then releasing them? I mean, is there a reason?
So, what are these upset people going to do? Arrest me or something? I have caught up to 8 to 10 dollies a day on the Skagit while fishing for steelhead. I believe I could double that easy if I targeted them.
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