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Dolly Varden
Salvelinus malma

Also known as bull trout as they are sometimes confused with bull trout, and until recently were thought to be the same species.

What do Dolly Varden look like? Dolly Varden have a trout-like body - generally long and slim with a small head. They are covered with light speckles on a darker background. They are often olive green to brown on their backs and upper bodies and their sides are pale with a white or light coloured belly. The sides are marked with pale pink to orange spots. These colours become much brighter when the fish is spawning. There are teeth on both jaws and males can have a "hooked jaw".

Food for Thought... Dolly Varden is the name of a character in Charles Dickens novel "Barnaby Rudge". It is also the name of a dress style popular in the 1800s. How do you think the Dolly Varden got its name?

Where do they live? Dolly Varden are found in eastern Asia and western North America from Alaska to northern Washington. They can be found in both salt and fresh water.

What is their life cycle like? Dolly Varden usually spawn for the first time when they are between three and six years old. After that they will spawn every year in the fall. In the north, they may spawn only every other year. Females make a nest of gravel (redd) in the stream bottom. The eggs hatch in the spring and the alevins emerge from the gravel in late April to mid May. Some Dolly Varden may migrate to the ocean after living in a lake for three or four years.

Did you know that … sea-run Dolly Varden are blue and silver in colour, not green and white like their lake-bound cousins.

Food for Thought... At the present time anglers must catch and release Dolly Varden because their numbers are so low. Can you think of a reason why this fish does not recover quickly from over-fishing?