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[CohoOn!]

Left Surrey in the fog  at about 9:30 this mornin and hit the sunshine  at about the 264th exit. With all the standing water frozen solid in the valley on the way out I was pretty certain I was going to find the back water channel I fish also frozen. Walked in from the creek before the hatchery and water levels were the lowest I've seen the year. Was surprised to find the ground not frozen more surprised to see the channel not frozen at all but water was now so low that the fish are so confined that repeated snagging would have been inevitable. Didn't appear to be any keepers there anyway so I didn't bother and headed on to the main native run where I had seen some nice fish holding a week ago. Didn't see a thing there though so started upstream and sure enough in the stretch of river bank that was ladden with a tangle of schrubs, overhanging trees and steep banks were a hundred or more coho sitting in safety. Headed up above them to the one spot where there is a bit of an opening that i had done a bit of schrub removal a couple of weeks ago and took a look. Not much that i could see with the glare and ripple but I decided to tie on a #4 silver and pink Blue Fox with the #3 Gamma and chuck it anyway. First retrieve I couldn't believe it, something clean and shiny nails it and I seriously thought there was no hope of landing it where I was with an 8 lb leader. Though I had room to cast, landing would be a different story. Seems a beaver has made it's home under the bank next to where I was standing and had lodged about a dozen or more branches into it's entrance. In addition there was another semi submerged large branch that I previously had not managed to completely saw off still hanging in the water which i had hoped higher water levels would have taken care of but never materialized. The 7 foot rod proved perfect for the maneuvering needed in tight conditions and once clear of the branches I just slowly pulled it onto the clay bank because the shear bank didn't allow for water release. Had never landed one before but quite surprised at finding an 7-8 pound  beauty Dolly. As I wasn't sure exactly on the regs for them I quickly released it. Anyone care to save me some time searching the regs and enlighten me and whether they're good eating? Spent the next 20 minutes trying to clear a better landing but was a waste of time. Next half hour not a sniff. Decided to take advantage of the low water and easy hiking conditions and headed up river. The lower water conditions actually make it possible to cross in numerous places and up further there was plenty of easier places to fish and some awesome spots now for fly fishing. Water is gin clear and most all the coho were holding along the side of the river with very steep banks and required fishing from the opposite side. Didn't see any chromers today but managed to take one reasonable 9lb doe on the same blue fox that my smokin bud claims will smoke up just fine. Only met one other guy and he said he'd come across some Dollies and Cutties  and that a couple of friends landed three steelhead the day before. Weather is supposed stay great out there  and with the far better hiking conditions and access to both sides I think it's a great day out especially if you can find a couple of those steelhead! Forget the hatch run, it's ankle deep! 
Cheers!

[Fish Assassin]

Excellent report. Yes, dollies are excellent eating.

[DanTfisherman]

Sure, Dollies/Bulls may be a good eating fish, but thank goodness you let this one go, as the regs (when read) will tell you they are catch and release in this system, and all river systems in the Lower Mainland if memory serves me correctly.

Also, I have seen many people stating "it's a good one for the smoker" based on color.
Good rule of thumb is if you would not really eat it at the table, it's not truely a "smoker" quality fish.  Sure you may be able to mask the taste a bit, but that being said, a quality fish will taste much better.

I do not mean to judge the fish, as it was likely fine and I have not seen it.  Please do not forget that color/shine is not necessarily the best rule of thumb for weather you should keep a fish or not.  A Steelhead kelt returning back down river can sure look good from the outside as it cleans up (sometimes), but that does not mean it tastes good.  A far better test is to feel the firmness of the fish and look for scales, especially at this time of the year.  I have caught a few Coho in the past that were a little reddish, but the meat was firm which I kept.  They turned out much better in flavor than a few other Coho I have caught which were bright and shiny, but ended up being late to color (I guess).  Although the fish were shiny, the meat was a little soft, which I realized when I began to fillet them.

Now, if I am considering taking a fish home for a meal, I look at the color first, then feel the firmness of the fish second before taking it home.  I don't mean press on the flesh hard, but when it is lying on it's side in the pool, feel the belly and the shoulders with a wet hand to see how they feel.

Just a few thoughts to keep in mind,

Dano 

[CohoOn!]

Thanks guys and right you are about the Dollies I checked and indeed not retainable when caught in the river. I'll probably never know all the regs but when in doubt I don't take chances. 
Cheers! 

[Rodney]

Just to add a few more points to clarify a bit more.

You are required to release all wild trout and char in rivers of Region 2. The only hatchery raised trout and char species (without an adipose fin) in Region 2 are cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. There are no hatchery raise bull trout and dolly varden in Region 2.

The winter fishery for dolly varden and bull trout is pretty good in Region 2. On good days you can encounter a dozen fish during one outing. Most fish range between 2 and 4lb, but some are much bigger than that.

[THE_ROE_SLINGER]

Great report! congrats and the dolly...thats a big one

[allwaysfishin]

good report but....... removal and clearing of brush, especially live bushes and such is illegal!!! don't be doin that

[Big Green Machine]

That's a very big Dolly Varden.  Are you sure it wasn't a Bull Trout?

[CohoOn!]

I appreciate the heads ups on the cutting and that is good to know.  
I'll be honest though, when I've hiked a half day to find a handful  of holding fish and some branch that belongs to a tree that is about to be taken down river next Spring is ruining my day  , the hand saw will be coming out without a second thought. Having said that I now always take my short 7 footer rod when bushwacking, always try first to find a way to fish from an alternet spot first and remove only what's absolutely necessary because it is usually under the overhangs that I know where to find the holding coho.  Take away their preferred hiding spot and i won't know where to find them!
And maybe the Dolly was more like 6-7lbs as I was in a big hurry to release and didn't stop to size it up to closely but is was a Dolly for sure and a fat mother.
Cheers!

[abito]

That's a very big Dolly Varden.  Are you sure it wasn't a Bull Trout?

I don't think u can visually  tell the difference between the two unless scale samples are taken.

[redtide]

well i've caught both when barfishing....sameday actually thanks to rodneys tips. the dolly has a smaller head and its spots are more whitish. Bulltrout have a huge head and bigger girth. if you haven't caught them before it would be difficult to tell them apart. Another reason you would want to release the dollys and bull trout is because of toxins. these fish seem to stay in the fraser all year before heading up the smaller tribs. their toxin levels are another reason they are catch and release as they can make you sick. let these fish go just for your own health.

[DanTfisherman]

If the fish is a large as you say it was and not exaggerated, I would say it was likely a bull.  Yet not a very common fish in this system.
If you have left some room for error and it may be "somewhat ligher in weight" , then I would say it is likely a Dolly, as they would be a bit more common in this system at this time of year,
Dano

[DanTfisherman]

"I don't think u can visually  tell the difference between the two unless scale samples are taken."

If you have caught a few bulls and a few dollies, compared them, worked at it, read and looked at pictures, you can usually tell the difference from eying them up.

Just my take,
Dano

[Sterling C]

Definitly not many dollies/bulls in the Chehalis. Consider yourself lucky to have had the chance to shake hands with one.

[Rodney]

Differences between a dolly varden and bull trout:

http://www.fishingwithrod.com/articles/2001/0601_03.html