High Suiattle River Dolly Varden

[fisherben]

Hey guys! I know this is somewhat of a random topic, however I am curious about this. I plan on backpacking and fly fishing the Suiattle upstream starting from Sulphur Creek for dolly varden sometime next year. I will most likely be stopping and camping somewhere around the Milk Creek area, so I need to make sure that I have a chance of catching a fish that far up river. Has anyone ever tried fishing that area? Is there any good holding/fishing water? Do the dollys even make it up that far? If not what is the highest that the fish can be commonly found? If anyone has answers to my questions info would be greatly appreciated. I cant wait to fish that awesome place. Thanks!

[The Quadfather]

Ben,

Sending you a PM, check your box.

[zen leecher]

Have you ever fished up there and what's the furtherest up you've caught Dolly's. I've fished the Suiattle a couple of years in the late 90's and we've done good. Also had some input from a contract WDFW biologist doing Dolly studies. I suspect the Dollys are upstream of Sulfur Creek as I've caught humpies up that far.

[The Quadfather]

Zen leecher, is your WDFW biologist a guy who goes by, Salma? (not sure on spelling?) If your lurking Salma... send up a flare.

[zen leecher]

Nope.... it was a guy named Paul that hunted with us one or two seasons in the early 90's. Smalma taught me these fish aren't dollies but are bull trout.

[The Quadfather]

Oh..that's interesting. I have a guided fly trip for bull trout in the Sauk area set up for the future. Didn't mean to hijack the thread...back to helping this guy with research on his river.

[zen leecher]

From what I remember of my trips there in the 90's the water is kinda too swift for fly fishing for bulls. That might depend on what pool one selects but the one we fished was more suited to mepps spinners and the ones from Worden.

A fast sinking fly line (real fast) might be better suited than the usual type 2.

The water is also very silty with very limited visibility. The river comes from the Suiattle glacier and that's where the silt is from

[fisherben]

There are pinks in the Suiattle? That's interesting. Zen, do you think they travel as far upstream as Milk Creek?

[drysuperfly52]

the suiattle is one i have always wanted to hit up, everytime i go over their there is a blown out bridge, wash out or trees all over the road. the river will defintaly have light fishing pressure if you make up that far