It’s a fishing day

Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma

1 of 10worth the trip today

Best right now at Kenai River, Alaska. Water is inside the 38–58° range Dolly Varden like at 1 of the 2 spots with a live reading.

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Where Dolly Varden score best right now
Dolly Varden

About Dolly Varden

Alaska’s native char, olive-grey with pale pink and orange spots and white-edged lower fins. Many are sea-run: they go to salt water in spring, then follow the salmon back up the rivers to eat eggs, which is when bead and egg-pattern fishing behind spawning salmon is at its best. Abundant on the Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak and the Prince William Sound coast, and protected by tight limits in the Kenai River.

Salvelinus malma, family Salmonidae.

Dolly Varden, spot by spot

All 7 spots with Dolly Varden in season, scored for Dolly Varden, best first.

Kenai River (Soldotna)Kenai Peninsula Borough, AlaskaDolly Varden

38° water · 5 mph wind

72Worth the trip

Not scored today

3 other spots where people fish for Dolly Varden: 3 closed to Dolly Varden or out of season today.

Anchor River (Anchor Point)AKDeep Creek (Ninilchik)AKNinilchik RiverAK

The water they want

Dolly Varden feed from about 38° to 58°F and best near 48°. Each pin is one spot’s water right now, from NOAA and USGS gauges; 1 of 2 are inside the range.

ideal 48°
38°58°

How they feed

  • Water38–58°F, best near 48°
  • TideEither, as long as it moves
  • MoonEither
  • DepthUsually 1–15 ft
  • Active monthsMay–Oct

Scored against their own temperature range and tide preference first, then wind, weather and warnings. Solunar periods only break ties. How the score works

Keep or release

  • Alaska non-tidal2 a dayKenai Peninsula: Arctic char/Dolly Varden in flowing waters are 2 a day, 2 in possession, no size limit; in lakes, 5 a day. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.Non tidal waters · verified Nov 6, 2026 · source

Rules change, and they differ by state and often by water. Each spot page shows the limits for its own water. Dolly Varden are fished at spots in 1 state: Alaska.

Waters with their own rules

These waters set limits for Dolly Varden that differ from the rest of their state.

Fished in the same water

Species people target at the same spots as Dolly Varden, and how they’re doing today.

Coho salmonOncorhynchus kisutch

10 of 35 spots worth the trip

Best now at Marquette Park Beach, IN100

Bites in 44–58° water

Chinook salmonOncorhynchus tshawytscha

9 of 40 spots worth the trip

Best now at Rogue River, OR100

Bites in 42–58° water

Pink salmonOncorhynchus gorbuscha

0 of 10 spots worth the trip

Best now at Whittier / Passage Canal, AK32

Bites in 42–60° water

SteelheadOncorhynchus mykiss

16 of 31 spots worth the trip

Best now at Rogue River, OR100

Bites in 40–55° water