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Dolly Varden: all you need to know
Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) Species summary and status: Though similar to, and often confused with trout, Dolly Varden are in fact a char. To tell a char from a trout you can look at their spots — char have light spots (white or yellow to red) on a dark body, while trout have dark spots (brown…
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Alaskan lake trout: All you need to know
Alaskan lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) Species summary and status: Lake trout have a body shape similar to that of trout and salmon. They generally have small cream or yellow, irregular shaped spots on a silvery-to-dark background. Males and females are similar, with males having a slightly longer, more pointed snout. Lake trout can be distinguished from…
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The deep, dark secrets of Alaskan lake trout
“This might really, really suck,” I said to Ancans with a halfhearted laugh. We then laughed together because we knew we were already unquestionably committed
Walking to "the spot" hoping to land a lake trout for the Western Native Trout Challenge. Daniel A. Ritz photo. Chucking and ducking heavy lines to check the lake trout off the list Daniel Ritz is fishing across the Western United States this summer in an attempt to reach the Master Caster class of the Western Native…
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Mistakes you don’t get to make twice
An Alaskan rainbow trout prepares to swim away after being caught on a tributary to the Susitna River in Alaska. Daniel A. Ritz photo. Western Native Trout Challenge: Alaskan rainbow trout Daniel Ritz is fishing across the Western United States this summer in an attempt to reach the Master Caster class of the Western Native Trout Challenge,…
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Just because you can doesn’t mean you should
“Arctic grayling,” I responded without batting an eye. “I’ve never even seen one, let alone fished for them before. It’ll signify just how far from home I am on this trip.”
An Arctic grayling from Alaska. Gabby Mordini photo. Western Native Trout Challenge: Arctic grayling Editor’s note: Daniel Ritz is fishing across the Western United States this summer in an attempt to accomplish the Master Caster class of the Western Native Trout Challenge. He will attempt to land each of the 20 native trout species in their historical ranges of the 12…
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The Arctic grayling: all you need to know
Arctic grayling are easily recognized due to their large and colorful dorsal fin. Chris Hunt photo. Arctic Grayling (Thymallus arcticus) Species Summary and Status: The Arctic grayling is a cool or cold- freshwater species in the same family (salmonidae) as salmon, trout and whitefish. The defining characteristic of this fish is its large, sail-like dorsal…
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Seeking treasure in Apache trout country
Invasives and overconfidence cloud early efforts to bring an Apache trout to hand Daniel Ritz is fishing across the Western United States this summer in an attempt to reach the Master Caster class of the Western Native Trout Challenge, attempting to land each of the 20 native trout species in their historical ranges of the 12 states in the…