Bull Trout

By JUSTIN KARNOPP

Few settings rival the spring-fed Metolius River. Crystal –clear water, old-growth pine forests and abundant wildlife paint a surreal picture, enhanced under a blanket of December snow. Winter is my favorite time to fish this stream, the crowds are less… and a certain giant predator is on the prowl.

The Metolius is no longer stocked with hatchery rainbows, so many folks now have limited success on this stream. The river’s redband trout, while beautiful and hearty, have PHD’s in wariness. With the exception of the big summertime hatches, such as the famed Green Drake in June, the fish are extremely finicky there are few settings that rival the spring-fed Metolius River. The crystal-clear waters, old-growth pine, and most anglers find fishing the Metolius to be and exercise in futility.

There is another resident of the river however, a true native to the fishery that deserves the anglers attention. The bull trout (also known as the Dolly Varden) finds the Metolius waters rich in habitat requirements. Cold, clear, deep, and loaded with it’s favorite foods such as rainbow, kokanee, and mountain whitefish…the Metolius bull trout population is one of the best in the lower 48 both in numbers of fish and especially size.

The term Dolly Varden is a misnomer of sorts, while genetically similar to the anadromous (sea-run) Dolly Varden, the bull trout spends its entire life in fresh water, much like a rainbow versus a steelhead. Bull trout (also a misnomer), are not actually trout at all, and belong to the char family along with brook trout and Mackinaw. Metolius "Dollies" are unique in that many of them migrate out from Lake Billy Chinook in the fall to follow spawning kokanee. Bull trout gorge themselves on both the live and dead kokanee and then usually stick around for the winter months to feed on the bounty of the Metolius. In addition to these migratory Dollys, the river has a population of resident bull trout. I’ve noticed vast color variations on Metolius bull Trout… some of them dull with a yellow underside and others brightly colored with pronounced spotting typical of char. I’ve been told that the brightly colored fish are from Billy Chinook and the dull ones are resident.

With the exception of Northern pike, nothing in freshwater rivals the aggressiveness of a bull trout in attack mode. On many occasions I’ve been reeling in a trout or whitefish when a giant shadow emerges from the depths. The bulls will attack the struggling fish and rip them to shreds while still on your line, or just swallow the fish hole. Last season I had a massive Dolly going ape over a whitefish I was attempting to land. I had the fish in my hand when the damned bull nailed it and tore open my finger. Where I a little smaller I think he would have tried to eat me too!

Metolius River bull trout average 3-10 lbs., but I’ve caught them much bigger that that. The state record is 23 lbs., and I’d bet that somewhere in the depths of the river swims a leviathan better than 25. Remember though, no Metolius bulls may be kept, so a quick photo is the only trophy you’ll take home with you.

Ten years ago a guy could go to the Metolius with a selection of bunny leech flies and wear his arm out reeling in Dollies. The fish have wised up to these patterns and more sophisticated stuff is necessary to coerce a fish to strike. Saltwater flies such as Deceivers tied big and bulky are extremely effective on bull trout. Large articulated versions that swim in the water and cause disturbances in the current drive these predators nuts. When I say big, I mean BIG streamers. I’ve seen guys tie on flies big as cats and hook up fish. The technique for presenting these monstrosities is similar to a wet fly swing, but the fly must be down on the bottom so bring your heavy sink tips and tie weighted flies (no additional weight such as split shot may be used on the Metolius). When the fly gets to the end of the drift, a fast strip-in can sometimes trigger takes. The leader on the end of the sink-tip should big short to eliminate any belly in the line and keep the fly down. A four-foot section of straight mono in 10-12 lb. will do the trick. Local fly shops carry both saltwater flies and some patterns specifically for Metolius bulls.

Bull trout, like any other salmonid, can also be taken on nymphs. So effective is nymph fishing for bulls that I typically swing a streamer for a couple hours in the morning and then nymph the day away. While it may be more exhilarating to feel the pull of an aggressive dolly on a streamer, the fight is the same no matter how you hook em’. Bull trout will eat just about any nymph when they’re feeding, but I’ve done best on girdle bugs, golden stone nymphs, and pheasant tails. These flies need to be weighted like the rock of Gibraltar and fished under a yarn strike indicator (the little cork ones won’t float the nymph). Fish a 12-ft. leader in 10-12 lb. test.

Many bull anglers swear by mornings, evenings and overcast days. I’ve caught fish in the rain, snow, sleet, sun and afternoon, so I don’t think it matters much. Just find a good hole and fish the hell out of it. Bull trout often hang together so if you catch one there’s a good chance you can nail another in the same hole. That monster in the picture being released by my buddy Hans was caught nymphing a deep trench last December. I came back two days later and caught two more over ten pounds. All told I landed half a dozen over 10 lbs. in that same hole last year and I know they weren’t the same fish.

Bull trout don’t fight like a steelhead or big rainbow. I’ve never seen a dolly go airborne and rarely have they taken me into backing. Some anglers liken the fight to being hooked onto a log that’s rolling down the river. Dead weight is their advantage and they know how to use it. They go to the deepest water they can find and head shake like a lab playing keep-away. Once in a while though, you’ll find a hot fish that rips line like a barracuda…(well okay, maybe more like a big brown trout). Bring a rod stout enough to turn a 10 lb.+ fish in 15 feet of water, a seven or eight weight with a stiffer action is perfect.

Look for bulls in deep pools with plenty of structure like logs and boulders. Often you can see these beasts lying in the stream bottom and sight fish to them. Pay extra attention to keep your distance though, while aggressive when fired up, they make their living being elusive and spook easily. Bull fishing is getting ever more popular so arrive early to claim your spot. Getting off the beaten path is good practice and if you find a productive spot by all means, keep a lid on it.

A special thanks to Central Oregon Outdoors

Top of Page