Bull Trout and Dolly Varden

In my previous post, I mentioned that Bull trout are sometimes called Dolly Varden. Many people use these two terms interchangeably. At one time, Bull trout and Dolly Varden were thought to be the same species. They have similar coloring and markings.


But in a taxonomic report published in 1978, it was determined that Bull trout and Dolly Varden are really two distinct species. The American Fisheries Society accepted this report in 1980.

But a lot of anglers still haven't accepted this fact or still don't know about the report. Here's your chance to show off your knowledge of Bull trout and Dolly Varden.