Chasing Giants: Gear, Stories, and the Quest for Monster Dollies
With: olleyeh
We caught up with Oliver somewhere between the tail end of winter and the slow thaw of spring—the kind of time when the rivers are still locked up but the mind is already drifting downstream. He's the kind of guy who doesn't talk big, but fishes big, with a deep love for the wild places and the fish that live there. From getting frostbitten chasing Dollies to flavor-blasting campfire meals with Goldfish crackers, Oliver's story is one of hard-earned laughs, big fish, and going deep into the backcountry with the right crew and the wrong sleeping bag. We chatted about his journey into fly fishing, what keeps him chasing trophy Dolly Varden, and why the best trips are the ones that leave a mark—on you and your gear.
Oliver, how did your fly fishing journey begin? Was there a specific moment or fish that really got you hooked?
I’ve been fishing for as long as I can remember. My mom actually sent me some old photos recently—me, about three years old, holding a fly rod at a pond somewhere in Eastern Montana. We moved to Michigan shortly after that, and I kept the obsession going. Alongside fly fishing, I spent a lot of time using conventional tackle, mostl fishing with my dad. I’m not really sure when I officially got hooked—it just feels like fishing has always been a huge part of my life. Honestly, if it weren’t for fishing, I wouldn’t be married to my beautiful wife or have many of the friends I do. I’d say I really started fly fishing almost exclusively after I moved to Alaska about ten years ago. I had my old Shakespeare 5wt and picked up an 8wt during the drive north from my first duty station in New Jersey. From there, it just snowballed. I think it was the opportunity for new adventures in a wild, new place that really grabbed hold of me.
There’s something magnetic about big dollies—what is it about trophy Dolly Varden that keeps you coming back for more?
I think its the colors honestly, the opportunity to catch a fish that looks like they do is pretty cool and I would imagine very high on the bucket lists of many anglers both fly and conventional. Chasing Dollies started off as kind of a pipe dream. It was one of those fish you hear stories about but never really meet anyone who’s done it—just kind of following the rumor mill. And that’s how Alaska is: follow the rumors, and often, there’s something real behind them. They’re wild fish. Hard to find, but not too hard to catch once you find them. Tracking down the really big ones can be a challenge, but sometimes luck, persistence, and being in the right place at the right time all come together. It’s tough to say no to those kinds of trips. You start chasing them and suddenly, it’s not even about the fish anymore—it’s about floating around with good people in remote, untouched places. That’s what keeps you coming back.
You’ve clearly cracked the code on finding giants—what are your top 5 tips for locating and landing trophy Dolly Varden?
Most of my tips would play into more of preparing for a trip like this. I would not feel right sharing information about the fishing without some major caveats about the trips themselves. This might sound arrogant but I assure you, it comes from a place of caring and genuine concern for folks that might not be as prepared but want to catch some big dollies.
1. Know the outdoors. Learn to enjoy a little suffering with your friends. It’s all part of it.
2. Do your homework. The fish come in like clockwork, but you can still miss them by a week or just a few days. That can be crushing.
3. Bring a gauntlet of flies. You never know what they’ll key in on. They’re not super picky, but they tend to like bright colors—chartreuse and orange are go-to favorites.
4. Be patient. They show up in waves and hang out in weird, random spots. It might take a few days to really get into them.
5. Be prepared. This isn’t a lodge trip. If the weather turns, no one’s coming to save you. Most likely everything will be great—but when it’s not, you need someone in your group who knows Alaska and can keep a cool head when things go sideways.
What kind of gear setup do you rely on when you’re specifically targeting big dollies, and how does it differ from your everyday rig?
We mostly use 8wts for the bigger ones. Some can hit 40 inches, and the chrome ones—fresh from the ocean—fight like steelhead. They’re insanely fast and acrobatic. Our setups are pretty standard: weight-forward floating lines, nine-foot leaders, and a good reel with solid drag. Nothing too complicated. Just durable, reliable gear that holds up in harsh conditions.
Chasing trophy Dolly Varden often means going deep into the backcountry. Can you tell us about one of your most unforgettable missions in pursuit of those slabs?
Man, I am not much of a story teller, I tend to deal with things as they come then forget about them even if they make great stories, just onto the next thing type of guy I guess. Although some fun memories from one trip would be with my good friends Ian and Owen. We flew out in the fall—it was still 50–60 degrees in Fairbanks, so I figured I’d be fine with a lightweight 40-degree sleeping bag. That’s how I usually pack—super light, even for long trips. Well, the second we landed, it started snowing. I knew right then I was going to be freezing for the next six days. I ended up walking long stretches of the river just to stay warm while my buddies floated the raft down. At night, I’d fire up the camp stove inside my tent just to take the edge off. That is not recommended and you definitely do not want to play with carbon monoxide but in a pinch, it can knock the chill off for a few minutes. It was brutal—but in the moment, you’re not really focused on how cold you are. It just becomes a funny story about when you did something dumb. We ate a few dollies that trip. We covered them in crushed up flavor blasted goldfish and put them next to the fire on a hot rock too cook. That was some of the best eating fish ive had. By the end of the trip we floated two miles past our takeout, lost the truck keys but luckily found them, and accidentally discharged a can of bear spray in the back of the truck. All part of the fun.
What’s next for you, Oliver? Any new waters, species, or goals on the horizon?
We’ve got some stuff in the works, I struggle saying I for this stuff because its never just me, its a team effort from the fellas and always will be. But this is Alaska—no matter how much you plan, nothing’s guaranteed until the plane lands where you want it to, then takes off again. Especially in the fall, the weather gets wild, and getting weathered out is a real possibility. Happens all the time. I’ve learned to plan and scheme, but not count my chickens too early. Even when things do look good, they can still go sideways fast. These days, I don’t talk too much about future trips… just in case they don’t happen. Baja is happening with the cool folks from Rise Fishing co and The Fish Ranch, thats the closest trip and the one I have my sights set on for now. As for goals, just to have fun with whatever it is I am doing, fishing, hiking, and I am hoping to start hunting more this year. The start of the year has been great so far, we’ve had some awesome ice fishing trips already and I am excited to see what works out for what we have planned and what last minute things come up.
