While all species of trout, salmon, and char are products of cool-water habitats, the Arctic char takes it to the extreme. The northernmost-dwelling freshwater fish on the planet, Arctic char thrive in frigid northern waters bleak enough to turn their southern cousins into ice cubes. Arctic char fresh from the ocean have pale spots, and subdued colors. Later in the summer, after they've been in freshwater for some time, their spots turn pink or red, and their pectoral and anal fins turn red, with a white leading edge. The female shown below displays the typical breeding colors of that gender. Mature males typically turn a bright red over the lower half of their bodies, and have more vivid colors overall. Fly fishers intrepid enough to seek fresh-run char on the coast of Alaska will find themselves toe-to-toe with powerful, aggressive adversaries on par with the more celebrated salmon and steelhead of southern rivers. No less of an authority than A. J. McLane described fresh-run Arctic char as the strongest salmonid he had ever encountered, just as likely to blaze upstream in an uncontrollable rush as to turn downstream when hooked.  Arctic char are commonly confused with Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), particularly in parts of Alaska where anadromous populations of both species may exist. Both fish sport pale pink spots, white leading-edge fins, and outlandishly garish spawning colors. Generally, however, char have a longer snout and larger spots on their bodies. Arctic char may also be mistaken for brook trout by the uninitiated, but close inspection reveals a lack of worm-like vermiculations on the back. The tactics for char fishing are relatively undeveloped. Most anglers are content to throw colorful attractor patterns, heavy with tinsel and fluorescent marabou. While these are certainly effective in many situations, my experience with fresh-run char near tidewater suggests that more exacting imitations are sometimes in order. In the ocean, char feed on a variety of baitfish such as capelin, arctic cod, and sand lace, as well as amphiopods and Mysis shrimp. Char begin entering their natal streams in early summer, in preparation for a two- to three-week spawning period in the fall. Post-spawn adults remain in freshwater through the winter, returning to ocean the following spring. As a result, fish are typically available to anglers in flowing water throughout the season. Arctic char are a long-lived species (about 15 years) that, like steelhead, may embark on several spawning runs between three- or four-year intervals at sea.