Some aspects of a previously described migratory paradigm for the southern form of anadromous Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma were investigated with seven 3‐year mark–recapture experiments on fish that used lakes in eight watersheds as their winter residence. Weirs on Kodiak Island, around Prince William Sound, and near Juneau, Alaska, were used to capture Dolly Varden as they emigrated to the sea each spring. Dolly Varden (≥200 mm fork length) were individually marked during the first year of each experiment (1989 or 1990), and log‐linear models of their capture histories were used to estimate probabilities of capture during the second year (1990 or 1991). Our observations on timing of spring emigration and dispersal of Dolly Varden at sea confirm observations from earlier studies. Our results support the paradigm that Dolly Varden home to the same lacustrine watershed when overwintering in fresh water, as more than 98% of the recaptured fish did so. Our results contradicted the paradigm that Dolly Varden return to lakes each fall, for across study populations, 14–58% failed to return. The most probable explanation for this anomalous behavior is that some Dolly Varden spend the winter at sea. Differences in maturity, size, and growth of Dolly Varden and timing of their entrance into salt water during spring emigration were excluded as causes of this anomalous behavior.