I used to fish Otter all the time but I guess as I approach senior years and close to 50 years fishing those waters I'm now tired of fishing the crowds. I fished there a couple of times this year and the same boats continue to try to take the inside as they troll east. Do they not get what rules of the road refers to...as you approach a boat just imaginal a yellow line and what side of that line you should be on. I get it when you get trapped on the inside and can't find a hole big enough to get to the outside...happens to me too. But to be on the outside and then to try and cross over to the inside...just because a boat is crabbing along against the flood with the bow pointing off shore doesn't mean I want the outside...Me or others are doing that to keep from being pulled into shallower water by the current. Like a plane flying into a stiff wind...if you fly straight ahead you will be blown off your intended coarse. If you troll east in any Sooke waters...you should stay outside of the boats fishing the same depth of water. If you cause the boats trolling west to deviate off coarse to avoid you they have a right to be annoyed. If you are fishing a different depth and have lots of room then it doesn't matter which side you are on. If I'm on the 70 ft contour and you want the 50 foot line...fill your boots...just set up on it well before...don't start on the 80ft and cross over in front to get to the 50 ft.
2017 Sooke Reports
- Thread starter SFBC
- Start date
Ocean Jade
Member
Ocean Jade
Member
I guess those rules don't apply to the boat " happy hooker"
Salmonblaster
Member
Really a little called out. There were pics of two guide boats fishing in 40-50ft of water on the inside of the marker. So when you think you're being called out, not too worry, if your from Sooke it wasn't you.lol
If it matters at all, i moor in Sooke harbour and have aloft of respect of all fishermen including the so called Googans. Guide boats are fishing for their clientelle plain and simple, I'm fishing for the fun of it and filling my freezer for my family. If that happens to be on the weekend, so be it.
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kaelc
Well-Known Member
My "wind alert" app shows fine weather for the weekend but that is a little too far away to predict. You can always tuck in behind Secretary or put in at Cheanuh. 18 feet, if it has a good closed transom and splash well can be good enough to fish in almost any weather.
Agree it was slow this weekend.
Saturday I took a couple kids out from 8-12. Got a 8lb spring and a pink fishing between Otter and Muir. That was it.
Sunday decided to fish Beecher instead. Lost a good one around 20lb off Aldridge. That was it.
Saw very few fish caught in either location.
Won't be in a hurry to fish the Head again. What a gong show of boats going in all directions in the fog. Very little etiquette being followed. Just boats driving what ever direction they felt like.
Tips
Saturday I took a couple kids out from 8-12. Got a 8lb spring and a pink fishing between Otter and Muir. That was it.
Sunday decided to fish Beecher instead. Lost a good one around 20lb off Aldridge. That was it.
Saw very few fish caught in either location.
Won't be in a hurry to fish the Head again. What a gong show of boats going in all directions in the fog. Very little etiquette being followed. Just boats driving what ever direction they felt like.
Tips
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Gong show was understatement. I was out Sunday as well we ended up going into the bay and then far out. Was hard to fish it. Only small shakers for us. Pretty slow.
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It's too far out to tell really - not with any measure of accuracy anyway. I believe there are several places that are fairly sheltered even if it does blow up a bit
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
You will ge fine in a 18ft boat. Lots of areas to hide if it blows. This time of year it's more of calm morning and then picks up afternoons. July was pretty brutal but it's mellowing out now.
Englishman
Well-Known Member
Fished 7:30am until 1:30pm today. Went through Possession , then around the seaward side of Secretary and into East Sooke and the Trap. Used small and large herrings in various teasers at depths from 50’ to 80’ and did a few passes in the Trap itself. Absolutely nothing except a shaker.
Then trolled back west and out in 400’ off Secretary searching for pinks with hootchies. Still nothing. Bit more bumpy out there so came in to Bluffs using spoons at 110’ in 120’ of water, only to get another shaker.
All in all it is really dead out there and even the pinks are scarce. This year we have only caught 12 pinks but in 2013 and 2015 we easily had four times that number by this date. There is something not right going on in the environment.
As for chinooks, I spoke with the Vancouver Island Lodge guide at the dock and he said he got one 12lb fish at Sheringham and that was it. When the guides are only catching single fish, what chance do us mere mortals have!? LOL
Gonna get my old kicker replaced and then give it another go in a week. Maybe something will show by then……?
Then trolled back west and out in 400’ off Secretary searching for pinks with hootchies. Still nothing. Bit more bumpy out there so came in to Bluffs using spoons at 110’ in 120’ of water, only to get another shaker.
All in all it is really dead out there and even the pinks are scarce. This year we have only caught 12 pinks but in 2013 and 2015 we easily had four times that number by this date. There is something not right going on in the environment.
As for chinooks, I spoke with the Vancouver Island Lodge guide at the dock and he said he got one 12lb fish at Sheringham and that was it. When the guides are only catching single fish, what chance do us mere mortals have!? LOL
Gonna get my old kicker replaced and then give it another go in a week. Maybe something will show by then……?
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Fished 7:30am until 1:30pm today. Went through Possession , then around the seaward side of Secretary and into East Sooke and the Trap. Used small and large herrings in various teasers at depths from 50’ to 80’ and did a few passes in the Trap itself. Absolutely nothing except a shaker.
Then trolled back west and out in 400’ off Secretary searching for pinks with hootchies. Still nothing. Bit more bumpy out there so came in to Bluffs using spoons at 110’ in 120’ of water, only to get another shaker.
All in all it is really dead out there and even the pinks are scarce. This year we have only caught 12 pinks but in 2013 and 2015 we easily had four times that number by this date. There is something not right going on in the environment.
As for chinooks, I spoke with the Vancouver Island Lodge guide at the dock and he said he got one 12lb fish at Sheringham and that was it. When the guides are only catching single fish, what chance do us mere mortals have!? LOL
Gonna get my old kicker replaced and then give it another go in a week. Maybe something will show by then……?
East was good today Roland farther down it depended where you were. Take a look at Cheanuh page lots came in today. Agree with you on pinks they are not there as they should be. Although I haven't been going out to tide lines to find them.
A couple today 18 and 15 pounds. The first one before I even had a chance to give the clients a bit of a lesson on the knuckledusters. Fooled me into thinking we might have some good action. 4 hrs later the 2nd one jumped on. Nice water but thick fog and a bit cool, had to turn the heat on for customers who showed up in shorts.
