2017 Sooke Reports

[prettyboyfloyd]

Fished 6-12 today started at trap and after a few circles trolled west. Nothing until possession at 9 got a nice 16 pounder with this guy on the bottom - helloween candy chovy head and Betsy flasher. Last hit of the day.

 

[Sentinel]

Englishman, Is the slow catching a recent thing or an ongoing occurence? Have you checked the natural voltage of your boat? Have you wired in anything new lately? I would definitely check the boats natural voltage for a baseline and make sure it is not hot.

 

[profisher]

Sometimes it gets awfully boring going back and forth over a spot waiting for the bite to kick in. I can understand why many wonder off and keep moving around. But once you understand why staying put will most often pay off you will be willing to put up with a sometimes long and boring wait. I will usually only move if the magic hour comes and goes and nothing happens. Then its time to scramble and search out a quick hook up somewhere else.

 

[Chasin' Dreams]

Englishman way too depressing! Everyone has bad days. I am not sure it's accurate to say all the guides get fish and no one else gets anything. What about rest if us? Look at Walleyes. Guy doesn't even live here and still found fish. Start looking at the currents more and watch what boats are doing and why. I am sure you will be successful. Also stick and stay. Don't wonder aimlessly without really working an area. I often see you pull up work area 20 minutes and then drift away.

Good luck.

Yup very true. I went there for the first time ever with a buddy cause our booked trip to Hakai was cancelled due to weather. Had never being t0 Sooke before. We had no guide. Just got a hotel and took my own boat. Only info I had was from reports here saying where some of the decent spots were that guys fished. Me and my buddy got our full two day possession limits of salmon each no problem and were releasing fish looking for bigger ones. Also left with our limits of Dungeness crab. Check back a couple pages in the reports of our trip there. I appreciate when guys leave reports with pics on this forum so I always try to give accurate reports with pictures of my fishing in return so others guys can use that info to their advantage too.

Saying that we worked very hard for some of our fish. Even some of the fellows we met over there (members of this forum too) saw us at the docks a few times and commented on how they saw us working really hard pounding out hours and hours in spots that we knew held fish but the bite just wasn't on yet. We saw other guys that were there from out of town also and a lot of those days they were back in to the dock early cause the bite wasn't on and they gave up early in the days. We grinded it out big time on some days. At the end of our trip we found that we weren't hitting any good bites with big fish till afternoon so for our last couple days there we slept in, had big breakfasts then headed out around 11 am and those days paid off too. We were learning some patterns there for certain areas in just the little bit of time we spent there.

We covered lot's of areas, tacked different tacks in all depths and contours, threw everything in our tackle collections at them and still at times the bite just wasn't on yet. Several days we worked all day with just a few small fish we released then in late afternoon the bite would kick in just as the weather started blowing up bad and the currents picked up as well. So some days it was uncomfortable fishing conditions but sticking it out rewarded us with some nice big Springs.

Englishman a lot of it does have to do with patience and trusting instincts and being consistent in using tactics that are proven to be successful overall. If you doubt yourself, tactics you use, or info you have been given then you can throw yourself off of your own game. Yes, it definitely takes time and hours spent on the ocean but don't be so hard on yourself man. We all have those days and that's just part of fishing. Try grinding it out when you feel like leaving a spot and keep doing the things that you know work. The fish will then find your rod.

 

[walleyes]

Sometimes it gets awfully boring going back and forth over a spot waiting for the bite to kick in. I can understand why many wonder off and keep moving around. But once you understand why staying put will most often pay off you will be willing to put up with a sometimes long and boring wait. I will usually only move if the magic hour comes and goes and nothing happens. Then its time to scramble and search out a quick hook up somewhere else.

Well all that and the fact there's 15 guides in yer channel giving info and texting each other as to where the bite is on doesn't hurt either Lol.

But your right lots of days persistence is the key. Its not usually all that hard to tell when the bite should/might be on as well. Tide charts are out there for everyone to see and read just have to apply it. Say there is a tide change at noon, one certainly doesn't want to spend all day at a spot pounding it out then get bored at 11:30 to just pick up and move off when the tide change is in an hr, just the wrong thing to do. It's a numbers game really, play the better numbers and you'll win more often than not.

 

[profisher]

I work on my own and not really in touch with any of the other current lineup of Sooke guides. But yes that is a big advantage to the group that share info whether real time or by an evening call to discuss the next days strategy. Years ago I would be on the phone each night talking with other guides doing the same thing...not these days....I just go to bed lol

 

[walleyes]

For sure Rolly, I'm sure most of the top rods out there are more into their own thing, some share some just do their own thing. That option is certainly there for the others to get together as well and share knowledge out there, rather than running your boat all the way from the shack to the light on a wild goose chase guys should get together at times and share with each other more. Then there is this site as well. You in particular are always pretty open on where you get your fish it's nice to see.

 

[fogged in]

We generally pick our Sooke spot based on time of day and tides, maybe move once, stick it out and hope for the best.
No matter how you do, good or bad, someone on this site, often fishing a different spot, does better.
You just have to wait for your turn...like one side of the boat out fishing the other.

 

[Nigels]

Any reports from Pedder Bay?

 

[chris73]

Had a hunch today, went solo for the afternoon to Otter. Was a bit choppy but doable. The feeling didn't betray, Otter went off between 2 and 5pm, maybe longer but I quit because of aching arms. Had 10 springs to the boat, lost another 5 or 6 plus 3 nice cohos mixed in as well. Several other hits too but solo it was a gong show. Had 3 springs double headers, first I lost both, next two I brought both to the boat. All teeners between 10 and 18. Then I hooked the mother of all springs, could barely move this fish, finally after many wild circles and dodging floating kelp islands etc I get to see the beast - another teener caught behind the gill plate! Bummer! Ended up keeping a 13 and a 15#. Rest released untouched beside the boat. Good fun, but challenging conditions for solo trip. Thanks to the boats who left me room few times - I needed it, fighting one spring while the second peels out line on the unattended rod.....lol

 

[chris73]

Oh, first few fish were all on AP Herring spoon at 45 ft, not very tight in. Second rod with Anchovy at 65 untouched. Only when I brought it too into the 40' range it produced too.

 

[Tips Up]

Great report Chris!

Seems this year there has been some great mid day bites. (unfortunately I seldom fish mid day) Maybe more than morning bites.
Most days seem to be getting one here and there in the a.m. but working at it all morning to fill the tub.

Also I have had, heard of and seen more double headers than normal.
I don't fish solo much but that is when I get doubled up most. Probably because I am leaving the second rod down longer while I get things sorted out with first fish.
Hmmmm.... maybe I should not be in such a rush to clear second line when I have partner on board.

Tips

 

[BarryA]

Hmmmm.... maybe I should not be in such a rush to clear second line when I have partner on board.

Tips

I'll gradually bring the second line up while the fish is being played, keeping the gear just below the action and staying in gear but slower. Can get chasers that way.

 

[chris73]

Here a couple pics from yesterday.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Wow, sounds like you had an epic day there Christoph! If you are short a fishing partner you can always give me a call. Still waiting to go out in your new Arima.

 

[Englishman]

Here a couple pics from yesterday.
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Truly an epic day Chris. In July it was all sunrise bites "off the head" in the reports. Since then it has often been crazy sessions reported from 2-6pm in several reports. Like Tips I'm always long gone by then. I think I will have to give up getting up early and stroll out there after lunch!!! LOL

BTW, what is that pink rubber/wool on the line just above your stinger hook.??? Never seen that before........

 

[Aridhol]

Truly an epic day Chris. In July it was all sunrise bites "off the head" in the reports. Since then it has often been crazy sessions reported from 2-6pm in several reports. Like Tips I'm always long gone by then. I think I will have to give up getting up early and stroll out there after lunch!!! LOL

BTW, what is that pink rubber/wool on the line just above your stinger hook.??? Never seen that before........

Hey Englishman, that is actually a pink rubber sleeve. You see them a lot on pink squirts / hootchies and it seems to keep the line fairly straight while also adding some colour.

I think they have it in the Gibbs catalogue as "colour tubing".

 

[scott craven]

It is UV tubing, Trotac carry some sizes

 

[chris73]

Yes, what Aridhol said. I still have a bundle of it but don't know who sells this these days. Couldn't find it at IO some weeks back. Maybe I had gotten it at Wisebuys? Anyway, the main purpose I put these sleeves on the leader between treble and stinger is to protect the mono from being chewed up. The piece of line between the two hooks is most often right in the tooth zone and I used to inspect and often retie the stinger hook after every salmon. Got annoying so I found this concept. But with so many springs like yesterday, I had to switch leaders once anyway because the line above and below the treble got compromised.

 

[Roberth]

Jigging for halibut in JDF yesterday. Not saying exactly where(it's a small area)
7 on in 3 hours. Lost 4 and 1 oversize. Kept 37 and 64
Also 22 lb lingcod and 2 yellow eye rockfish.
Also friend of mine caught an Atlantic off Beechey today