Sooke 2014 Fishing Reports

[SpringVelocity]

Sammy they should be there now. I think main reason is most people including myself are targeting halibut right now, river fishing, prawning etc.... Probably not many trying yet. I plan to drag the mud maybe this weekend...

 

[SpringVelocity]

There starting to show now.....So I hear.

 

[sammyslabber]

not in any numbers;that's the other reason...I pulled das boot...

btw...less fb reports & more selfies...

 

[rook 2]

Sammy they should be there now. I think main reason is most people including myself are targeting halibut right now, river fishing, prawning etc.... Probably not many trying yet. I plan to drag the mud maybe this weekend...

getting at least one halibut every time out,,chickens,,off sooke:

 

[Seagirt]

BahGawk! Anchored up this afternoon in 130ft of water and managed one chicken on powergrub/herring/octopus. Finally caught a hali while recording with the GoPro, but it was too dark to see anything. Too much cloud cover. No dogfish.

 

[Falcon]

I was having so-so success for Hali with Herring and bait scent, switched to Salmon belly and "BAM" I couldn't keep em off - just saying!

 

[Seagirt]

Tried salmon belly. And herring. And octopus. And power bait. No halibut. But fished shallow, in about 90' of water cuz I wanted to stay in the lee and expected the wind to pick up. And I was too lazy to pick up and move to a better spot. Had one hit that felt like a halibut but it didn't stick, so who's to say...Hopefully the GoPro footage shows something, I'll report back if it does. Didn't try for salmon. Snow didn't melt off the bow of the boat all day, icicles on the canopy, but warm enough in the sun to enjoy the time out there.

 

[Salmonblaster]

no luck yesterday either, great day on the water though. Im gathering that was you Seagirt as we were coming in around 3ish yesterday.

 

[Seagirt]

Almost 4 hours of GoPro footage from yesterday and all I noticed was one crab, some sea stars, and one curious seal that passed by the gear.

Salmonblaster, that may have been me since I was still on the water at 3 yesterday but there were a few boats out. Did the occupants of the boat you saw look bored, anxious, and desperate for some fish action? Then that was probably me.

Headed out again today!

 

[Seagirt]

Sat over 110' of water just outside of Sooke this afternoon trying for halibut. Nothing hooked up although I had a few tugs that made the bells on the rod tips jingle, but no significant nibbles that bent the rod over. GoPro footage showed a couple of rockfish going after the bait and one nice halibut that sucked the grub in, spit it out, and never came back for more.

 

[Englishman]

Went out looking for winters today from 9:30am until 1:30pm, when East wind really kicked up and made things interesting!. First time out since October. Not seen any winter salmon reports from Sooke on here yet so assumed there was not much happening and so it proved. Two shakers, no hits, fishing in 120-150 feet of water from harbour mouth to trailer park and back. When we started there were zero boats out there. Only two appeared around 11am.
Sun was nice under the bimini and saw porpoises and quite a few sea birds closer in. Very pleasant day if you could ignore the bouncing in the heavy chop!

 

[Seagirt]

I went out around 11a.m. today, anchored in 100' depth just out of the harbour mouth to avoid some of that chop Englishman mentioned. No Halibut. Footage on the GoPro revealed squid, one salmon, lots of sandabs, and I think one scallop that swam up off the bottom. The chop settled down as soon as the current switched to ebb, nice day out there. Noticed some whales way out, couldn't tell what they were.

 

[rook 2]

I went out around 11a.m. today, anchored in 100' depth just out of the harbour mouth to avoid some of that chop Englishman mentioned. No Halibut. Footage on the GoPro revealed squid, one salmon, lots of sandabs, and I think one scallop that swam up off the bottom. The chop settled down as soon as the current switched to ebb, nice day out there. Noticed some whales way out, couldn't tell what they were.

went out in front of sooke on thursday,got 2 halis,one 21lbs and one 25lbs,,250ft of water,,going out again this morning

 

[rook 2]

went out in front of sooke on thursday,got 2 halis,one 21lbs and one 25lbs,,250ft of water,,going out again this morning

went out to my honey hole today at 10am till 3pm,,6 lousy dog fish,,no hali"s,,herring,salmon,makerel,great day on the water,,no winds at all,sunshine,not cold at all,,,great day on the water

 

[Franko Manini]

I put up Xmas lights... Jealous.


Franko

MILF (Man, I Love Fishing)

 

[Seagirt]

Went to racerocks. Tried a new spot and ended up anchored in too close to a shelf. Current pushed us over it and we caught two cabazon, no halibut. No idea what depth we were fishingat, probably 250'+ Picked up and moved to a flatter area but didnt have much time before the light started fading. No Hali.

Rook, congrats on the two Hali you picked up! And thanks for the depth info.

 

[chris73]

Out with victoriaboater on the new jalopy today - hali fishing on the typical grounds in front of Pedder. 3 halis in the box, 3 more lost and as a nice surprise a 10# Pacific Cod. Great day on the water, imagine it is 3 weeks to Xmas and we had a warm and calm day like that! Can't beat it! Wish I could go again tomorrow but hockey is calling.... Oh, btw, still lots of doggies around, was a work out today.lol

 

[Seagirt]

Went out off Sooke from about 1-4 this afternoon, anchored in 200ft of water. Nibbles but nothing hooked up, not even dogfish. Consolation prize was the nice weather. yippee. I jigged a buzz bomb and did catch a little green backed salmon about 12'' long, that got off without me having to handle him. They were jumping all afternoon.

 

[mhbradley]

Nice work on the Hali, Chris! Bonus pacific cod too..... I see fish and chips in your future.

We tried drifting Benny's with bellies and herring with no success on the halibut, but saw a few boats out on anchor near race and the different Pedder banks... I would imagine they had a little more success fishing on the pick.

Had a successful day fishing feeders in East Sooke though, with 3 in the boat to 12 lb on 7 hits..(two first timers on the rods, so the catch rate wasn't all that bad!)

Numerous other boats showed up to fish the same tack once they had finished their hali, just dragging in the mud between Pedder and Beecher. We were fishing relatively shallow for feeder standards, but that is where we were marking bait, so that is where we fished.

Hadn't been out in a while so I went all out and rolled baits rather than the traditional feeder gear and it seemed to work pretty well..glow teasers and purple haze both worked, but glow had more hits and it fooled the biggest fish.

Can't ask for much more in December..

 

[Discus]

Well done Chris 73!