2021 Sooke Reports

[profisher]

Today's fishing rivaled the best I've seen anywhere on the west coast of the Island and only 3 -4 boats there. Both morning and afternoon trips started with doubles before I could even get a quick lesson in for the customers...so it was fly by the seat of your pants time. It never stopped. I lost count but we had over 20 sprigs to the boat and lost another dozen for the day. Biggest would have gone 26-27 then one maybe 20-21 and the rest teenagers. Pinks were mixed in and we quickly boated our 7 with 1 hatch coho and moved in closer to shore to try and get clear of them. Springs were 25-35 ft in 50 ft of water. Skinny G's were working just as good as the one rod rigged with anchovie. Sounder showed them stacked in big numbers and the rods proved it right. Nice calm day all day. 7 nice Dungys to finish off the day.

 

[Stizzla]

We were doing not quite as well off Beechy head. For us the chovies we’re doing better then spoons. A few teens and a few 10ish.

unlimited pinks if that’s what your heart desires. This was enough for us in about 15 minutes.


fog stayed clear and morning chop flattened out. A VERY nice day with the @Original

 

[Slabbedout]

Just checked the weather and looks like 20kn west winds and a slow flood most of the day for the east sooke area. My thought is wind should be going with tide ?

Curious what people’s thoughts are for water conditions and fishabailty for a 16’ aluminum ? I have traditionally avoided anything over 10-15kn and never really paid attention to wind direction vs tides. I know that some days I wish I had gone when I figured it would be rough.

looking for input on what wind speed/ directions are good with what tide directions or vise versa

Like most, my boat is begging me to get out and get some blood on it.

 

[profisher]

Out again today and what a difference a day can make. Bumpy ride up to Otter and even worse once I got there. Nasty slop from current making washing machine conditions. Pinks were way to thick and bait wasn't an option. Managed to find a 15 and 7 pound spring for some fun on the rods for the guests....but no big numbers like yesterday. Released a couple wild coho as well. Went out again at 1pm and the water had laid right down and was nice until we finished at 4:30 with our 16 pinks. Released a nice sockeye on the afternoon trip..only the 2nd of the year so far.

 

[Xena]

Fished 7:30 to 10:30. Went with Father in law. Lumpy and busy at Possession Point so we headed for the Trap Shack. Father in law got the first fish, bbq spring. Hubby got the fish of the day, 80cm, fat female, full of runs, very exciting! It was my turn but the bite died and we picked up a couple of pinks and decided to call it. Time to get the canner out!

 

[profisher]

Nicer day today up west but a frustrating one. Had 5 springs to the boat, 3 over the slot size by a lot including a 23-24 pound hatchery and a couple under wilds. Lost 2 more we never saw. Released 3 nice sockeye and a wild coho and kept 6 pinks. Going to be almost impossible to get long time customers to continue visiting Sooke to fish with all the money they put up and they can't keep the fish that make it worthwhile for them.

 

[wolf]

GREAT day of fishing 2 for 4 on springs a 17 and a 11 lber both fish were hatchery and already turning darker???? and a whack of pinks guys thought it was again great fishing they a have been with me for 8 years now.. used to go in the SSE derby which he won the seniors division, they understand the way Government works (backwards)!!!!
He brought out his longstone to fish and of course YEAH !!!! the sound of them reels screaming line is awesome and even better when they whack the knuckles LOL LOL. keeping it positive and real!!

Good luck Wolf

 

[BigBird007]

Man it’s fun out on the water right now!

4 rookies with me today and for the first hour no one sat down, pink after pink after pink!!! Let go a couple beautiful sockeye later in the morning. Then our persistence paid off with 16lb spring 79cm “bonk”. Put the one line back down and made it 100 feet and had another screamer on that got long distance released. Young guy with us felt bad about loosing it but it’s all part of the game!

Back out Tuesday with my kids!

 

[Whole in the Water]

Great day of fishing for us too at Otter Point. Lines in the water before sunrise and by 7:30 we had 5 good sized springs to the boat, 4 of which were hatchery fish (Hopefully some were from the SVIAC Sooke Sea Pen project! - the returned heads will tell)
Released a beautiful chrome wild spring close to 30 lbs. . Fish ran so hard my buddy got a blister on his palm, thought we had bottom for a second it was pulling so hard! Had a few pinks on and some undersized springs and coho later on. All fish caught on skinny G spoons.

 

[Ruben]

Hey guys, I’ve been fixin‘ to take the kiddos out fishing but the forecast has been nothing but wind. Is it actually blowing 35kn out there in the afternoon? How was It out there this morning? Forecast is saying 35kn overnight and 15kn in the morning.

 

[gone fishin]

.Going to be almost impossible to get long time customers to continue visiting Sooke to fish with all the money they put up and they can't keep the fish that make it worthwhile for them.

Your posts are great Profisher, but sportfishing is about the experience, not about catching enough salmon to pay for the charter.
All that work you and others put in on the Sooke River hatchery and now it's coming on line and you can't catch them...go figure.
I am guessing you feel the same way cause I believe you are a class act, but too bad some fishers continue to measure their success in pounds taken home.

 

[profisher]

Your posts are great Profisher, but sportfishing is about the experience, not about catching enough salmon to pay for the charter.
All that work you and others put in on the Sooke River hatchery and now it's coming on line and you can't catch them...go figure.
I am guessing you feel the same way cause I believe you are a class act, but too bad some fishers continue to measure their success in pounds taken home.

I don't think any of my customers expect to catch enough pounds to pay for the charter but they know that by fishing elsewhere they have better odds of bringing more desirable fish home. People will pay good money even when the limits are restrictive...but reasonable....case in poit paying $6000 a head to fish Haida Gwaii.

 

[Jama]

Hey guys, I’ve been fixin‘ to take the kiddos out fishing but the forecast has been nothing but wind. Is it actually blowing 35kn out there in the afternoon? How was It out there this morning? Forecast is saying 35kn overnight and 15kn in the morning.

I was out the last 2 mornings from Sooke Harbour and it was definitely blowing 30. On shore there wasn’t even a breath of wind but it was pretty lumpy on the water.

 

[Ruben]

I was out the last 2 mornings from Sooke Harbour and it was definitely blowing 30. On shore there wasn’t even a breath of wind but it was pretty lumpy on the water.

Thank you, really appreciate it.

 

[SpringVelocity]

So glad to see this thread revived again. Happy for u guys. Will be down there this week hopefully. Missing out west first light fishery...
Just reminder for guys to turn in hatchery heads especially with netpen in place.

 

[wildmanyeah]

I don't think any of my customers expect to catch enough pounds to pay for the charter but they know that by fishing elsewhere they have better odds of bringing more desirable fish home. People will pay good money even when the limits are restrictive...but reasonable....case in poit paying $6000 a head to fish Haida Gwaii.

yep sell your boat and limit your self to a few times out a year with a guide. Now think about when and where you want to fish.

When you own a boat and can go out when every you want catch and release in June is fun you know you can get out later in the season for slotters in august . Maybe get some tanks late season. Pinks in summer, coho in fall yep good times.

for a guy that does not own a boat and does not have all that opportunity and looking to max their experience it’s different

 

[wolf]

Another awesome day in sooke was a bit lumpy going out but doable first pass whap spring on nice the sound of that longstone peeling line is so nice guy who playing the fish is like holy crap its burning my hand LOL LOL, Im think oh great a over size!!! after a good battle it comes up and im like hhhmmm weird thought it was goanna be bigger then I notice its hooked on top of the head hence why the big runs but still a nice fat 14 lber and again another hatchery!!!!! "bonk" then the pink came omg they were insane got what wanted and looked for more springs then top rod with the AP spoon bluewolf anchovie goes off its twin comes to boat 29 feet on rigger. 2 other hit and misses . guys had a great 2 days and going home with great memories once again and lots of fish to take home!!!!
Good luck Wolf

 

[Newf]

Fished Pedder from 7:30 until 2 pm. By 8:30 we had 2 small clipped springs,,5 and 6 lbs. I wasn’t going to keep mine but my buddy talked me into keeping it. Went out deeper for pinks but didn’t get any. Hooked a couple of fish that didn’t stick so assume they were pinks. Trolled back in and hooked a spring tight to shore. Another clipped one and it measured 79cm as best I could tell with my stick. I’d be lying to say I wasn’t tempted to toss the small one and keep it but I released it at the boat hoping the fish gods will remember and hook me up next time out.

 

[profisher]

For the 2nd time in a week and first time in years I've had 2 groups not show up for their charter and no phone call to cancel. At least this time I decided to sleep in when they never answered my texts or phone call last night...so didn't waste anymore time and fuel driving to Sooke at 4am like the 1st time. Met my 1pm crew dropped 2 crab traps then ran up west and started with an over 90cm (23-24 pounds) released then a double of 17 and 14 pound keepers,,,,first pass done. Shortened 2nd pass was another double of 16 and 7 pound springs..2:10pm Lasted another 40 mins fishing for pinks but had a young guy down saying he couldn't take it any longer and sleeping it off wasn't working. Back at the dock by 3:20 with limit of 4 springs and 4 crab. Skinny G and anchovies...back to fishing some bait because the pinks haven't been to thick in tight to the beach the last 2 days.

 

[jeffywestcoast]

fished sooke for the first time in the Tinny, threw back a bunch of barely legals and lost one screamer
that spit the hook. Lots
of pinks, never retained anything but had a great day on the water and exploring the new territory. deepsixed a scotty gaff out there today , incase anyone found one floating out there , your welcone ‍