2023 Sooke Reports

[Hot-Streak]

Went out to the head today with my best fishing buddy on his Grady and I just got to be the passenger and expected a nice easy morning... or so I thought....
Came in late and dropped lines, had some gear issues/line tangles but smooth out the lines after some swearing and cursing.

It was slow for the first 10 minutes.... then BAM it started going off. Rods jumping, fish biting all over. We had fish constantly hitting the lures while we tried to net or release or bonk fish or set gear or wash the deck of blood and slime....

I got worked like a ***** on payday running around setting gear and putting away fish as fast as I could. My buddy and I called out what we were getting and where on the VHF radio so others could get in on the action.

We had at least 6 double headers and lost a LOT of fish, more then I usually lose. I blamed my buddy's super stiff salmon rods and not my lack of skill (of course).

SAM 7 heard me on the radio and eventually made his way over. We had 7 in the box and typically couldn't find or land one last keeper till about 30 minutes later. Headed home with limits before 12.

Best lures were pink squirts at 50ft or so.

Weather was better then expected and it turned out to be a great fishing day.

 

[Sam7]

Late post:

I was out yesterday with my 78 year old father-in-law from Vernon, they came out for a week and because of the water at the launch in Esquilmalt and the winds, we were only able to get out yesterday, before they leave on Wednesday AM.

we got into about 8 fish before we had to leave to do some unforeseen circumstances. A couple of young wild springs, a couple of hatch coho, and a couple large pinks, that gave a fight like they were springs. Big head shakes, a couple of small runs, I honestly thought he was playing about a 10lb spring the way it was fighting.

Now, the unforeseen circumstances happened when I went to grab the line and the small fish decided to do a head shake and the line gave a sling shot snap, even though it was barbless, it still wasn’t coming out. 6 hours in emerge. Almost went all the way through, the point was sticking up, but didn‘t penetrate the top of the thumb. ( you can see the bump) It was lodged right beside the bone

 

[Tips Up]

Went out to the head today with my best fishing buddy on his Grady and I just got to be the passenger and expected a nice easy morning... or so I thought....
Came in late and dropped lines, had some gear issues/line tangles but smooth out the lines after some swearing and cursing.

It was slow for the first 10 minutes.... then BAM it started going off. Rods jumping, fish biting all over. We had fish constantly hitting the lures while we tried to net or release or bonk fish or set gear or wash the deck of blood and slime....

I got worked like a ***** on payday running around setting gear and putting away fish as fast as I could. My buddy and I called out what we were getting and where on the VHF radio so others could get in on the action.

We had at least 6 double headers and lost a LOT of fish, more then I usually lose. I blamed my buddy's super stiff salmon rods and not my lack of skill (of course).

SAM 7 heard me on the radio and eventually made his way over. We had 7 in the box and typically couldn't find or land one last keeper till about 30 minutes later. Headed home with limits before 12.

Best lures were pink squirts at 50ft or so.

Weather was better then expected and it turned out to be a great fishing day.

You talking Pinks?

 

[John Ingram]

Late post:

I was out yesterday with my 78 year old father-in-law from Vernon, they came out for a week and because of the water at the launch in Esquilmalt and the winds, we were only able to get out yesterday, before they leave on Wednesday AM.

we got into about 8 fish before we had to leave to do some unforeseen circumstances. A couple of young wild springs, a couple of hatch coho, and a couple large pinks, that gave a fight like they were springs. Big head shakes, a couple of small runs, I honestly thought he was playing about a 10lb spring the way it was fighting.

Now, the unforeseen circumstances happened when I went to grab the line and the small fish decided to do a head shake and the line gave a sling shot snap, even though it was barbless, it still wasn’t coming out. 6 hours in emerge. Almost went all the way through, the point was sticking up, but didn‘t penetrate the top of the thumb. ( you can see the bump) It was lodged right beside the bone

been there done that.........only with the barb...........when you go to the hospital nurses will laugh at you

 

[Ldub]

been there done that.........only with the barb...........when you go to the hospital nurses will laugh at you

******! I had a similar situation beginning of June except I got a 8 oz cod jig fling back at me from a ling cod’s mouth and stuck right in my cheek! Stainless hook, large barb! Had 3 dr’s trying to get it out!! Be careful out there boys and girls!

 

[ship happens]

Late post:

I was out yesterday with my 78 year old father-in-law from Vernon, they came out for a week and because of the water at the launch in Esquilmalt and the winds, we were only able to get out yesterday, before they leave on Wednesday AM.

we got into about 8 fish before we had to leave to do some unforeseen circumstances. A couple of young wild springs, a couple of hatch coho, and a couple large pinks, that gave a fight like they were springs. Big head shakes, a couple of small runs, I honestly thought he was playing about a 10lb spring the way it was fighting.

Now, the unforeseen circumstances happened when I went to grab the line and the small fish decided to do a head shake and the line gave a sling shot snap, even though it was barbless, it still wasn’t coming out. 6 hours in emerge. Almost went all the way through, the point was sticking up, but didn‘t penetrate the top of the thumb. ( you can see the bump) It was lodged right beside the bone

That happened to me one time with the trailing hook on a teaser head. Same thumb. Except it was attached still to a high teener. Went through the joint of my thumb. The fish almost tore my thumb off. I still only have half the feeling in that thumb. Not fun. It does happen and thats fishing :/

 

[Aces]

One 9/0 J hook in my calf the other in the jaw of a bucking 47 lb Halibut

It was fairly painful and went to the hospital so they could use bolt cutters to get it out

 

[John Ingram]

One 9/0 J hook in my calf the other in the jaw of a bucking 47 lb Halibut

It was fairly painful and went to the hospital so they could use bolt cutters to get it out

One morning back in the early 80's I was fishing at the Golf Course and a father and his two boys ( maybe 10-12 years old) came down and set up at a spot just down the rock's from me. They started fishing and were using up lures left and right loosing way to many of them on the rocks or bottom. I was taking a break when all of a sudden I heard a blood curdling scream come from one of the boys. Seems that the father had caught his older boy while back casting his lure. I shouted out to the father and ask if he was ok and if he needed a bit of help. The father ask if I had a pair of pliers to help him remove the hook from his son. I went over with a pair of needle nose pliers and some fresh paper towel to try and help.
The boy was ok emotionally but physically was not. The hook that got him was a single point of a barbed treble right in his left temple. The hook was set hard right into the bone and would not move. The father wanted to remove it with the pliers but I told him it would not be a good idea.
So we carefully cut off the lure and wrapped it up with paper towel they then left for a hospital visit.
Fishing the next morning at low tide I think I picked up about 100$ worth of their lures from the rocks. Never did see them back at that spot.

 

[Sidewinder]

Fished out of Pedder yesterday, few wild coho and a few hatch, nothing over 10lbs. Managed to find a beautiful 26lb wild spring. Was released and swam away without hesitation. Fished in 140ft and riggers were at 125 and 107. No bananas combo one side and homeland security and kitchen sink the other.

 

[Ruben]

Was out this morning around 5:00am. Possibly one of the most productive spring fishing mornings in a long time. First spring on within 4 mins of getting our bait down. 20+ springs to the boat. Was fishing 37ft in 47 ft of water. Great catch a release fishery. Very little coho/pinks. They are in thick. Good luck everyone.

 

[Slabbedout]

After dinner this eve had a neighbor call for a favor and ask to take him and some out of town relatives out to catch some salmon.

Plan would is to launch at chehanua early Had a brief look at weather for tomorrow and wind may be touch and go for my 16’ boat so may have to stay in Beecher bay to be protected

Anyone having decent luck with coho and pinks without venturing out past Beechy head ?

 

[Hot-Streak]

Was out today with my good fishing buddy on his Grady. His wife and another friend came along since they didn't fish much we made sure they got most of the bites and fought most of the fish. Started east of the head and got a few bites to start but the ladies kept losing the fish. Weather was better than expected and we continued to get bites BUT loose fish ..... finally I stepped in and landed a beauty of a pink and the bite picked up mid morning. We had lots of bites, lots of missed hookups and lots of fish break off at the boat....

I have NEVER seen two women (actually any people) lose so many fish.... we did manage to hit a hot-streak and boated a bunch of keepers. Went home with 11 in the boat (3 of them clipped coho). We could have limited out quickly if we hadn't lost so many.

Most hits were on 50ft at the rigger. I have made up a new lure I call the "super squirt". Super squirt I met an early end when the leader got bit, super squirt 2 did ok, then I tied a really nice super-squirt I called "super squirt III" it did so well I knighted it and is now known as "Sir super squirt the third"

going out again tomorrow on my boat to test a new prop and upgraded transducer so see you all at the head.

 

[Stizzla]

Was out today with my good fishing buddy on his Grady. His wife and another friend came along since they didn't fish much we made sure they got most of the bites and fought most of the fish. Started east of the head and got a few bites to start but the ladies kept losing the fish. Weather was better than expected and we continued to get bites BUT loose fish ..... finally I stepped in and landed a beauty of a pink and the bite picked up mid morning. We had lots of bites, lots of missed hookups and lots of fish break off at the boat....

I have NEVER seen two women (actually any people) lose so many fish.... we did manage to hit a hot-streak and boated a bunch of keepers. Went home with 11 in the boat (3 of them clipped coho). We could have limited out quickly if we hadn't lost so many.

Most hits were on 50ft at the rigger. I have made up a new lure I call the "super squirt". Super squirt I met an early end when the leader got bit, super squirt 2 did ok, then I tied a really nice super-squirt I called "super squirt III" it did so well I knighted it and is now known as "Sir super squirt the third"

going out again tomorrow on my boat to test a new prop and upgraded transducer so see you all at the head.

Can you please change your handle on here to “Sir Super Squirt III”?

 

[Sam7]

Was out this morning around 5:00am. Possibly one of the most productive spring fishing mornings in a long time. First spring on within 4 mins of getting our bait down. 20+ springs to the boat. Was fishing 37ft in 47 ft of water. Great catch a release fishery. Very little coho/pinks. They are in thick. Good luck everyone.

What area were you fishing?

 

[eroyd]

Left Cheanuh about 0700, trolled out towards Creyke pt. and caught a pink of about 6lbs. Last Pink I saw for the day! Fished in or around that snotty water outside the head. Non stop action with coho, springs and pesty shakers. Coho were pretty small, biggest maybe 5#. Ten or so Springs I brought up were sub 10# with the exception of one beauty pushing 20#. Tried hard to catch a second pink to fill my tub but strangely could not.
Herring aid spoon w/ dummy flasher was the winner today @ 55 feet.

 

[Slabbedout]

Hit Beecher early today, got a 8 & 10 lb hatchery almost back to back in the open zone on the first tack

Trolled around in tight to Aldridge and out deeper for a few hours and picked up a bunch more smaller springs and a beauty that was probably 18-20lb in 45’ at Aldridge while I slowed down to clear some kelp off other downrigger

No pinks or coho though, probably had to get out to Beechy head and it was just a tad to sloppy for me

 

[Hot-Streak]

Heck of a day at the head to the trap.

(TLDR - crappy waves, fog, prop fouled, found lots of pinks.)

Waves were ugly at some parts and foggy.
Slow bite in the morning, Winds and fast currents, gear problems made for a crappy start. The guys fishing with me kept losing fish

Then kelp pushed my fishing line into my prop and sucked a bunch of line in. tried to fix it at sea but couldn’t. After limping into a dock for a quick repair to the prop, went out and started hitting a few fish.

Sam 7 called up and we chatted. He told me his son just hooked into a large chinook so I used my radar to go find him to say hi. Passed him while taking some photos to send to him just as they landed and then released the fish and saw it swim away.

After that we searched around in the fog and then we got into them….

From getting nothing and losing our few bites we eventually found the fish and ended up with 11 keepers (1 short of our limit)

Went back as the winds came up in the early afternoon.

New prop and transducer worked well.

43-65ft. “Sir super-squirt the third” didn’t let us down the entire day.

*** note *** we were sometime in some crappy waves and water. I was really impressed with the performance of my hull in the slop both slow and up on plane.

 

[Hot-Streak]

Can you please change your handle on here to “Sir Super Squirt III”?

That is actually a really good idea! BUT it’s “the third… “ not III. Rolls off the tongue better

 

[Newf]

That is actually a really good idea! BUT it’s “the third… “ not III. Rolls off the tongue better

Is this thing a “secret” weapon or are you able to post a pic so us mere mortals could increase our chances of catching a fish.

 

[BCBill]

Finally got out with the grandkids for pinks on Friday. You know that its been a while since you've had the boat out when the most excitement was discovering a small wasps nest about a foot from the captains head. There were only about a dozen on the little nest and with some deft killing blows from the blunt end of my fish bunker I got most of them. I tracked down the rest one by one and managed to finish them off. The rest of the crew were cowering in far corner of the boat

....and by the way, we were out off Beechy and eventually managed to boat four pinks and annoy at least another dozen. Shallow with red hootchies. y