2023 Sooke Reports

[kingspring]

Fished Otter Point today with Tiger Prawn. We fished in his new 22 ft North West boat that he just fit up and it performed excellent. The hull and deck space are massive.

Started at 6 and got a 10lb right away and let it go. Then lost one and in the next 30 minute got a 76cm and 79cm and kept them. Then the sea lions came past and it went dead on springs but still lots and lots of pinks so we packed it in..

Bait and spoons both worked. 80 ft of water and 60 ft on the DR.

Beauty boat Glen, thanks for getting my tinner tuned and ready to go, nice fish!

 

[Doug]

Forgot to say, when going fishing always be in a positive mood and it will make for better fishing.

Just before we departed the dock on Friday, Blue Wolf showed up and came over to see us and carrying a large container of two types of sausage rolls he made. He stocked Glen and I up with some and they were great and what a tasty breakfast to start the day.

Thanks, Roy, for the great breakfast and putting us in a double positive mood.

Sorry, no photos they disappeared to fast.

 

[Kinetic]

Great day out of Beecher Bay for us. Kept 3 Chinook 76, 74 and 68cm. Released an oversized 85cm. Lost 3 more Chinook that felt nice, and kept 9 Pinks. Flat calm and warm, off the water by 10am. 80ft. And Wee Gee spoons was the best combo for us.

 

[Mozart]

Fished from 10:30 to 4.
Today left all hook set playing and netting to the two kids. Since there was lots of fish around.
Little precious first fish she hook set played the fish all the way to boat side and son was able to net the fish for his sister. Turns out to be a 72cm spring. They had fun landing many more salmon (all pinks). One was a hefty #7.
Crabbing today is weird. Trap full of crabs but all females. Is it the same with others?

 

[Sam7]

Left Esquilmalt at 6:15, stopped in just before possession at the gap at about 6:55, got into a double pink within 5 minutes. Went through the gap and started fishing possession. Wrapped things up 11:45. played 6 springs, released a 94cm kept 3, lost two. Managed a couple of keeper pinks.

edit: forgot to mention that all 6 springs came on the one side, 66’ on the below setup in picture. Fished from 35’-55’ on the other side with a no bananas spoon and flasher

 

[PHW]

Forgot to say, when going fishing always be in a positive mood and it will make for better fishing.

Just before we departed the dock on Friday, Blue Wolf showed up and came over to see us and carrying a large container of two types of sausage rolls he made. He stocked Glen and I up with some and they were great and what a tasty breakfast to start the day.

Thanks, Roy, for the great breakfast and putting us in a double positive mood.

Sorry, no photos they disappeared to fast.

So I guess Roy is the Sausage Roll Ferry? I’ll be in a really god mood tomorrow so maybe he’ll swing by my boat and drop off some goodies for us.

 

[Fishalot]

Do I smell a potential business opportunity

 

[wolf]

Thanks, Roy, for the great breakfast and putting us in a double positive mood.

Always there to help you out Doug,
As for business yes its a side thing I do in winter now cut and make meat treats for hunters and farmers ,

As for fishing, All I can say its been epic fishing lots and lots of fish the AP spoons are outfishing bait these days .

PHW I sent you a personal PM , call me if you want later ill be in back in afternoon

 

[PHW]

On the water at 630 am out front. Picked up a huge hatch Coho. Too many boats and wind so we moved to Becher Bay and picked up a nice Spring. Lots of fish on the screen there but could not get the right ones to bite. First day to get the skunk off and gear dialed in. Catching at 75-90 in 120-150. Bait and Brads Super Bait cut plug did the trick. Lots of wild Coho and pinks on spoons and hootchies. Hopefully tomorrow more Springs.

 

[Soup Knot Sea]

Early morning launch at Pedder, beautiful glassy conditions. Dropped a crab trap, hung a right past race rocks, and dropped the gear in around Whirl. Had the gear down for a few minutes, then a great hit, fight and a few minutes later a nice Chinook in the boat, 78cm. 6:30am. Nice.

Could not keep pinks and scrappy wild hos off the gear. Lots of gaff releases side of the boat, kept a couple pinks. 7:45 another good take down, bit of an odd fight, got close to the boat and a seal took a good chomp of the spring, but didn’t lock on. Managed to get it in the boat, another high 70s cm fish.

A couple more hours of pinks, then another nice fish on…. Fun/hectic fight, nice easy, gentle net job as it was close to the upper slot limit. Measuring tape reads another 78.5cm Chinook. All three licences filled up. Got out the ling gear, found a ledge (outside of RCA), and landed a nice ling using the greenling hitchhiker method…. Just make sure you gaff it before it lifts its head out of the water and let’s go of the fish… those ling are aggressive, stubborn buggers! One more ling a couple cm under, released, then too much current. One nice keeper dungy in the trap, with about 20 females. Boat back on the trailer by noon.

Just an awesome day!

If there’s a better place on earth to be in August than our province, I’d like to see it!

 

[tigerprawn]

well a beauty day on the water yesterday. Was out in a friend’s boat at Otter. We had multiple hook ups on single barbless hooks yesterday. Do you think we could get one to the boat no.
Lots of jack springs pinks and coho. Look like most people we’re having the same issues.
One of the guide boats out here of Sooke couldn’t do anything wrong. Every fish he caught they got to the boat. Quite interesting
Overall it’s been a fantastic August so far with lots of hatchery Chinook’s. Looks like a lot of then could from the Sooke Net pen
Hopefully everyone is turning in the heads and get information as to where they are from.
Tight lines

 

[Howesoundhound]

On the water at 630 am out front. Picked up a huge hatch Coho. Catching at 75-90 in 120-150. Bait and Brads Super Bait cut plug did the trick.

For cut plug, do you troll much slower than with spoons and teaser heads? Also, do you use flashers with cut plug?

I'm planning get to try cut plug herring this year. Thanks in advance

 

[eroyd]

For cut plug, do you troll much slower than with spoons and teaser heads? Also, do you use flashers with cut plug?

I'm planning get to try cut plug herring this year. Thanks in advance

I believe the Super Bait cut plug mentioned is an artificial 'bait' and a lot tougher that the real thing. I imagine a real herring cut plug would get trashed following the action of a flasher. Probably one of the reasons we use plastic teaser heads. Speed would depend on maintaining a good roll to the bait, but generally slow trolling and mooching.

I have tried it few times off Sooke but find It hard when most other boats are trolling. Don't like getting in the way. Also, the small lings and rockfish gobble up most of your bait.

 

[Englishman]

After a busy week-end looking after the little grandkids we got out again today.

Despite the amazing morning we had at the harbour mouth on Thursday, in view of the calm conditions we decided we would head to Muir, our favourite location.

Lines in at 7:00am with the “magic” Gibbs spoon on one side, and the usual herring in t/head on the other at 66’ in 80’ of water. Had a hit immediately from a pesky pink on the herring. Boated that and upon replacing the herring got another pink immediately, which escaped.

So gave that up and put a big Tomic spoon on that rod and for the next 2 and a half hours trolled the two spoons with nothing except one small unclipped coho, and another coho which came off after a couple of jumps and one tiny shaker chinook on the Tomic. Muir was not fulfilling its promise we thought.

Close to 10am and the tide change, I took off the Tomic and tried t/head and herring on that side again. Had a jiggling bouncy hit almost straight away and I thought “ah oh another pink”. But no, it took off on a strong run, down and away and after a minute or two tug-of-war it came loose. Dropped another herring down, another rapid hit which felt a little heavy but I did not really contact. Time to sharpen the hook and put yet another herring down. The herring was barely down and I was still tightening the line when I had yet another pounding hit. We played this one for a while and eventually boated a beauty fish measuring exactly 80cm and weighing 16lbs.

It appeared to have gone crazy and so it proved. Three more herring were put down on that side and we lost all three fish that grabbed the bait, despite getting pounding hits. One was pretty immediate but the other two gave some decent runs and head shakes before departing.

Since the Gibbs spoon had done nothing the whole time through this mayhem, I decided to switch that side to herring in t/head as well. Took 5 minutes to get a big pounding hit and this one stuck. In the boat it was 70cm and a respectable 11lb. It had engulfed the herring so the hook was right in the throat.

It was now close to 11am and a big NE wind had blown up so we departed. For all we knew the chinook were still there ready to attack any herring sent their way, but C and R is hard with big chinook when they engulf herring like that.

Great day and easily the most epically crazy 50 minutes chinook fishing I have ever experienced!!

 

[sushieater]

We just got back to the mainland after 10 days in Sooke. We have friends/family in Sooke, but have never visited before.

Best family vacation ever!

You guys have it good. Fishing was terrific everyday. I loved being able to drop lines just 10 minutes from dock. I got out most mornings and was back to the campsite in time for family breakfast. Looking to head back again next year!

 

[PHW]

For cut plug, do you troll much slower than with spoons and teaser heads? Also, do you use flashers with cut plug?

I'm planning get to try cut plug herring this year. Thanks in advance

Same speed on bait or spoons. Make sure your DR wire is at 45 degrees. 2.5-3 mph. The bait ( small herring and Anchovy) I was using was in teaser heads. Brads Super bait is a lure that looks like a cut-plug that you add scent to. If you cut plug make sure it is brined really well. Good Luck!

 

[PHW]

After a busy week-end looking after the little grandkids we got out again today.

Despite the amazing morning we had at the harbour mouth on Thursday, in view of the calm conditions we decided we would head to Muir, our favourite location.

Lines in at 7:00am with the “magic” Gibbs spoon on one side, and the usual herring in t/head on the other at 66’ in 80’ of water. Had a hit immediately from a pesky pink on the herring. Boated that and upon replacing the herring got another pink immediately, which escaped.

So gave that up and put a big Tomic spoon on that rod and for the next 2 and a half hours trolled the two spoons with nothing except one small unclipped coho, and another coho which came off after a couple of jumps and one tiny shaker chinook on the Tomic. Muir was not fulfilling its promise we thought.

Close to 10am and the tide change, I took off the Tomic and tried t/head and herring on that side again. Had a jiggling bouncy hit almost straight away and I thought “ah oh another pink”. But no, it took off on a strong run, down and away and after a minute or two tug-of-war it came loose. Dropped another herring down, another rapid hit which felt a little heavy but I did not really contact. Time to sharpen the hook and put yet another herring down. The herring was barely down and I was still tightening the line when I had yet another pounding hit. We played this one for a while and eventually boated a beauty fish measuring exactly 80cm and weighing 16lbs.

It appeared to have gone crazy and so it proved. Three more herring were put down on that side and we lost all three fish that grabbed the bait, despite getting pounding hits. One was pretty immediate but the other two gave some decent runs and head shakes before departing.

Since the Gibbs spoon had done nothing the whole time through this mayhem, I decided to switch that side to herring in t/head as well. Took 5 minutes to get a big pounding hit and this one stuck. In the boat it was 70cm and a respectable 11lb. It had engulfed the herring so the hook was right in the throat.

It was now close to 11am and a big NE wind had blown up so we departed. For all we knew the chinook were till there ready to attack any herring sent their way, but C and R is hard with big chinook when they engulf herring like that.

Great day and easily the most epically crazy 50 minutes chinook fishing I have ever experienced!!
View attachment 96352View attachment 96353

Nice job Roland! You are getting to be a highliner!

 

[PHW]

Just when you get a bit depressed from working hard and no fish in the box—BANG. Late Chinook bite for us—230-330 pm. No love at Otter in the AM. Pushed up past Secretary. 6 inch Tomic spoon in chartreuse/white. No flasher—so fun! 75 feet. Crazy 30 min. Did not even get the drag adjusted and the rod went off again. One other small Coho and A LOT of wild Coho released. Friend in pic had the hot rod. See you tomorrow…don’t ever give up!

 

[kingspring]

After a busy week-end looking after the little grandkids we got out again today.

Despite the amazing morning we had at the harbour mouth on Thursday, in view of the calm conditions we decided we would head to Muir, our favourite location.

Lines in at 7:00am with the “magic” Gibbs spoon on one side, and the usual herring in t/head on the other at 66’ in 80’ of water. Had a hit immediately from a pesky pink on the herring. Boated that and upon replacing the herring got another pink immediately, which escaped.

So gave that up and put a big Tomic spoon on that rod and for the next 2 and a half hours trolled the two spoons with nothing except one small unclipped coho, and another coho which came off after a couple of jumps and one tiny shaker chinook on the Tomic. Muir was not fulfilling its promise we thought.

Close to 10am and the tide change, I took off the Tomic and tried t/head and herring on that side again. Had a jiggling bouncy hit almost straight away and I thought “ah oh another pink”. But no, it took off on a strong run, down and away and after a minute or two tug-of-war it came loose. Dropped another herring down, another rapid hit which felt a little heavy but I did not really contact. Time to sharpen the hook and put yet another herring down. The herring was barely down and I was still tightening the line when I had yet another pounding hit. We played this one for a while and eventually boated a beauty fish measuring exactly 80cm and weighing 16lbs.

It appeared to have gone crazy and so it proved. Three more herring were put down on that side and we lost all three fish that grabbed the bait, despite getting pounding hits. One was pretty immediate but the other two gave some decent runs and head shakes before departing.

Since the Gibbs spoon had done nothing the whole time through this mayhem, I decided to switch that side to herring in t/head as well. Took 5 minutes to get a big pounding hit and this one stuck. In the boat it was 70cm and a respectable 11lb. It had engulfed the herring so the hook was right in the throat.

It was now close to 11am and a big NE wind had blown up so we departed. For all we knew the chinook were till there ready to attack any herring sent their way, but C and R is hard with big chinook when they engulf herring like that.

Great day and easily the most epically crazy 50 minutes chinook fishing I have ever experienced!!
View attachment 96352View attachment 96353

Awsome!!

 

[zeke]

Otter was good to us this afternoon. Got out there about 2:30. Pinks were a little slower than the last few days. Took about 2 hrs to get 4 pinks. Then around 5-5:30 we boated 2 nice chinooks. About 78 and 80 cm. Green glow coho killer spoons worked for both springs.