Sooke Reports - Spring and Summer 2012

[Englishman]

They are still a few mature Chinook passing by Sooke. Sunday out with the family, hit 2 springs in successive passes, 520’ water – 115’ on the rigger. Son happy to land both, first was a darker hatchery and an acrobat, managed a couple of nice leaps off the back of the boat. The second spring was larger, less dark and did a couple of nice runs both were mature males. Finished off with an additional limit of hatchery Coho and found fewer wilds in the mix. Hoochies were the lure of choice
All and all it was a peaceful, calm day, with the exception of an irate fisher screaming at the whale watchers, as they passed too close.

Wow SS!!

Springs in 520' of water!!
Your post is the record for the deepest water I have seen anyone put up about catching Chinook I have seen on this forum in 3 years of reading. Did you expect these fish waay out there or were you just coho fishing and along came these two migrants, presumably out of nowhere??

 

[pescador]

SS, was the irate guy in a 14 foot Hourston, no window fishing solo with a really unfriendly personality who oftens fishes the Breakwater who's boats called "guy on the right has right of way"?

 

[sammyslabber]

Wow SS!!

Springs in 520" of water!!
Your post is the record for the deepest water I have seen anyone put up about catching Chinook I have seen on this forum in 3 years of reading. Did you expect these fish waay out there or were you just coho fishing and along came these two migrants, presumably out of nowhere??

Yes Englishman we manage a couple of springs per year whilst fishing for Coho in deeper water. Later in the year the hits tend to be light, unless of course you’re trolling into a heavy current. It pays to be on guard and to have a little luck of the Irish

 

[sammyslabber]

SS, was the irate guy in a 14 foot Hourston, no window fishing solo with a really unfriendly personality who oftens fishes the Breakwater who's boats called "guy on the right has right of way"?

Si Don Pescador,the Breakwater does tends to attract the odd miserable old fart

However I think this bloke was trapped in the Trap

 

[Rockfish]

There are still a few of the big spawners around although yesterday was a slow day for us around Possession. Had a few hits and one heavy pin popper and released a smaller feeder. Also tried towing a big herring around on the bottom but no Hali. The hot spot was apparently the Trap including a 31 lb Tyee. Still a few around but you have to get lucky. Almost time to target Coho and we should be getting into some Chums soon while Coho fishing.

 

[yo mama]

We were part of the gong out on the flattie grounds Hali bash finally of the season. First time I have ever seen someone harpoon a hali then jump in to hawg tie it! Classic for sure. Would of had more hits if it wasn't for the guy anchored 100' away

 

[chris73]

Someone jumped in the drink to hog tie a hali??? Really? Or were you guys smoking and day dreaming? Lol

 

[Tsquared]

"Someone jumped in the drink to hog tie a hali??? Really? Or were you guys smoking and day dreaming? Lol"
I think I see See a new reality tv show coming up--hog tyin Hali's !!
T2

 

[rgreen29]

" and we should be getting into some Chums soon while Coho fishing. "

I have never targeted chums outside of river fishing, on the Vedder. They were very scrappy and a ton of fun.
Any advice as to what lures/bait to use and locations and or times to looking for them,would be appreaciated.

Cheers
Rich

 

[fishspoon]

" and we should be getting into some Chums soon while Coho fishing. "

I have never targeted chums outside of river fishing, on the Vedder. They were very scrappy and a ton of fun.
Any advice as to what lures/bait to use and locations and or times to looking for them,would be appreaciated.

Cheers
Rich

I have caught a 9 3/4 lb chum salmon at possession point in the late fall many years ago. Large red/white hootchie same depth range for kings or cohoes.

 

[Rockfish]

" and we should be getting into some Chums soon while Coho fishing. "

I have never targeted chums outside of river fishing, on the Vedder. They were very scrappy and a ton of fun.
Any advice as to what lures/bait to use and locations and or times to looking for them,would be appreaciated.

Cheers
Rich

Off Sooke you will catch a few incidentally while fishing Coho, mostly in later Sept. and Oct, especially if you troll a little slower than the guys rocketing around which will still allow you catch a lot of Coho. We go a medium speed to catch both Chums and Coho. We catch them on the same spoons we fish for Northerns, which is usually green and white glow Coyote spoons. Make sure you look at your big Hoes closely; especially in the mouth as guys sometimes mistake bright Chums for Coho and you don’t want to mistakenly think you have filled your one allowed unclipped Coho spot come the opening Oct. 1st.

The Chums are great fighters and some think the best fighting of all salmon species. The bigger ones combine the raw power and runs of bigger Chinook with the twisting, spinning and jumping acrobatics of Coho.

 

[wolf]

Still some fish around went out at 9 am yeah I know bankers hours LOL LOL
but thats when the people wanted to go..... just went out front was all by myself at possesion/sec/bluffs nice scrappy high teeners and some hatch coho mind you threw back about 10 wild, looking back on my record I did get a few larger ones at this time last year . BUT im thinking all the runs are leaving fast now but still you have that chance as I did lose a big one the other day after a 10 min battle I know that was a gooder as it stayed down deep and suckhole the whole time.
So get out there still some time left and not a lot of boat now

When I was walking down the boat the other day this "BUDDY" was on top of one of the forum members boats I can honestly say never seen a harbour seal do this!!!!!!

Good luck Wolf

lippy make it so!!!!!

 

[Falcon]

Still some fish around went out at 9 am yeah I know bankers hours LOL LOL
but thats when the people wanted to go..... just went out front was all by myself at possesion/sec/bluffs nice scrappy high teeners and some hatch coho mind you threw back about 10 wild, looking back on my record I did get a few larger ones at this time last year . BUT im thinking all the runs are leaving fast now but still you have that chance as I did lose a big one the other day after a 10 min battle I know that was a gooder as it stayed down deep and suckhole the whole time.
So get out there still some time left and not a lot of boat now

When I was walking down the boat the other day this "BUDDY" was on top of one of the forum members boats I can honestly say never seen a harbour seal do this!!!!!!

Good luck Wolf

lippy make it so!!!!!

Nice hood ornament there.

 

[Sea Ranger]

"
Any advice as to what lures/bait to use and locations and or times to looking for them,would be appreaciated.

Cheers
Rich

I haven't caught any chum around here, propably cause I'm always targeting springs but if you want to catch a chum put out the red stuff!!! Red hootchie and red flasher just like your fishing for sockeye or pinks. And get ready for some big hits as chum can grow to be well over 20 pounds!! they can get as big as the springs do...Chum have white mouths, no spots on the tail, large scales and white edges on thier fins and if its mautre enough it will have 2 large teeth in its lower jaw like a dog! and thats why they are called dog salmon!!!

 

[Lipripper]

There ya go

 

[profisher]

Purple or blue and trolling real slow will take dogs as well as anything. I've taken most of the dogs I've caught in the fall when I slowed down with the boat just in gear while playing a coho...a dog takes the other rod still in the water. That happens often and usually an anchovy in a purp or blue head.

 

[chris73]

Sea Ranger; I actually find the Chum's mouth pretty dark - not white. They have dark gums and a dark tongue and this I find is the best teller between a female Chum or a Coho. I laid them side by side once, Coho and Chum and the clearest distinction I found was the Chum's mouth appeared dark compared to the Coho's due to the dark gums. White fin tips are not always there and sometimes even Cohos have a hint of white tips. Since then I look into the salmons mouth beside the boat when trying to figure out Coho or Chum. It's only happened a few times that I had to go that far, often enough you would catch a male Chum or see some shimmering stripes that will give it away anyway. But I would not look for a white mouth.

 

[scott craven]

Chum jaw
from the DFO website

 

[chris73]

Looks a lot darker in reality I find. The fish was probably already dead for hours and paled by the the time they shot this photo. Or even better, came from one of DFO's favourite salmon farm! Lol

 

[wolf]

Also look for a bigger eye like a sockeyes and the jaw goes past its eye further back and of course look for the bars they may be faint or you will notice right away also they were called dog salmon becuae thats what the natives fed there dogs me personally great smokers and bbg fish nothing wrong with them, and ill take a chum fight anyday!!! they rock...