yep, you saw one of the attack subs headed back out on patrol. they don't stop in the strait to resupply but head straight to the base in everett, wa. they do have an impressive adipose but you have to look pretty quick as they are making about 30k on the surface. the these boats are about 350' in length. the ohio class are close to 600' and notiably bigger and slower in the straight. impressive non the less when you see either of these passing by. also impressive to me are the carriers and the speed they carry on their way in or out.
Sooke Reports - Spring and Summer 2012
- Thread starter Last Chance
- Start date
Went out on a last minute call for a 1pm trip with some folks from Switzerland. Flat calm, sunny/warm and the fog gone by then. Headed out just beyond the Island, dropped the gear and got our first Coho on before I could give a lesson. Turned out to be a 8 pound hatchery, so great start. 3 hours and 15 or so Coho later it would be the only hatchery. Fished 60 to 100 feet, mostly anchovy, as I have some year old stuff in the freezer to use up. The biggest wild would be a decent 12 pound buck. They wanted a fish for dinner so at least got lucky and accomplished that. Then they brought up about seeing whales....so switched over to 79 on the VHF and right away Mallard was talking about being on scene. Called him up and he was just 3 miles diectly south of us with about 6 to 10 transients. So I pulled the gear and bombed out to show them the whales. Turned out to be a couple of Humpbacks there too. Stellar day, but really looking forward to Oct 1st.
Rollie
Did you talk to any of those coho and ask where they are from?
I am curious to know where all of these coho are coming from.
This year they have been around since July.
Most years we get a run of small coho around fathers day that are here for a couple of weeks and then move on. We then get the fall run starting early September that stick around and grow till end of Octoberish.
I am wondering if these are the same fish that have been around since July this year or if it is too different runs.
I don't speak fish.
Tips
Did you talk to any of those coho and ask where they are from?
I am curious to know where all of these coho are coming from.
This year they have been around since July.
Most years we get a run of small coho around fathers day that are here for a couple of weeks and then move on. We then get the fall run starting early September that stick around and grow till end of Octoberish.
I am wondering if these are the same fish that have been around since July this year or if it is too different runs.
I don't speak fish.
Tips
Tsquared
Well-Known Member
Tips--I think those July coho were following those huge clouds of krill that slid off the outside and down the strait. They were certainly not ready for the river, judging by the eggs. These ones now are the transients starting to head for their river--much more mature for the most part. At least, I had a conversation with one the other day and he seemed way more mature. 
T2
T2
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The Coho we have been catching more recently have had either good size Herring or small Needle fish in them. I agree we are starting to see more of the big transients and the largest released so far would have gone 13 or 14 lbs. We are not fishing much now waiting for Oct. 1st as we were just having to release and damage too many to get a few clipped even with single hooks. Don’t see any reason to be fishing treble hooks with so many to release beside the boat and no longer running bait and don't have any bait to use up. Single hooks work great on plastic and spoons which are all you need to catch Coho. It’s not like they are fussy once you are on them.
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sammyslabber
Active Member
At least, I had a coversation with one the other day and he seemed way more mature.
T2
Nice!a while back we had the Chinook Whisper, now we have the Coho Whisper. I can see it comming,a new reality series called Salmon whisper
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Englishman
Well-Known Member
I agree Tips.
The big mystery that no one has answered is where are all these coho coming from?? July was absolutely incredible and the peak as far as I was concerned, but the (smaller) stock are still there and mixed in with new (bigger), later arrivals normal for this time of year.
However, from my experience over the last three years and forum posts from "old timers" who have fished Sooke for years, there has been nothing like this coho population explosion in these waters for years.
So again, what has happened? Have the coho stocks rebounded? Is this just a "one time" boom year? Are these all just American fish built by their hatcheries that will all disappear if they lose funding, just as our hatcheries have?
Has anyone sent in a few heads from the clipped ones and got any information back that might shed light on all this?
All a great mystery but makes for wonderful fishing for kids, guests and even old guys like me....LOL
Tsquared nailed it I think. We had an unusual cold and nutrient rich current deep into the JDF this summer. There were huge clouds of krill in several places like Becher Bay. The cohos feeding on krill normally hang around Swiftsure Bank followed the krill deep into the straight. So those cohos we saw this summer normally don't hang around here and unless we see this cold/rich current phenomenon more often in the future I would say this was a very lucky coincident. Enjoy it while it lasts.
sammyslabber
Active Member
Last Sunday I saw tons of fat krill hanging out in the JDF off Sooke. The Coho I have cleaned recently contained 6'' herring and a nice fat prawn.
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trendsetter
Active Member
Interesting. All of the coho and chinook heads I sent in from sooke area came back as "no-tag". I have a few more from this summer that I'm waiting to hear about.
All the hatch springs I caught from Tofino to Bamfield were from american hatcheries. Both washington and oregon. None from any canadian hatchery.
tigerprawn
Active Member
Thought today was going to be a repeat of yesterday. A hatchery right off the bat then wild after wild. Then managed a couple more hatch near the end of the trip for 3. Nothing over 10 pounds today. The big disappointment was the lack of fight from any of the fish today. I even put out an anchovy without a flasher on a super light setup. The stupid things just followed along until they got to the boat then did the coho twirl and that was it. I think a bullhead would fight better pound for pound.
That's what almost all of my coho have done this year they swim to the boat as fast as i can reel. Maybe a jump near the boat but even when you give them line they refuse to take it.
Fish east off beacher bay that's where we found the hatch jobs. Trolled up off sooke all wild.
Fish east off beacher bay that's where we found the hatch jobs. Trolled up off sooke all wild.
Olde School
Well-Known Member
Heading to Vic this weekend from up island.
Any point in taking the boat to Sooke for coho?
Thanks.
Smiley
Any point in taking the boat to Sooke for coho?
Thanks.
Smiley
Hey Smiley
Tons of coho in Sooke. Not many in Vic.
You just have to be prepared to release a ton of wilds to catch a few hatchery.
I don't have a problem with it. I use big single hooks on hootchies and spoons.
On Sunday I released 26 of 30 fish and feel that all swam away to survive except possibly 1 that was a bleeder.
All the others were lip caught and easy release.
I don't touch the net when coho fishing. Just gaff release the wild and gaff the hatchery into the boat.
I am not all that concerned with losing fish or getting my limit. Mostly taking out family and friends who don't get to catch fish much. I let them know before we go that we are going to have a ton of fun catching lots of fish and getting them in the boat is secondary.
Lots of fun in my opinion. Not sure about the last couple of reports of fish not fighting much. On Sunday they were hammering the gear. Popping the pin and putting up a good fight. Had a couple I thought might be springs because they fought so hard. Lots of double headers.
Have at er!
Tips
Tons of coho in Sooke. Not many in Vic.
You just have to be prepared to release a ton of wilds to catch a few hatchery.
I don't have a problem with it. I use big single hooks on hootchies and spoons.
On Sunday I released 26 of 30 fish and feel that all swam away to survive except possibly 1 that was a bleeder.
All the others were lip caught and easy release.
I don't touch the net when coho fishing. Just gaff release the wild and gaff the hatchery into the boat.
I am not all that concerned with losing fish or getting my limit. Mostly taking out family and friends who don't get to catch fish much. I let them know before we go that we are going to have a ton of fun catching lots of fish and getting them in the boat is secondary.
Lots of fun in my opinion. Not sure about the last couple of reports of fish not fighting much. On Sunday they were hammering the gear. Popping the pin and putting up a good fight. Had a couple I thought might be springs because they fought so hard. Lots of double headers.
Have at er!
Tips
Flashers. This week hootchie hot. So hot I switched to same gear on both sides. The week before spoons were out fishing hootch.
Kept meaning to switch up and mess with other gear but it was non stop action with my father inlaw celebrating his 81st birthday so we were having too much fun and never got to it. We were only out till 11 am.
Double glow white hootchie with green stripe/ single hook on swivel. One line at 82ft, the other at 92ft.
Was fishing a bit inside everyone else which was nice for space. Really did not go far. Just fished a small area.
Tips
Saw a few people with 3 and 4 rods out. Can't imagine the dealing with that.
Kept meaning to switch up and mess with other gear but it was non stop action with my father inlaw celebrating his 81st birthday so we were having too much fun and never got to it. We were only out till 11 am.
Double glow white hootchie with green stripe/ single hook on swivel. One line at 82ft, the other at 92ft.
Was fishing a bit inside everyone else which was nice for space. Really did not go far. Just fished a small area.
Tips
Saw a few people with 3 and 4 rods out. Can't imagine the dealing with that.
For Coho I fish my two outside riggers at the same depth, one with an anchovy with flasher the other just an anchovy. I let the one flasher attract to both. 4 hatchery this afternoon and another 20 plus released or lost. 70 feet seamed to be the best depth today for me.
sammyslabber
Active Member
Just out of curiosity do you talk like this when your clients on board or do you just play along for their enjoyment?
