Sockeye in Oak Bay?

[habberdasher]

I would like to target Sockeye and I am wondering if I have to go out to Sooke? Or just head out into the straight from the flats. ?

 

[scott craven]

Possibly Constance or Border bank ?
I've never caught one in Oak bay in over 20 years.

 

[habberdasher]

Thanks Scott I guess I will just bite the bullet and go to Sooke .

 

[kaelc]

They must come by oak bay, so I think your plan isn't half bad, just plan it with the right tide and I would fish the morning bite with 4 flashers stacked (widely spaced).

 

[habberdasher]

It might be a good experiment and I am very comfortable fishing solo in oak bay and not as familiar with Sooke.
I dug up some old dodgers for stacking can I then run the squirts with out flashers?

 

[dmurph]

Squirts need the flasher to get action, although another member posted about someone out fishing him using hootchy and no flasher

 

[kaelc]

It might be a good experiment and I am very comfortable fishing solo in oak bay and not as familiar with Sooke.
I dug up some old dodgers for stacking can I then run the squirts with out flashers?

I would keep the flashers, but tangle issues make it pretty tough to run 4. If you need a couple deckhands how are into getting on the water at 5am let me know I have lots of pink squirts. We might try Saturday or Sunday Morning.

 

[cby]

I think they definitely pass thru. As some are trying to make their way to the Fraser River. They need to past Oak Bay to get there. They are not in huge abundance, But I am sure they are there somewhere. Probably out deep and on the Haro Strait side. But yes Sooke is your best bet. I am sure if you fished a couple pink squirts in top water 80' and above in Oak Bay i am sure you would get one. I think Patience would be the issue, also sockeye are generally closed before they even come around from sooke anyway.

 

[tinboatrobb]

About 15 years ago I caught 2 sockeye trolling off 10 mile point 2 days before they closed retention. I would think they pass through but probably not in that close. But who knows,bit is fishing.....

 

[habberdasher]

I would keep the flashers, but tangle issues make it pretty tough to run 4. If you need a couple deckhands how are into getting on the water at 5am let me know I have lots of pink squirts. We might try Saturday or Sunday Morning.

Thanks for the offer I found a deck hand for both tomorrow and Thursday and I will leave the weekend for those who can only fish then. I will post how I do . I have been fishing for over 60 years and never for Sockeye. I hope that will be an easy one to scratch off the bucket list.
Tom

 

[donovan]

I caught them with spinning gear while anchored at border 4 years ago. They were the hitting the cut plugs herring we were using for halis, right beside the boat. So we brought out the spinning gear. I think we had 8 rods over the side between hali and salmon. Was a very fun shitshow

 

[habberdasher]

Well I got skunked at Sooke but we were late getting on the water.
Going to give it another try tomorrow starting at first light

 

[Stizzla]

Squirts need the flasher to get action, although another member posted about someone out fishing him using hootchy and no flasher

I have heard of people that throw on a jughead and go no flasher. I’m not one of them

 

[beemer]

go south past the shipping lanes into 400 feet of water look for jumpers . Get as much flash in the water as possible. You need to get on top of them to create a bite. experiment with depths. They are out there.

beemer

 

[NautiGirl]

Last Saturday I had a sox double header on the flats. 40 ft down in 120 water when targeting chinook. On Sunday they were jumping all over from almost border bank to the shipping lanes south of the flats when I was targeting halibut unsuccessfully. I should have tried for the sox.

 

[habberdasher]

Thanks everyone for your advice I ended up in Sooke the last two days skunked the first but at 6:05 my son guided us into a 14 at Secretary lost a couple of Socks real nice day with my son

 

[scott craven]

Saw a jumper off 10 mile today