2019 Sooke Reports

[Englishman]

Roland like Wolf says it may appear dead but remember fish don't bite all day. It is quiet everywhere for more hours in a day then it is hot with an insane bite going on. That crazy bite may last 15 minutes or 90 minutes and then its like the tap got shut off and its over. The rest of the time its one here and one there. The point is you need to be in the right area at the right time when it goes crazy. You can only be there consistently when it happens by not wandering off into the ozone all the time. Yes it may be boring going back and forth over the same water waiting for it. At least Otter offers a longer tack than places like the lighthouse or Possession where you go round and round more often while you wait. But its the price you pay for getting into lots of fish. I'm still choked that the prime part of the lighthouse is still closed because I now have to fish the big crowds while I wait and often can't get to specific spots when I want to because I'm blocked out. It surprises me that when a bite comes on and fish are being caught in a specific spot that many people troll through and then keep going if they don't hook up. Instead of shortening their tack and circling back to get back into line for another quick pass through.

Thx Pro,

Lots of good points. On Friday I was in the Trap for four hours (6:30am-10:30am). I was doing the loops along with everyone else and not wandering aimlessly as Wolf accused me of. During that time I saw one fish caught out of 57 boats (not counting pinks) and so yes, I am afraid I decided nothing was going to happen and then went back to Possession. Again not aimless! Unfortunately we stayed inside Secretary, trolling past the point and part way across the harbour mouth before doing it all over again. However that was the wrong location too, as it turned out the fish were all in the tide race off Secretary, as indicated by Original’s post above. Who knew??! Well Original and his crew did, and you and Wolf would have known where to be as well. Which is my point; you and the experts know which location to be in at a given stage of tide and current. For me it is random but only in the sense I just pick the Trap, or Possession or Muir and rarely Otter, without a particular reason. Occasionally, I am in the right place, but lots of times not. And Friday was a classic in that last respect. It is all about location, location, location.

Location for sure is very important for the conditions/tide/current etc.. but lot's and lot's of other factors come into play with constantly getting hook ups. You might be pleasantly surprised how some more experienced locals may be open to sharing more info/advice with you if you spend some time with them, message them directly, book a trip with them, etc..

Certain baits, gear, fish better at certain times/conditions, contours play a huge part with tide/current conditions with regards to where/when bait will be in those areas for feeding fish to target and spend time in, bait doesn't act/fish the same just thrown into a teaser head, hook placement, hook size, bait bend, cure/scent, etc all play important rolls too, leader length with regard to what kind of bait or lure etc you are using plays a roll as well, so many little things all come into play it's not just location. But timing of a location in relation to lot's of other factors is very important.. Make friends with local knowledge and spread kindness in return will often be good for everyone. Time, experience and patience are the best teachers but help from others can speed some of that up as well.

Thx Chasin,

Some good advice. However, I am aware of all the other variables you raise with regard to chinook fishing and no doubt I still have thing to learn in that respect. However, Friday’s report had nothing to do with any shortcomings I may have in the presentation department, because if it were, lots of others in the Trap would have had fish. As my report said I saw one chinook caught in four hours. The fish were simply not there. You can possess all the presentation skills in the world but you cannot catch fish that are not there. It is all ultimately about location, location, location…..Get that right and you can practice the rest of the list you wrote about…..

 

[SpringVelocity]

Thx Pro,

Lots of good points. On Friday I was in the Trap for four hours (6:30am-10:30am). I was doing the loops along with everyone else and not wandering aimlessly as Wolf accused me of. During that time I saw one fish caught out of 57 boats (not counting pinks) and so yes, I am afraid I decided nothing was going to happen and then went back to Possession. Again not aimless! Unfortunately we stayed inside Secretary, trolling past the point and part way across the harbour mouth before doing it all over again. However that was the wrong location too, as it turned out the fish were all in the tide race off Secretary, as indicated by Original’s post above. Who knew??! Well Original and his crew did, and you and Wolf would have known where to be as well. Which is my point; you and the experts know which location to be in at a given stage of tide and current. For me it is random but only in the sense I just pick the Trap, or Possession or Muir and rarely Otter, without a particular reason. Occasionally, I am in the right place, but lots of times not. And Friday was a classic in that last respect. It is all about location, location, location.






Thx Chasin,

Some good advice. However, I am aware of all the other variables you raise with regard to chinook fishing and no doubt I still have thing to learn in that respect. However, Friday’s report had nothing to do with any shortcomings I may have in the presentation department, because if it were, lots of others in the Trap would have had fish. As my report said I saw one chinook caught in four hours. The fish were simply not there. You can possess all the presentation skills in the world but you cannot catch fish that are not there. It is all ultimately about location, location, location…..Get that right and you can practice the rest of the list your wrote about…..

Sort of. They were in there. A million boats in there doesn't help either. Ebb to flood current change always best in there. Good place to pound it out early afternoon there on day you went. Pretty hard ebb you went into 2. Anyways I can't wait too be out this week looks like great fishing.

 

[Tips Up]

Different day for us today.
Foggy, bit windy and slow.
Never really saw a bite come on and there wasn’t much bait around till we were leaving.

We still did well just not as many hook ups. Had to go looking for fish and we found them right in the LOCATION they should have been.
My daughter caught her first fish of the year, a 14lb white and I got to bring in the first fish over 25 on my boat this year. A beautiful red 26lber. Netted like a pro by my son.

Had to leave the water at 11:30. I bet it was a good noon bite.

 

[vicsurfer]

Slow start today in the fog. Fished the Shack and Head. Eventually everyone headed home and then the bite came on. Limited out with 16lb spring being the biggest.

 

[KCW]

First trip to Sooke ( Sat.) this year in my brothers boat which has been sitting for over a year . Fishing was fantastic with 7 springs to the boat and kept two in the high twenties .

 

[Tsquared]

Yakkin it this morning for 1 spring at Otter. Tried a herring strip but it wasn’t working so i switched to a chrome army truck teaser head and anchovy. Great morning!

 

[Tsquared]

I took my brother out at first light and tried the Trap for 30 minutes but it was dead so we ran up to Otter and had our 2 springs in an hour. We ran back to the deep off Sooke to look for some pinks but only managed 1 before heading in. Are they thinning out do you think?

 

[profisher]

Nope still lots of pinks out there. We had our 3 springs, let 5 go and lost 2 before 8:30. Included a triple (all released) and a double. Then trolled out and east and got 8 pinks, lost as many and released a couple of wild coho that were small for the time of year. (wouldn't make 3 pounds) Been doing the same drill each morning. Running up west early and then fishing back east for pinks ending up off the bluffs and saving on the fuel bill.

 

[wolf]

Im hoping it will still be good like it was 9 years ago when we got some BIG fish in mid sept especially when everyone gives up , seen some of the best chinook fishing in sooke then ,still have to say that this is shaping up to be the best sooke has had in a long time not often you can say "limit" had a day off today and what do I do "GO FISHING" lol took us a bit but got them me on one rod my buddy on other I lost 3 , yes i have sharp hooks LOL
finally getting a nice big hook nosed 25 lber and man it was a unreal fight forgot how much fun reeling in a fish is like ... need to do it more often.....forecast is rain tomorrow which means a weather change hopefully they stay biting...

 

[walleyes]

Im hoping it will still be good like it was 9 years ago when we got some BIG fish in mid sept especially when everyone gives up , seen some of the best chinook fishing in sooke then ,still have to say that this is shaping up to be the best sooke has had in a long time not often you can say "limit" had a day off today and what do I do "GO FISHING" lol took us a bit but got them me on one rod my buddy on other I lost 3 , yes i have sharp hooks LOL
finally getting a nice big hook nosed 25 lber and man it was a unreal fight forgot how much fun reeling in a fish is like ... need to do it more often.....forecast is rain tomorrow which means a weather change hopefully they stay biting...

I don’t know if it’s just my imagination or what it is and I’m not the only one to say this, many in my family that fish a few areas around the island all say that Sooke area fish are the scrappiest fish out there. Again this is not something that can be scaled in real life and maybe it’s just imagination but I swear it to be the truth. Sooke fish are mean and nasty and hate the hook and hate boats even more.

 

[Whitebuck]

Whites or reds making up the catch these days?

 

[profisher]

A good mix of whites a few days ago (had 3 of 5 that were white one day) but all reds for me today.

 

[chris73]

Wolf, I think we are in for a continued treat this late summer and fall, here is why: in a few days the first wave of the first year Sooke Net Pen Project returners should show up in Sooke. There could be anything from 1,000 to 4,000 extra 15-25 lbs there soon, depending on their ocean survival. We could have a phenomenal spring fishery here this fall if all went well. And the next few years those numbers could double!

Walleyes, I also fished almost every corner of this island and sort of agree with the scrappiness of south island fish. But I had similar fighters in Renfrew, Nootka, McNeill or Hardy or Bamfield; what all these springs had in common is that they were hooked in shallow water. You hook a slab at 40' on the rigger in 60' of water, this fish has only one way to go - horizontal take off with reel screaming action. You hook the same fish 200' down, lazy potatoe sack! Here in Sooke we fish almost always shallow.

 

[walleyes]

That stands to reason chris. But this summer at Ukee we were catching ours in shallow up against the banks and kelp beds but I just found them to give up so fast. Man I’ve had some epic scraps in Sooke with 20 - 25# fish. They just didn’t t seem to have it this year at Ukee. They would go for one good run and that’s about it, maybe a second or third short run at the boat but not crazy. Like I say maybe it’s just me and I’m getting more used to them, like I say I’ve had some epic battles with lesser sized fish in Sooke.

Sorry for the side track guys, back on tack now.

 

[vicsurfer]

Started at the Trap around 8:30. Nothing but small springs and a wild coho. The bite came on at 1:30. In 30 minutes we had our limit of 1 white spring and 7 pinks. Check the lines often as there's lots of shakers around.

 

[fshnfnatic]

Trip #3 this summer.Put in at Cheanuh and ran to Otter Pt.Rods in at 7:30.First spring at 7:45 turns out to be a cookie cutter 17 lber.Rods back in and things go dead for a bit.Then I see a couple of good ones caught and say to my buddy that I think a bite's coming on and go to make a turn back towards 3rd rock and one rod goes off.Grab it to set the hook and look over to see the second rod go as well and yell to my buddy "Double Header!" He jumps out of the drivers seat to grab the rod but missed it while my fish is taking line like crazy.We manage to get outside of everyone but the fish wants to run to the beach and he's got a few hundred feet of line out now.I'm trying to wave off boats as he's right on the surface and still taking line.I say to my buddy that this ones a real good one from the way it's fighting but to our surprise it comes to the net and doesn't even break 20 lbs.(19.5)Then out to the deep for the troll home and pick up 4 pinks and a hatch coho before we pulled the lines to run back at 1:00.Great day with a slight overcast and not a breath of wind.I Love Sooke!

 

[Sir Reel]

That stands to reason chris. But this summer at Ukee we were catching ours in shallow up against the banks and kelp beds but I just found them to give up so fast. Man I’ve had some epic scraps in Sooke with 20 - 25# fish. They just didn’t t seem to have it this year at Ukee. They would go for one good run and that’s about it, maybe a second or third short run at the boat but not crazy. Like I say maybe it’s just me and I’m getting more used to them, like I say I’ve had some epic battles with lesser sized fish in Sooke.

Sorry for the side track guys, back on tack now.

I agree Walleyes. Don’t know how many times I think a seal has taken my fish as it screams out line only to end up with a mid 20’s Chinook. I think part of it is the cold water. Usually around 9C off Sooke. Gold River can be 19 or 20C. Sandheads was 16 or 17C the other day. So the fish probably aren’t as frisky in the warmer water.

 

[Adler]

Out tonight and last night from Cheanuh fishing around the head, first trips of the year in Sooke. The others are right, fishing is good. Last night was pink night and wild cohos (released) for us, with one spring lost at the side of the boat. Kids had lots of fun and did some good work. Tonight we found two spring and 4 pink, no coho. Orca came past the head in a big pod tonight too, heading West at quite the clip, around 6pm I think. Wondering if anyone knows if they are transient or resident?

 

[wolf]

Transients for sure the residents are off the US coast still

 

[Adler]

Transients for sure the residents are off the US coast still

I hadn't heard they returned, so that was what I figured. Thanks Wolf.