2019 Sooke Reports

Still some VERY nice Chinook to be had out there seems the coho are spotty now I imagine pinks will be here soon enough. was out yesterday and from sheringham to secretary only 11 boats..... its really sad to see on a weekend in July on a Sunday with calm waters ....anyone who votes lieberials again is a idiot.....

 

Fishing report from US side said Swiftsure is thick with Coho. Should be coming through soon

 

Got into 4 or 5 nice size pinks off the Head on Sunday. Only out there for an hour or so....
50-70 ft on chovy

 

Finally got back on the water today after a three month absence. Went looking for hatchery coho and any early pinks we could find. Did not try for the chinook.

Released about 5 unclipped coho and lost a couple more. Did find and retain three pinks. Lost 2 as well. So fair to good steady action mostly between 250’ and 350’ contours at 58’, on hootchies and silver spoons, especially from 7:00am until 9:30am. Slower after that, so came in at 12:30pm

Good to get out there again, under hazy sunshine and flat calm seas!!

 

Decent morning bite at beechey head area. 45-65’



Am I wrong in suggesting fish don’t swim backwards?? I hate watching people drag fish or hold them backwards so that their gill plate opens. This isn’t helping the fish. Either torpedo them back or hold them facing “upstream” to revive. Just my two cents.

 

what does that mean? is it closed or not? Please post you non cryptic info showing it is closed!

 

Guys see the map!.... http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/maps-cartes/srkw-ers/index-eng.html

So this is the statement I found referring to the chinook retention starting Aug 1st. (The DFO link is copied below).

• Non-retention of chinook in the Juan de Fuca Strait and Southern Strait of Georgia until July 31; retention of one (1) chinook per person per day from August 1 until August 29th, and two (2) per person per day from Aug 30th until December 31.

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/maps-cartes/salmon-saumon/2019-chinook-quinnat-eng.html

 

Just below and to the left of the map is the ability to open the “long text” version of the map’s information. It says this:

Strait of Juan de Fuca

• Area-based fishery closures for recreational and commercial salmon in effect after Chinook non-retention expires on July 31 and continue through October 31

When read in conjunction with the map, this seems to state that recreational and commercial salmon fishing from Sheringham to East Point is closed from July 31 until October 31.

Have I understood this correctly?

 

It’s a salmon closure not a Finfish closure to East Point !

 

That's right. Just a salmon closure.

 

Wow awesome day out there. 10 / 14 on springs, 3 x over 20 lbs, 3 x 12-17 lbs and 3 x 9-10 lbs and 1 under 6 lbs. 2 X double headers and 1 x triple header. Crazy fishing. 4:50am - 9:30am was insane. Then it slowed down a bit. Finished at 12:30pm. 53 and 63 ft was the ticket for spoons skinny g. and 27 / 31 for cut plug. Got 3 fish today on cut plug. The 2 biggest with this methods. Loving to cut plug again. Basically had the whole ocean to my self till about 7:30, then saw about 3 boats, counted about 10 all day.

 

Well headed out this morning for my first catch and release trip. In my 3 years living and fishing here I never seen fishing llike this 5 springs to the boat and another 5 long line released and of coarse my biggest to date it was at least 25 lbs. The best fishing I've seen. Get out there and have some fun. My daughter had fun she lost a good sized one she couldn't real fast enough and the beast got away.

 

Did a small 4 hour trip lost as many as we landed pink squirts 35 to 80 feet out in 300 to 400 ft mark go get em boys

 

Another great day of catch and release 8 / 11, 2 x 20 plus +, 2 x 15-18 a few 10-12, a couple under size. 43 and 53 ft, and cut plug x 3. Went 2 for 3 on cut plug. Rest were caught on Skinny g's. 2 nice crab to end the day. More boats today most I have seen. I counted 60 at once point from beech to trap / secretary. Nice to see a few more boats out.

 

How was the wave out there today?

 

Well done!

 

No wind until 10

 

Thank you

 

Fished from 7:00am until 1:30pm today. Strange foggy day to start then fog lifted and cleared on the Strait but stayed all along East Sooke and over the harbour mouth. Olympic coast had a dense line of fog too. Meanwhile we fished all morning in bright sun and landed an early pink. Then it seemed to go dead for about two hours, then came on with a bang in late morning in 250-280’ of water, opposite Trailer Park. 70’ was the main depth we used.. And a big surprise was releasing a nice teener chinook which took a small pink hootchie, right where we were getting pinks. Beauty day on the water, despite pessimistic BWD wind forecast and rain promised by Environment Canada did not materialise either!