Sooke River Estuary- Chum salmon fishing timing

[NautiGirl]

I have fly fished for chum around the bridge and buzz bombed below in mid to late October, but is it too early now to fish the estuary? Are there still chinook coming in? I know the harbour is closed for chinook, but are when are they likely gone from the billings spit/estuary? I'd like to cast some spoons and flies and perhaps see if some of my old spin and glow gear would catch some chum before they turn to dogs or coho if they are around. Anyone out there yet, or does everyone leave them alone while it is late chinook and early chum spawning time?

I know there are cutties down there as well to keep a guy busy.

 

[Lipripper]

They are there now... Not much at the campsite and nothing above that. Lot of fish in the Basin...(Chums,coho and springs)

 

[Englishman]

Been past Billings three or four time in past 10 days and there is always two or three anglers there. Saw fish jumping as well. I think most anglers throw various jigs and buzz bombs. (When I last fished there three years ago there was also someone snagging Chum. He had a jig with a treble at the front as well as the rear and it was that hook which snagged the fish as it went over the fishes back. I did say something but the looks I got from the others there and the comments about this guy being "a good fisherman" made me feel somewhat unwelcome. I have never been back!!)

 

[yo mama]

they start up the estuary in the first week of Oct in small numbers starts peaking from mid to late Oct.

 

[NautiGirl]

Spin and glows

Thanks for the info guys. Does anyone ever use a steelhead set up with spin and glows like the use up on the skeena river? I have a half tackle box full of them and the lead I used to fish up north.

 

[yo mama]

Its fly fishing only above the bridge and not really enough current below to pull it off.

 

[NautiGirl]

Thanks Yo Mama. I'll dig out the fly gear, Kitimat and Coho spoons then.

 

[Kildonan]

He had a jig with a treble at the front as well as the rear and it was that hook which snagged the fish as it went over the fishes back. I did say something but the looks I got from the others there and the comments about this guy being "a good fisherman" made me feel somewhat unwelcome. I have never been back!!)

Sadly, this what you describe, is standard operating procedure on Billing's Spit.

I have seen pieces of copper pipe as a weight with twin trebles attached as a "lure". It's ugly there at times.

 

[Lipripper]

Sadly, this what you describe, is standard operating procedure on Billing's Spit.

I have seen pieces of copper pipe as a weight with twin trebles attached as a "lure". It's ugly there at times.

The guy with the bike and the cowboy hat is the worst(seen him tagged a few times)... Other than that, its people that can.

Fished by myself tonight............... I caught 0

 

[NautiGirl]

The Sooke Salt report says there are some tight schools of chum moving in. These rains should draw them in and move some more coho in as well. Fishing in the pissing rain sure separates the summer boaters/boat ramp clown from those addicted to fishing. I hope to get out there this weekend. Fishing after work is unfortunaley not an option with the Colwood crawl etc.

 

[NautiGirl]

Out yesterday late afternoon until sunset. No bites. Tried spoons, salmon jigs, bobber and roe, and spin and glow with roe. Lots of seaweed cominng downriver. Damn large seal kept hunting right across back and forth. That's likely why no one reported catching anything all day. There was about seven guys out using fly gear, and all of the above.

 

[Lipripper]

Yeah..... It was in the face..............

 

[NautiGirl]

Nice. Good to see some of that. I am chomping at the bit with guests in town all weekend and hockey tournament, rugby practice etc.

I had a friend recently give me an old custom made fibreglass 10'6'' two handed switch fly rod that was his grandfathers in the early 1980's. The tip was broken, but she still casts. It will be fixed and ready for this Friday. It'll either get the TFO Pacific Moocher on it to troll for some coho, or I'll take the waders and go flail with it down on the river and try some different reels and line combo's on it to test it out and get a feel for it on the water.

Aside from the great looking fish, is the river filling up a bit now that it's mid-month?

 

[NautiGirl]

And should I keep an eye out for the smoking baby when I am down there? LOL

 

[Lipripper]

There was a tonne at the campsite.... I only fished it for a short time then went back to the other side. I might have a look Monday or Tuesday

 

[junho]

Afternoon everyone,

I'm new to sportfishingbc.com so a quick hello to everyone first of all. I live in the CRD and am finding that life just keeps getting busier as I get older, and fishing is a great way to de-stress. I've done mostly lake fishing before, but would really like to get out there to catch some salmon.

I've seen a couple threads on different forums about salmon fishing the Sooke River, but I can't find anything about it in the fishing regulation book.

First question, can you retain salmon that's caught on the Sooke River? It's just that I've read on a few other forums about people poaching salmon on the Sooke River, but it's not clear if what they are doing is considered poaching because they're keeping it or because they're using methods of fishing that are not allowed on the Sooke River.

Which brings me to my next question. I know that fly fishing is allowed, but I also read on a website that you can also drift fish? Like I said, I'm new to river fishing so I don't even know what drift fishing means. I just want to be sure that I am respecting the rules and that I'm acting in a way that preserves the population of fishery for years to come.

That brings me to my last question and as with any fishing hole, are there any unspoken rules for river fishing or for the Sooke River in particular? Aside from obvious things like respecting nature and leaving a minimal footprint.

Thanks in advance everyone. Look forward to checking this site out more often and learning from everyone.

J

 

[Lipripper]

Below the Sooke river bridge saltwater regulations apply and you can retain salmon with a salt license and stamp.

Above the bridge is fresh water regulations and fly fishing only from Sept 15th till Nov 30th (I believe) and there is no retention of salmon

As for that fishery its a kinda get in where you fit in and have at 'er. Follow the regs and respect others

 

[NautiGirl]

Well put Lipripper. I think there is still a chinook salmon closure on the saltwater side, but the coho and chum salmon are open. Junho- just drive out Sooke road, turn left at Kaltasin Rd, drive to the end of the road and there is an odd vacant lot in the trees at the end. Park in there, walk down the beach to the left downriver and start casting spoons, or spinners, or even some roe under a float might do it. Fly casting is also doable along there or upriver of the bridge. The salmon move in on the rising/high tide and hold in the estuary or under the bridge in the deep water, then they head upriver after/during a heavy rain when the water levels go up and they smell a rush of fresh water.

 

[junho]

Thanks Lipripper and NautiGirl!

That's exactly the information I was looking for. So upriver, is catch and release fishing of salmon allowed or is the point to strictly avoid targeting salmon altogether? What other types of fish are upriver and what are we allowed to retain?

Thanks again, I look forward to checking the area out. Hopefully I get out there soon. Visiting my parents on the mainland this weekend and gonna sneak away Sunday morning to go for some Coho in Chilliwack. Hope I have some luck there!

 

[NautiGirl]

This time of year it is usually C&R flyfishing only (no hardware) upstream of the bridge, but you would need to check the regfulations and the in season notices. There are usually some posted near the bridge. There are searun cutthroat around the estuary and near the bridge. I am not sure what the regs say on those. I think it is C&R.

Here is a local resource with some basic info on shore fishing around victoria http://shorecaster.bizhosting.com/home.html