2021 Sooke Reports

[Kinetic]

Decided to take the girls out today for 1 more trip, and what a stellar morning it was.
Fished from 8:30 till noon out front of Beecher Bay. Kept 2 hatchery and 4 wild, released 5 other wild. Had a half dozen other hits that didn't stick. Saw the Humpbacks as we arrived at 8:30, and saw a huge pod of Orcas at around 11am.
Hoochies were the ticket between 60-120ft.
The boats tucked away now till I get the itch to go halibut fishing.

 

[eroyd]

Out of Beechy Head about 8 am. After following some advice I stayed in closer to shore (350-400ft) and put the gear down deeper, 90 and 110ft for starters. Two double headers in a row and I had two hatchery and a 12lb wild in the box. Released a few more including a couple of clipped fish hoping to find a big one. Pretty cool out in calm water, playing a fish and watching whales cruise by at the same time.
Things slowed down so I gutted my fish. Each one had two or three 8" herring in their guts. I traded out one of the hootchies for the biggest spoon in my box. It got pounded on the way down. A 10lb + wild. Another 10 minutes down, another. All went dead. I tuffed it out for another few hours. Never did find that last fish.

 

[Last Chance]

Was out this AM, Coho was decent off the harbour 350-500 feet. Better earlier got slower as the AM went on. Small spoons

 

[silver spring]

I was out with Rockfish and 2xEagle16 today and was hoping that there would be still be some coho around after the rains. We were pleasantly surprised that we got fish on as soon as we dropped our lines. The coho were found deeper today at 110ft and 88ft but we also got a couple on the trip planner. Like Last Chance, we fished out from the Harbour mouth and the bite was better early morning and tapered off later. We were able to keep 3 hatchery and 3 wilds. It was a bit bumpy and quite chilly out there though so we didn't make it a long day!

 

[ScoobyDoo]

The coho have switched over to herring which are running mid water so deeper than the smaller anchovies/sardines that they were eating a week or two ago, even at the 150ft depth. My neighbour was running 110 and 150 feet with a longer AP spoon and a white hootchie and limited out quickly - said it was cold on the water but the fish are definitely there.

 

[Rockfish]

The coho have switched over to herring which are running mid water so deeper than the smaller anchovies/sardines that they were eating a week or two ago, even at the 150ft depth. My neighbour was running 110 and 150 feet with a longer AP spoon and a white hootchie and limited out quickly - said it was cold on the water but the fish are definitely there.

Not yesterday, but a week ago one of the Ho's we caught had a huge adult size herring down its gullet. That may be why some are doing well on bigger spoons. The trip planner out the back has been hitting them down approx. 20 on a large green and white glow coyote. We have had the occasional triple headers at depths at 20 feet, 70 feet and over 120.

 

[SpringVelocity]

I think it has more to due with what current your fishing honestly, and connecting with a concentrated school. Objective is finding the schools. The flood currents especially the ebb to beginning flood have been way better. Found that on Friday. If I had known that would have fished afternoon not morning. They tend to scatter a bit on ebb. Logbook never lies. Same pattern year after year.

Good to hear they are still hanging around. Might do one last kick at can before the next storm.

All my fish came from 120-150ft. Nothing shallow..

 

[eroyd]

I had a couple on Monday that hit on the way down, less than 30'. Both, I initially cursed that darn release for letting go but as it turned out it was fish. Hard to have confidence fishing shallow when I've been getting most at 70+ this year, especially now I have power riggers. Last year I did just as well w/o downriggers and using slip weights and 40 pulls. Who knows?

Question? When the tide is supposed to be flooding, why, when fishing off the head am I being pushed to the West towards Sooke? Shouldn't a flood be going East?

 

[Ancient Mariner]

I had a couple on Monday that hit on the way down, less than 30'. Both, I initially cursed that darn release for letting go but as it turned out it was fish. Hard to have confidence fishing shallow when I've been getting most at 70+ this year, especially now I have power riggers. Last year I did just as well w/o downriggers and using slip weights and 40 pulls. Who knows?

Question? When the tide is supposed to be flooding, why, when fishing off the head am I being pushed to the West towards Sooke? Shouldn't a flood be going East?

The tide and current are to different things, they do not change at the same time.

 

[RogersonCrusoe]

Question? When the tide is supposed to be flooding, why, when fishing off the head am I being pushed to the West towards Sooke? Shouldn't a flood be going East?

I've noticed a few spots around the head where back-Eddies form during stronger current floods. How far out were you? My experience is probably up to 100m out and around from the head?

 

[Hot-Streak]

I'm looking to head out tomorrow as I had a last minute opening in my schedule. Going to try at the head and use bigger spoons and hootchies and troll deeper. Anyone fish today (Wed) have any luck closer in or further out? Thinking of starting at the 350ft mark and fish out to 450ft to start. Looking at being at beachy around 10 or 11am and fish the tide change.

Taking my dad so any info would be appreciated

 

[Kinetic]

I'm looking to head out tomorrow as I had a last minute opening in my schedule. Going to try at the head and use bigger spoons and hootchies and troll deeper. Anyone fish today (Wed) have any luck closer in or further out? Thinking of starting at the 350ft mark and fish out to 450ft to start. Looking at being at beachy around 10 or 11am and fish the tide change.

Taking my dad so any info would be appreciated

I was out in that same area 4 times in the last 10 days and i personally fish out deeper, into 550ft of water. I also have found that hoochies have out fished spoons by a significant margin. You'll have to try all sorts of depths till you find them.
Good luck!

 

[SpringVelocity]

I would get out there now. Big weather system coming in next few days.

 

[eroyd]

Glow with green (chartreuse) flashers and hootchies worked best at deeper depths for myself. Good Luck!

 

[Fins -n- Skins]

470-530 ft mark was good yesterday off harbour mouth and didn't have to go deep. Most of the coho i have caught this year have been full of herring. Still good out there.

 

[Tips Up]

Caught lots of coho through end of October in the past. Not sure if the fish move on or the fishermen move on. Less fish around or less fishing reports.

 

[Xena]

Fished 9:30-12:30, 500ft mark, harbor mouth. 3 quick ones 2 unclipped, 1 one clipped, spent the rest of the time trying to land one of 4 pin poppers, only saw one, clipped, spun out at the side of the boat
Got one more clipped, then an unclipped, released and called it a day. The creel guy came by at the dock, took details on our fishing. Took DNA samples sex and length, very interesting. Hopefully, this data reveals that most coho in the area are indeed, hatchery just not all clipped. Xena

 

[Hot-Streak]

I was out in that same area 4 times in the last 10 days and i personally fish out deeper, into 550ft of water. I also have found that hoochies have out fished spoons by a significant margin. You'll have to try all sorts of depths till you find them.
Good luck!

Thanks for all the info everyone!

Was out at the head today with the other boats. Ran one rigger deep and one at 75ft. We got all out hits at 65-,85 ft. They didn't hit the hootchie so I switched it up to a large AP Herring spoon and the fish loved it.

We were in 550 to 450 ft of water. Fished from about 12 till 3 and went home with some nice wild and clipped coho.

My dad got onto a few good fish and had some good fights. He was all smiles so it made the effort worth it.

Rain didn't really bother us as it stopped raining just as we started fishing and started again just as we pulled gear and headed home.

If anyone fishes around there I'm on VHF 68 callsign "hot Streak"

 

[Tsquared]

This was yesterday’s catch off the Head from 450 to 550. 7 fish, Biggest was 8 lbs with one feeder in the mix.

 

[wildmanyeah]

any stock composition info on these coho??