2021 Sooke Reports
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Hot-Streak
Well-Known Member
Did you just use a chunk of mackerel for the Hali with no hootchie?
Also if you don't mind my asking did you use circle hooks or J hooks?
Newf
Crew Member
Don't mind you asking at all. Always willing to share what little I know as others on here have done for me.
I use a hoochie probably 80% of the time. I use different setups that I'll try through the day. On this particular one, I caught it with the hoochie flipped around on the leader like in the second photo. Something I saw on a video one time and have caught a couple on this one. I had a full mackerel on and a dogfish took off about the bottom 1/3 so just sent it back down with the rest of the mackerel and got lucky. Two photos show the type of mackerel I use. I get them at a local grocery store and is the bait I use most of the time. My buddy uses herring but I've had more luck with these.
On some setups I have the hoochie on the leader the normal way and position it right at the top hook while on others I'll position it a foot or so up from the top hook like in the first photo. The colour shown is what has worked best for me but have caught them on other colours. I believe if they are there the colour doesn't matter but who knows..
I have never caught a hali on a circle hook. I know guys swear by them and use nothing else but I've tried them without success so I stick to what works for me. The majority of my setups have a J-hook on top with a treble on the bottom. I use those plastic scent chambers on some and normally put a few cuts in the mackerel and also inject a bit of scent in the fish as well.
I fish straight out in a general area off Pedder Bay on the flats in 300-330ft. I don't have a "honey hole" and no secret tips. Some days I get lucky, "many" days I don't but that's the fun part. For me, if fish are around, time and luck are key,,,,,,more time out there, more luck.
Hot-Streak
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the call back and sharing. I have just starting getting into Halibut fishing this past spring. We fish the same areas and I have been experimenting with Circle hooks and J hooks.
I am about 50% to 35% success rate and I fish the same area you do off pedder mostly near the lanes.
For rigging I only ask because I switch from J hooks to circle and have had good luck with them. I also did some reading and make my own circle hook rig where I don't crimp a loop around the hook.
What I do is use some spare downrigger wire and crimp a loop that is big enough to slip down the eye of a circle hook and up the back then over the tip of the chook and back up. The reason I do this is because I saw a video where they had a hook on a crimped loop hanging free and it swung free but if you do a loop and run the loop so that the hook can't free swing it will force the circle hook to pivot and bite into the mouth of the hali as it pulls on the bait.
I also crimp some beads a bit higher up so I can hang my large hootchie a bit higher up from the hook. I also put a small upside down small glow hootchie (a salmon lure one) just on top of the hook.
I buy smaller mackeral from walmart they are the size of herring but are cheaper, oiler and tougher.
I've had a lot of luck with cheap salmon belly from Fairway's market along with a piece of jumbo squid tentacle also from fairway market. it is a lot cheaper then octopus and stays on the hook well.
I also sometimes use a chum bag. I rotate my downrigger forward (long arm) along my hull and attach a soft crab bait bag with an old 8lb ball i got for free. In the bait bag I'll put salmon scraps or prawn heads or a mix. I lower it and let it bounce/tap.
I'm too cheap to buy scent so I will use cheap quality vietnamese fish sauce that I thicken up with water and corn starch.
I'm still refining my technique but I think that is the fun of this sport is tweaking and trying new techniques.
So thanks once again for the reply as I enjoy these exchanges of knowledge.
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Wow you guys puts a LOT of effort to catch a hali! I just drop my anchor in roughly the location I overheard someone bragging about a “hali hole” and throw over my treble Hooks baited with whatever old marine life I find at the bottom of my freezer.. my success rate is a consistent 5%. Yep, typically I’ll get a small hali one in every 20 attempts lol.
L
Local Hali Hunter
Guest
Sounds like my success rate too. The Hali Hole is vast and in not just one spot. Fortunately making the effort to getting out and trying is more than anyone else or at least beginners don't have the patience for.
I got out west of Sooke and it paid off BIG!
Fishin
Well-Known Member
Out of pedder Sunday from about 8-11am a few small winters not marking lots of bait. Ended up landing an 8lb spring on my old $40 garage sale peetz reel which was awesome for the dinner table and some nice crabs for dinner as well, was nice to get out and enjoy some fresh air.
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PatC
New Member
I've been itching to go out one last time before I put my boat away for the winter but I've heard zero chatter about anyone fishing the last couple of weeks and I figured I'd just pack it in for the season. So I was just about to call it quits when I saw this last post. I have renewed faith now and will try to get out over the next few days some time. Where were you fishing, Pedder Bay, Church, Beechie? Thanks for the update!
Fishin
Well-Known Member
Their out there, second half of November and December is my favourite time of year to fish to be honest always lots of aggressive feeder springs around I find it a lot more productive and less people out there. Pedder bay, whirl bay, Beecher bay are all good also can be very productive out outfront on the sooke bluffs. Most importantly use lots of glow, spoons or hootchies right on the bottom I drop my cannon balls until they hit bottom then come up 5-10’ here’s a picture from the second week of November last year.
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The Green Bastard
Active Member
Was out front of the Harbor mouth for a couple hours Sunday mid day. Released one smaller spring that was it. Highlight of the day was oil alarm not going off. Question of the day is why did I wait so long to get a hard top cabin style boat, game changer for winter fishing for sure.
Newf
Crew Member
Off of Pedder today. First time in a couple of weeks. Flat calm, heavy fog except for a hour. Saw one other boat. Dropped the traps and trolled from 9am to 1pm. First hit at 10am and was a keeper at 7-8lbs. Between 10 and noon,,, released 6 or 7 at the boat, 3-4lbs and lost 3 or 4 that felt around the same weight. All hits right on the bottom,,,, circling around the navy can. 8 keeper males in two pots. A bunch of smaller males, no females. Most fish on a Wee G. Couple on a Cop Car.
The Green Bastard
Active Member
yes 150 optimax. I put a new oil tank assembly in it recently. It was pumping oil to the engine reservoir pretty good (confirmed when the cap was left loose)may have just been leaking at one of the hose connections. The oil tank in the boat was drained and cleaned the pickup and a couple new zap straps was all that changed this time and ran it from Cheanuh to Sooke and back with no alarms. Fingers crossed that's got it.
The Green Bastard
Active Member
I hit Whirl Bay for a couple hours Saturday. Tons of crap in the water, maybe 6 boats out there. Got one keeper first pass around 10:00 that was it.
Newf
Crew Member
Late Report: Had my Brother in Law visiting from Vancouver who had zero fish on his licence so we fished Pedder on Friday and Saturday. Quite a few hooks up on both days. Most were cookie cutters just undersized. Landed 4 around the 4-5lb mark. Herring aid Wee G was the ticket on both days. Same area as normal for me around the Navy can. 5 or 6 other boats out there with a couple of them fishing out deeper than me. Not sure how they made out. 6 crab on Friday and 8 on Saturday.
On a different topic, I used a new to me downrigger on one side that I just bought. It has the digital counter. First day it was great. Second day you could barely see the numbers and only if you were looking straight down at it. Also appeared to be steamed up a bit. Everything looked like 888. At end of the day I couldn't turn it off. Next day, light still on and no action from the buttons. Took it apart as I thought it might have a replaceable battery. No replaceable battery. Is this a throwaway item and do they fail often?
On a different topic, I used a new to me downrigger on one side that I just bought. It has the digital counter. First day it was great. Second day you could barely see the numbers and only if you were looking straight down at it. Also appeared to be steamed up a bit. Everything looked like 888. At end of the day I couldn't turn it off. Next day, light still on and no action from the buttons. Took it apart as I thought it might have a replaceable battery. No replaceable battery. Is this a throwaway item and do they fail often?
spring fever
Well-Known Member
Yes they fail often Is it throw away--yes-usually covered by warranty. Somewhere on here is how to rig up the old style counters as standby!! always carry a spare cover with counter!!
Newf
Crew Member
Thanks spring fever.
Slabbedout
Well-Known Member
I recently had my riggers in at Scotty for servicing and they complimentary replaced the digital counters ( originals from new) apparently they are prone to moisture intrusion and failure. The fellow at Scotty said they have changed them slightly and the new ones are more sealed
