2023 Sooke Reports

[vicsurfer]

My daughter and I went out for a quick trip off the Head. Fished 9-11 and managed 2 of 6 hatch coho. Also kept a late pink. Pink squirts with short leader was the best. Some hikers at Aldridge had quite the humpback show. It went within 10 feet of the rocks.

 

[tigerprawn]

Ive taken my boat out for the season. As im off moose hunting this week then butchering like crazy in oct.
I decided to not do coho this year as with no clipping done by our hatchery here for many years dont think its viable.

Just wanted to Say thanks to the fellow fishermen out in sooke for such a great year and the good times chatting back and forth on water. WAS one for the record books for sure probally the best Aug fishery ive seen ever.
Good luck wolf

Wolf I would like to thank you for being one of the best chinook head recovery people I know.
It will be interesting to where they came from. As you know there are a lot of NON DFO funded organizations paying for tagged Chinook so wr can catch then.
Thanks again for your help

 

[kingspring]

Any Coho reports?

 

[Adler]

Out for the day today, started in the mud hoping for a hali, no love. Around 10, pulled that up and came back towards Becher, got into the coho right away at 450'. Small wilds, then a double header of big wilds. Eventually landed two hatchery among the shakers and wild coho. Mid pm, there was a CG call on 16 for assistance, small boat, one person in the water, near Secretary. We were close to the trap Shack by then, so quickly pulled gear and went to see if we could help. Someone else beat us there, had the guy out of the water, boat was full of water. Good job to the many who responded, counter at least 3 other boats who came in to help and the 3 RCMSAR boats were there quickly too. Hope the guy and his boat are okay. We ended the day with an odd tangle and another big wild coho. The rod on the starboard side went off, then shortly after the one on the port side just popped off the hook, but didn't look like a fish. In the end, fish came to the boat with both sets of gear, but it was the port side lure that had hooked em. Wierd. Weather behaved, aside from some larger waves for short periods around Beechy, rain wasn't too bad. Coho are here, just gotta be patient. Released 4 nice ones, several others, probably 10 in total.

 

[Tsquared]

Out for the day today, started in the mud hoping for a hali, no love. Around 10, pulled that up and came back towards Becher, got into the coho right away at 450'. Small wilds, then a double header of big wilds. Eventually landed two hatchery among the shakers and wild coho. Mid pm, there was a CG call on 16 for assistance, small boat, one person in the water, near Secretary. We were close to the trap Shack by then, so quickly pulled gear and went to see if we could help. Someone else beat us there, had the guy out of the water, boat was full of water. Good job to the many who responded, counter at least 3 other boats who came in to help and the 3 RCMSAR boats were there quickly too. Hope the guy and his boat are okay. We ended the day with an odd tangle and another big wild coho. The rod on the starboard side went off, then shortly after the one on the port side just popped off the hook, but didn't look like a fish. In the end, fish came to the boat with both sets of gear, but it was the port side lure that had hooked em. Wierd. Weather behaved, aside from some larger waves for short periods around Beechy, rain wasn't too bad. Coho are here, just gotta be patient. Released 4 nice ones, several others, probably 10 in total.

My wife and I were walking the dog on Whiffen Spit and saw the SAR boats coming back in. We were wondering what was going on.

 

[kingspring]

Any info on Oct 01 coho opening?

 

[Fisherben3]

Any info on Oct 01 coho opening?

1 wild and 3 hatchery

 

[Eden Island]

Check out this map and legend - makes it pretty clear, including no-go zones:
- https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/chq-co/20-co-eng.pdf

 

[fish brain]

Whats the mark rate in Sooke? @wolf said he pulled his boat partly because the mark rates were so low. Can you expect to find three hatchery fish per day in October?

 

[Doug]

It all depends on where you fish and are you lucky. Some days you get 10 to the boat and 1 is clipped the next day the first 4 fish are clipped. I find once you find the fish try to stay on top of them and maybe your lucky it's a school of clipped fish.
Here is a photo from Sept 24, 2022, and 6 clipped. Also a photo from Oct 2, and got their limit in 3 hours.

It's hit and miss on clipped fish, but always lots of action and fun.
Get out before Oct 15th or they will be gone

 

[profisher]

Out today for 6 hours and was out a few days ago...both trips were productive. Today we kept 6 hatch to 9 pounds and released close to 20 wild up to 12-13 pounds. The last trip we kept 7 hatch up to 9 pounds and released about dozen up to 9 pounds. Best depths both days was 40-60ft and all fish on hootchies. Today we found fish in as close as 130 ft of water out to 360. Saw one Humpback at first light, lots of birds and feed in closer to shore today which is where the whale was too. Nice fall day with flat calm water and comfortable temps.

 

[Nick R.]

Out today for 6 hours and was out a few days ago...both trips were productive. Today we kept 6 hatch to 9 pounds and released close to 20 wild up to 12-13 pounds. The last trip we kept 7 hatch up to 9 pounds and released about dozen up to 9 pounds. Best depths both days was 40-60ft and all fish on hootchies. Today we found fish in as close as 130 ft of water out to 360. Saw one Humpback at first light, lots of birds and feed in closer to shore today which is where the whale was too. Nice fall day with flat calm water and comfortable temps.

Just want to thank profisher and others who post reports regularly. Very few other sources of updated info around these days. of course we should all return the courtesy. Cheers.

 

[islandboy]

Just want to thank profisher and others who post reports regularly. Very few other sources of updated info around these days. of course we should all return the courtesy. Cheers.

Agreed, it's improved my fishing to read about others success.

 

[ShipDisturber]

Out this afternoon from 1-4pm. 10 coho to the boat (all wilds, all released). All caught in 400 to 450ft of water on spoons. Couldn’t scratch up a hatchery but nice to get out.

 

[profisher]

Out again today for 6 hrs from 7am...a few fish early but no sustained bite until about 11 am after the current switched to the flood. Big moon and long strong ebb all morning wasn't the best. We ended up with 2 hatch and released over 15 wild up to 12 pounds. 30-50 ft was best. Tried 60-90 ft without any hits during the ebb. Not much bait today and no gulls, just a few diving birds. More immature 8-9 inch Coho around today so had to keep checking the gear as they were dragging along not showing on the rods.

 

[tigerprawn]

Out this morning in the Ironman. It started out great lots of wild Coho. Some decent ones in the mix and a few Hatchery ones. It shut down when the tide starts to change and then in the hunt mode. In around noon.
Seen some boats net and keep a few as we didn’t use our net.
Just another fantastic day on the water .
Tight lines and go easy on the releases

 

[Eden Island]

Out this morning in the Ironman. It started out great lots of wild Coho. Some decent ones in the mix and a few Hatchery ones. It shut down when the tide starts to change and then in the hunt mode. In around noon.
Seen some boats net and keep a few as we didn’t use our net.
Just another fantastic day on the water .
Tight lines and go easy on the releases

Anything you want to say about how deep you were fishing or where you were?

 

[Mozart]

Out from 11 to 4. Started at the trap trolled with the incoming tide heading east zig zagging between 2nd and 3rd tideline DR 30’ to 72’. Bite wasn’t non-stop but when bites’ on (or could‘ve ran into a small batch of hos) it’s double header or one right after another. Went through 15+ wild and not one hatch. Smallest being 8lb and largest at about 14lb. Son played the 14lb ho, him and his sis were like.. tail .. damn coho looking. Back spots.. darn it coho spots.…. Gum…. It’s white… ahh… it’s coho looking.. But it’s soooo bigggg!!! That’s spring looking. It’s a spring!!!. I have to tell them it’s got a hooked snout. You can see that cold stare…. Oh well. Tomorrow with opening for 1 wild retention, that should please the little ones. Hmm, wonder what their face would be like catching nothing but hatch tomorrow.

 

[Newf]

Out from Pedder this morning with my grandson. Trolled in the bay and kept one spring 5-6lbs and released 3 smaller ones at the boat. Headed out and anchored for hali at 11am given it was the last day and this grandson was looking for his first one. His younger brother had picked up a112 cm one earlier in the season so he wanted bragging rights. At 11:30 he's yelling that he’s got something on. After a slow reel up to the surface we land a nice 115 cm one. His first question was is my hali bigger than Joel’s?ha ha. Around noon a rod bends again and when we have it about halfway up the other rod goes off. Finished pulling up the 2nd one as it was the biggest of the two and it measured 105cm. Pulled up the 3rd one and released at the boat. Looked to be around 90cm.

 

[kaelc]

Out from Pedder this morning with my grandson. Trolled in the bay and kept one spring 5-6lbs and released 3 smaller ones at the boat. Headed out and anchored for hali at 11am given it was the last day and this grandson was looking for his first one. His younger brother had picked up a112 cm one earlier in the season so he wanted bragging rights. At 11:30 he's yelling that he’s got something on. After a slow reel up to the surface we land a nice 115 cm one. His first question was is my hali bigger than Joel’s?ha ha. Around noon a rod bends again and when we have it about halfway up the other rod goes off. Finished pulling up the 2nd one as it was the biggest of the two and it measured 105cm. Pulled up the 3rd one and released at the boat. Looked to be around 90cm.

Boom that’s the way to end the year!