Sooke 2013 Fishing Reports

[NautiGirl]

Just a quick in and out tomorrow morning, until the NautiGirl smells fishy.LOL

 

[Rum Buddies]

I think any coho in the sooke are would have boogied with all that rain. Might get lucky with another late push though.

 

[Tips Up]

Should be lots around for the next 3 weeks before starting to taper off.
Look forward to your report.

Tips

 

[GDW]

The cohos will not be gone still millions coming down the straight. Get out and get em we can keep one big Wildie each now right?

I got a beauty last week over 15 pounds and a second that size followed it to the boat. Exciting!

 

[Falcon]

We had a great day out there today! Two nice 14 lbs coho in the boat with, a couple hatchery as well.

 

[Lipripper]

Yesterday would have been soggy.. Tomorrow will be somewhat nice.

Suck it up buttercup..........


And good luck

 

[Lipripper]

Nice job... Saturday for me... passed you right before the stickleback this morning on the way to work

The females could be for the sooke (I hope), mostly males so far.. Interesting observation though, the fish though the trap have been about 10% clipped for the first few days

 

[Karma-Kazi]

Passed you on the malahat. I was heading to the lake. Looks like we made the wrong choice

Nice work!

-KK

 

[Misty]

Went out yesterday for a 1.5 hour trip off of secretary in 400 feet of water picked up two hatchery and one wild. Lots of action in the short time out. Picked up my fish at 80 feet, nothing any higher. All around 8 lbs. No big northerns today.

 

[Rum Buddies]

Good day today (out from 10-3) limited out on coho three hatchery one wild.... Let go 20+ wild unclipped fish ( I stopped counting after twenty).. Not huge all within the 9-12lbs range.
all on gear out in deep water from out front to Secretary.... down deep 100-130ft. Not as many up shallow a few.

I would say just the ratio is very high on wild to hatch...... I had to work to find the three put it that way...Lots of weeding...

The coho I opened up were ready to go. Females full developed eggs, and all males have big hooked noses....

Good day. Get out there now guys I have feeling this could be done a little earlier than last year....

Nice fish!

 

[Englishman]

Set out for the Coho today and fished from 8:30-12:30. Waited for a decent day and it sure was a beauty out there. Humpbacks around too, both out front and over by East Sooke in the distance.

Fishing however, was a lot slower than I thought it was going to be. Could only get odd hits every 30-40 minutes while trolling normally. Missed a couple, lost one due to split ring breaking on one of those cheap and nasty coho killer lures and released a small 3lb unmarked.

We finally got a 9lb and an 8lb unclipped fish in the boat by discovering they would hit if I had the downrigger coming up (or down) while trolling. Strike depth seemed to be around 50-70 feet . Something about the extra speed or the lure heading up or down induced a strike I suppose. Lost another decent one doing that and also got a very small clipped Chinook the same way. Lure was glow white squirt. Water was 550 feet deep.

No hatch coho for us. Have not caught a hatch fish since July!

 

[NautiGirl]

Good to see you are enjoying the weather, the whale show, and an occasional fish

 

[Englishman]

I fish for coho fast ... Its the difference ( as well as right gear) that works for me. If you troll slow you get a few, but not nearly as much...That's what I find anyway, and I never ever use bait it spins way to fast at the speed I am going. With speed your also able to cover more water. If it gets slow I do same stop periodically and allow lines to sink.

And for speed I am talking way faster than springs usually in range of 3-3.5 knots... Once I find them I mark it then boom circle go through it again..Over and over....
You should see the down rigger line angle LOL...

At least you got some fish. Don't feel to bad like I said a lot of wild out there...You have to sift......

Thx HF. Yes, I am sure the speed was an issue for us today. Getting fish on the downrigger retrieve is a bit of a clue!!

Problem is I have a very primitive throttle control on my kicker. All I have is one of those "dead man" handle things on the old motor myself. Crank it up, let go, and it rotates back off again, so I cannot do more than 2.5 knots unless I sit in back and hold it cranked. I need to get myself a better throttle control set up. All it takes is money!! LOL

 

[GDW]

There might be a screw or knob you can tighten that will increase the pressure it takes to rotate your throttle. If you can find one tighten it a little it might stop it from rolling off.

 

[Lipripper]

I just had a look at a same motor I have sitting here.... it doesn't seem to have a tension adjustment that I can see?

 

[Dave S]

Might wanna try jamming a toothpick between throttle grip and tiller arm. Or find the spring that is causing the retraction, and modify that.

 

[Lipripper]

Might wanna try jamming a toothpick between throttle grip and tiller arm. Or find the spring that is causing the retraction, and modify that.

I was going to say go Red Green... Slipping throttle is not something I could live with past 15 minutes

 

[Falcon]

Set out for the Coho today and fished from 8:30-12:30. Waited for a decent day and it sure was a beauty out there. Humpbacks around too, both out front and over by East Sooke in the distance.

Fishing however, was a lot slower than I thought it was going to be. Could only get odd hits every 30-40 minutes while trolling normally. Missed a couple, lost one due to split ring breaking on one of those cheap and nasty coho killer lures and released a small 3lb unmarked.

We finally got a 9lb and an 8lb unclipped fish in the boat by discovering they would hit if I had the downrigger coming up (or down) while trolling. Strike depth seemed to be around 50-70 feet . Something about the extra speed or the lure heading up or down induced a strike I suppose. Lost another decent one doing that and also got a very small clipped Chinook the same way. Lure was glow white squirt. Water was 550 feet deep.

No hatch coho for us. Have not caught a hatch fish since July!

I'm no expert but I always troll north of 3 knots for coho - seems to work for me.

 

[Xena]

Fished off the Bluffs, 480-560 ft. Out with father-in-law and hubby. Picked up two hatchery, three wild. Released a couple of wilds, decided to come in rather than release anymore wilds. Only out for an hour and a half! Didn't get my fill, will go out again tomorrow! Xena

 

[chris73]

Guys, prepare yourself properly for a predominantly catch and release fishery right now and you won't feel so bad releasing unclipped coho. Chose single barbless hooks on plastic or spoons and don't use too large hooks as they tend to sink deep through eyes etc. Use a medium size single siwash and you will barely have a badly wounded fish. Then have some good SS needle nose plyers handy for when you bring the fish beside the boat and identify as wild then grab the hook with your plyers and twist it out. 95% the hook comes out real easy and 4% medium easy. Some prefer the gaff release - that is possible too with single barbless and equally effective. Doing this and you will still enjoy plenty of action and know that pretty much all the fish will survive your handling. Have fun!