Sooke Reports - Fall and Winter 2011/2012

[Little Hawk]

Bravo English! You have come of age.
This summer a 'Tyee' will be yours my man!

(if you still have a copy of the May 02' edition of BC Outdoors, you'll find my salmon-farming article in there)

 

[Englishman]

"great read englishman, see you on the water"

THx Rook. Yep, see you out there

"Great Article English, I think we sometimes forget how lucky we are to have such a great fishery in Sooke , even though it is slow on somedays ,there is always a chance that your Rod will bounce. Keep fishing, even a Day without fish is a success in my opinion, Driller"

Very much agree with your last point, Driller. Since hitting 60 I appreciate more how every day out there is to be experienced and felt for its own sake.

"Great read English, thanks for sharing! I'll always remember my first big Chinook, it was up off Dundas Island north of Rupert...40lbs. Pulling in one of those big hogs is an incredible experience!"

Sounds great Falcon. Doubt I shall ever hit those heights but a man can dream......LOL

"Bravo English! You have come of age.
This summer a 'Tyee' will be yours my man!

(if you still have a copy of the May 02' edition of BC Outdoors, you'll find my salmon-farming article in there)"

Thx Little Hawk. I'm keeping my expectations in check and hoping for small steps at a time. My next step is to catch two summer Chinook off Sooke in a single trip. The Tyee is a little way off yet.......LOL
I shall look for your article. I have all my magazines filed......

 

[Highliner]

Great story Englishman. A great reminder of what it's all about. There's nothing more enjoyable than sticking with it and being rewarded with a fish of a lifetime. Thanks for posting.

 

[trophy2005]

A quick report. Fished far to the west and got are limit of salmon in short order. 4 salmon biggest going 16 pounds all on hootchies. They are out there, we were limited out before 10 am but it was a little choppy coming back!

 

[KCW]

Englishman Great story, Renfrew , Port Alberni, Nootka next.

 

[Doug]

We fished from the Sooke bluffs to Otter Point today for salmon today.

Big Wave Dave forecast at 0530 hrs was wind of 5 to 10 at Gordon's beach was wrong. The winds were SW 15+ with 3+-foot wind waves.

We had 7 fish on and landed three fish in the 24" size. The fish are still on bottom and squirts and anchovies worked at a depth of 140'. We fished from 730 to 1030.

The trip back to Vic from Sooke was a killer. Over an hour wait for road construction at the 17 mile Tire area. Hopefully it's over soon.

 

[Theb55]

Out Hali fishing off Spoke today. Blowing but ok for Hali fishing. Anchor held nicely. In fact too nicely. Came to pull anchor and no go even though I attached line to bottom and zip tied to top. Pulled in three directions but think it would pull my boat under first. In 175 feet near drop off. This is supposed to be a sandy bottom. Keep eye out for line, Scotsman, and some line. Nothing showing on sounder? Anyone aware something big out there?

 

[marula]

Sometimes you can get your chain wrapped around a rock when you swing with the tide change then the zip tie trick will not work. Lost my first anchor setup for the first time in 12 years last year stuck on the bottom so i hear ya. Im trying a bruce anchor with a lot shorter chain this time, so far holding good and releasing easy when leaving compared to my old danforth.

 

[Doug]

We fished the Sooke trailer park area for salmon from 730 to 900, lot of action but they only landed one hatchery 8 lb. We then Hali fished from 9 to noon and nothing, not even a dog fish.

I see two big commercial boats going out of Sooke harbour every morning and fishing way off shore. Anyone know what they are fishing for??

Theb55, Exactly where were you anchored? I was sitting off the bluffs in 140'

 

[Theb55]

I was right out front, the last boat towards Secretary side. There was one boat a little further to my starboard about 1/4 mile to south west. I was in the Aluminum cuddy. There should not have been anything to hook me up that solidly there. It's a mystery why the anchor did not break the zip ties and flip over and come up

 

[sammyslabber]

I was right out front, the last boat towards Secretary side. There was one boat a little further to my starboard about 1/4 mile to south west. I was in the Aluminum cuddy. There should not have been anything to hook me up that solidly there. It's a mystery why the anchor did not break the zip ties and flip over and come up

Maybe you were stuck on an old long line!

 

[Theb55]

It was stuck so fast that it would pull my boat under rather than giving. If it was a long line it should have moved when I changed directions or broken the zip ties. Will wait for slow tide,light winds and try and retrieve my Scotsman and tie off the plastic anchor thing and run out the anchor line to end, changing the angle. That or a tug with a big prop

 

[Doug]

My suggestion is:

Try pulling as much of your anchor line in as possible so the anchor line is short and more vertical and the anchor line is not so horizontal and then pull. This will give the line an upwards pulling effect and not so much of a horizontal drag. It's worked for me a RR a few time but the anchor (Danforth) was bent at the shaft 45 deg. but I got it back.


Thurs is looking good for winds so Good luck getting it back.

 

[Stan]

My son and I were hali fishing on the Oak Bay Flats on Friday, March 16th, and just like you, could not pull our anchor off the bottom with our 17' Double Eagle. It was stuck tight and we were reluctant in our small boat to put too much pressure on it. We returned the following day on a friend's 23' Grady White and it had enough weight and power to retrieve the anchor. It was a good thing, too, because we went hali fishing again on Sunday, this time in Haro Strait, and pulled in two 50 lb'ers. The currents on Sunday were as good as I have ever experienced.

 

[Theb55]

I tried pulling straight up. That's when my Scotsman disappeared. Probably due to wind and tides. Looking for low tide and light wind.

 

[boomer]

The bigger your scootsman is the easer it is to pop up the anchor off the bottom Goodluck on a slower tide.

 

[Theb55]

Mine is a big one, with my name, home and cell on it. Thanks. If I can see it I will tie off the locking device at the very end and try it thai way by changing angles. My boat wild notice it an inch. Pulled the boat down.

 

[Little Hawk]

"...we need a bigger boat!"

 

[Rum Buddies]

if you're stuck you really need to try working it from all different angles in short bursts of high throttle. When you use the bursts you can bring the ball under water and as it pops back up that gives it a good vertical tug that often does it. slow steady pressure on a really stuck anchor usually doesn't work.

 

[sammyslabber]

if you're stuck you really need to try working it from all different angles in short bursts of high throttle. When you use the bursts you can bring the ball under water and as it pops back up that gives it a good vertical tug that often does it. slow steady pressure on a really stuck anchor usually doesn't work.

and may i add make sure you use a strong cleat!