Sooke Reports - Spring and Summer 2012

[Englishman]

Back in town after 3.5 weeks in Calgary and Alberta. Been reading this forum reports about the large numbers of Coho out there so we were anxious to give them a try.
And indeed there were extraordinary numbers of Coho out there today!! Old Sooke fishers will know if this is a common July phenomenon but we saw nothing like this in the summer of 2010 or 2011. Most hits came between 70 and 90 feet, often in short crazy spells. Nothing for 20 minute and then 3 or 4 hits inside 5 or 6 minutes. Or we would get takes as the rigger was being lowered down. We used anchovies and several of the bites were very savage. Pop the clip and then the answering strike would miss completely and an empty teaser head would come back. Certainly missed or lost at least a dozen fish. Ended with 4 hatchery and released maybe another 10 fish, including a very small hatch that seemed to be halfway through swallowing a very large herring. So based on the fish we got to the boat, the ratio of hatch to wild was about 1 in 3. A very high number.
At the cleaning table all the fish were stuffed with hundreds of 3 cm needle fish.
Beauty day on the water and I was surprised how many boats were out the for a Monday! LOL

 

[Finally]

Well this is my first report. Went out with a buddy for the first time ever today. Got a lot of good advice from people. Managed 1 wild coho which was released and one rockfish. Had 2 great bites that resulted in half chovies.

I have 2 questions. First, when the tide is against us I noticed we weren't going anywhere. We sped up to make progress but it also increased the rigger angle. Is this something you just deal with?

Also, a very strange thing happened. My buddies line totally wrapped itself around mine. Like, GOOD and tight. We managed to figure it out but couldn't understand why. I know the rigger booms aren't very long and the boat isn't wide so that could have something to do with it? Any input appreciated! I am going to give her another shot soon.

Fish was caught on glo teaser / green-gold flasher at 110 of 180 ft whirl bay. Not that it matters though... seems like they are taking everything.

The tide is something you just have to deal with. In areas around sooke like those between possesion and secretary, off the point at otter, or beechy head the current really gets going. This is ok as the flashers are still rotating and the bait is still working even though you are not really moving. Also, were you putting the two lines down at different depths? I usually try to have a difference of 15 feet between the two lines to avoid tangles. Also watch the turns, as too sharp of a turn can cause the lines to cross. Anyway, hope this helps

 

[Karma-Kazi]

Englishmen- The coho shouldent pop your pin so easy. I find only maybe 1 out of 20 is able to pop mine. Maybe might help on your spring hook-ups to bury your clip or makesure its in the locked out position.

Out from 1-4 today. Hit 4 coho. No springs. All on home made needlefish hootchies.


-Steve

 

[Englishman]

Englishmen- The coho shouldent pop your pin so easy. I find only maybe 1 out of 20 is able to pop mine. Maybe might help on your spring hook-ups to bury your clip or makesure its in the locked out position.

Out from 1-4 today. Hit 4 coho. No springs. All on home made needlefish hootchies.


-Steve

Thx for the tip Steve.
We were fishing two types of clips and it happened on both. One was the regular scotty with yellow dot in black. The other is a more of caliper pad type with red dots and three line clip positions. One thing that may affect ours is we are using 25lb main line , not 30lb that most on here seem to run. Not worried since I am extremely unlikely ever to contact a tyee!! LOL. Thinner line presumably pops out of clip easier.....

 

[Lipripper]

I run thirty lbs main and the typical scotty clips

And stick it right in the back of them.. I've had some decent springs that couldn't trip it without help from the guy on the rod, at least ya know its a good hook set

 

[sammyslabber]

We used anchovies and several of the bites were very savage. Pop the clip and then the answering strike would miss completely and an empty teaser head would come back. Certainly missed or lost at least a dozen fish. Ended with 4 hatchery and released maybe another 10 fish, including a very small hatch that seemed to be halfway through swallowing a very large herring. So based on the fish we got to the boat, the ratio of hatch to wild was about 1 in 3. A very high number.
At the cleaning table all the fish were stuffed with hundreds of 3 cm needle fish.
Beauty day on the water and I was surprised how many boats were out the for a Monday! LOL

With the Coho eating needle fish, now is a good time to pull out a 3.5" coyote spoon or perhaps some needle fish look a like squirt.Save your bait money to buy some lures at the candy store = Trotac

Release clips can wear out,they can also release due to oil or other slippery substances..nothing is forever, like terminal tackle gear needs to be up-dated or replaced.

 

[Elevorett]

The tide is something you just have to deal with. In areas around sooke like those between possesion and secretary, off the point at otter, or beechy head the current really gets going. This is ok as the flashers are still rotating and the bait is still working even though you are not really moving. Also, were you putting the two lines down at different depths? I usually try to have a difference of 15 feet between the two lines to avoid tangles. Also watch the turns, as too sharp of a turn can cause the lines to cross. Anyway, hope this helps

Thanks for the reply. It's comforting to know that we don't need to bump speed when the tide's against us. We were running approx 10 feet apart when we tangled. Will have to keep that in mind so it doesn't happen again. Seems like we got a pretty slow day compared to most reporting.

 

[sammyslabber]

Elevorett, going backwards in a strong current can happen,I am never a fan of this..some slow forward progress will cover more ground. You can also wiggle waggel your boat to stay in the hot spot, as mentioned in the locations above.If tide push proves to strong try moving to the up-current side of the point,you'll find it easier to troll...

 

[Rockfish]

Fished Possession and Secretary today and we caught a total of 7 Coho, 4 of which were clipped.

We have a no net rule for Coho unless they are huge and clipped. All 7 of them were either released beside the boat or if clipped, hand lifted in. So far we have not lost a Coho hand lifting in.

The Coho are mostly not deep and if you want to keep targeting Chinook and want to try for Coho use your riggers for Chinook and put out a small trip planer with a small spoon like a coho killer which puts you on top (down about 22 feet) for Coho action without tying up a rigger or doing tricky rigger stacking in the current. Your riggers can then be used deep (away from many of the Coho) for Chinook which helps save on chovies and unproductive time re-baiting from getting your chovies taken by Coho.

The same green glow RD teaser head that has been working well for us got a 9 lb Chinook off Possession around 3 pm. We got the 18 lber yesterday around 4 pm.

 

[rgreen29]

Fished Possession point again today, it had cooled down from yesterdays torrid pace, but there were still lots of coho. We hooked up 13 coho today and took home one 5lb clip. but the highlight of the day was the 24lb spring caught on a 3.5" cop car, my cousion was holding the reel ajusting when it hit, it just about ripped his nail off his finger. Found the fish betwwen 70 and 110.

Cheers
Rich

 

[Rockfish]

Fished Possession point again today, it had cooled down from yesterdays torrid pace, but there were still lots of coho. We hooked up 13 coho today and took home one 5lb clip. but the highlight of the day was the 24lb spring caught on a 3.5" cop car, my cousion was holding the reel ajusting when it hit, it just about ripped his nail off his finger. Found the fish betwwen 70 and 110.

Cheers
Rich

Good going. There does not seem to be many mid 20's and larger around although I did hear of a 30 a few days back.

 

[Harbicht]

Got a 25lbs at trap shack this am purple haze anchovie 66 feet in close to shore lost another one right after took alot of line at 88 feet bloody nose got a few others foogy as heck out there today

 

[outback]

Got a 25lbs at trap shack this am purple haze anchovie 66 feet in close to shore lost another one right after took alot of line at 88 feet bloody nose got a few others foogy as heck out there today

was it very windy?

 

[fish stalker]

was it very windy?

I know this 'strong wind warning' weve had on for the last week has me wondering esp since I heard most spots arnt that bad.

 

[Harbicht]

No wasn't windy till 12 there was a slight cold breeze all morning

 

[wolf]

SLOW today and no coho ???? fish fly what did you do to them????? LOL LOL was able to get 2 nice ones a 21,20 first signs of bigger fish???? and a beauty sox about 10 to 12 lbs thats almost made me cry to toss back..... and a pink??? WTH and it was fine all day when the wind did pick up the flood was on full force so it had about a 1 ft chop to it more than fishable

 

[saltydawg]

otter pt

fished otter pt from 6:30am to 10. Didn't see any nets out at all for 8 boats. Lost a teen by the boat and had one other good hit. That was it

Tried for Coho out in the Tide lines but all gone??

 

[Karma-Kazi]

Was out yesterday from 5:30am-11:30am Hit 6 springs 12,15,17,19,20,20.5. All fish were down deep. On gear.


Was out today. WOW is all I can say. Was into 8 springs by 7:30am let them go nothing over 16 pounds. Then it slowed down and we kept getting jack springs. The coho showed up at around 10am and mixed in with them were some monster sox up to 12 pounds. I decided to move and look for springs elsewhere and just happened to stumble upon them again this time bigger going 6 for 10 on pin poppers and letting go a few 17's and a couple of 20's. and loosing a couple more behinds the boat that were springs. What a thrill of a day for the old man and I. AWSOME!

Pics of two I kept yesterday will be up later all fish today were let go. only one wild coho floated belly up.

-Steve

 

[Englishman]

Was out yesterday from 5:30am-11:30am Hit 6 springs 12,15,17,19,20,20.5. All fish were down deep. On gear.


Was out today. WOW is all I can say. Was into 8 springs by 7:30am let them go nothing over 16 pounds. Then it slowed down and we kept getting jack springs. The coho showed up at around 10am and mixed in with them were some monster sox up to 12 pounds. I decided to move and look for springs elsewhere and just happened to stumble upon them again this time bigger going 6 for 10 on pin poppers and letting go a few 17's and a couple of 20's. and loosing a couple more behinds the boat that were springs. What a thrill of a day for the old man and I. AWSOME!

Pics of two I kept yesterday will be up later all fish today were let go. only one wild coho floated belly up.

-Steve

Wow Steve,

Looks like you have had two fantastic days in succession. Such days as I can only dream of...... The most springs ever in a session to my boat so far is four and they were winters!!! LOL
Still waiting to catch more than one spring at a shot in the summer...Maybe this year.....?? LOL

 

[addicted]

Steve... Get your credentials and start being a guide out there! You're on fire man!