Sooke Reports - Spring and Summer 2012

[Rockfish]

Back from the CR Tyee Pool and got nothing up there although we saw some caught, one of which was a bell ringer.

Got out today around 9:00 am and fished in close on shallow structure. That was working for us a couple of weeks back but nada. So went out and down to the basement and picked up and released about a 12lb unclipped Coho down 140 ft in 120 ft of water. Hit another one which we knew was not a Chinook so released it but heard someone on the VHF who had caught a Chum so we may have to start looking more closely. Finally boated a 14.5lbs Chinook on a clear red teaser down 90 feet.

Then the current came up big time and could not fish choveys effectivey (two much spin and the current and weeds just beat them up since we don’t use the shoe leather salted ones).
So switched to glow Flashers and hootchies and got ourselves a 16 and 20lb Chinook around two pm at 100 and 120 ft down. The 16 was a very good fight as it was snagged in the back of the dorsal fin and was dancing all over the surface and we were sure it was a big Coho until we got it in closer. It was tricky to net as it was diving head down and tail up when in close to the boat.

There are still some summer Chinook around right off Sooke but you have to work hard for them. Only about a week left then it’s on to Coho, Chums and resident feeders.

 

[profisher]

There will be a few springs around until about the 20th or so...that is when a spring is a fluke and I'm targeting Coho's on all rods. Hasn't been any rain yet so the Harrison and Sooke fish won't be in any hurry yet.

 

[Doug]

There are still lots of springs around. We fished the Otter point area from 630 to 1030 am and had 5 on and landed 27, 22, 18 and 10 lb. The fish are not as deep as before and all fish were caught in the 75-65 foot range with glow heads.

 

[profisher]

Where do you take the Yami for service and who works on it? My day was much better...had a couple from Bulgaria out this morning. I don' t think his expectations for good fishing were very high. Started off with a 20, and a 16 at Otter and missed another that we saw as it jumped out of the water just behind the boat, anther high teen. Then fished up to Muir in the fog and landed a 15. Pulled the gear and ran to the light in hopes that fishing closer to shore would give these two a glimpse of the shoreline, a lighthouse and some seals laying on the rock. That mission was accomplished then finished off the morning with a 30 pound white. Not a Harrison white...this was still a chrome short head, long body August type fish. Three fish today were females and 2 of them still had small roe..the 3rd were large and loose. So still a mix of springs around and the Harrison whites have yet to arrive in any significant numbers. Also other than the fog a very flat calm and enjoyable day on the water. Nice to share something with people who are in awe of everything they see and experience.

 

[Falcon]

What a day came up to Otter at 630... Had a huge problem with my Yammi T8 2 year old kicker.....Very disappointing not impressed since I bought it brand new and have a lot of problems with it...Just sputtered and died. Restarted and then did same thing...... Didn't see much caught fished a little but kicker dies again...Than into the fog bank , and back early at 11. Holy Fog show!!

To top my day off WTF. Why does everyone want to wreck the ramp situation at prestige. No wonder they want to make people pay. Totally ridiculous had a tough time navigating my trailer to get my boat with all the idiots parked in round about. Park on the street!

I am going to post the view I got when I got back to the ramp.....Was pretty hilarious now but not at the time....

Think this might be the end to my spring season...now coho .....

High Five

I've been having nothing but trouble with my 8 HP High Thrust kicker as well! Maybe 10 hours on that frickin thing and I've had to have it serviced twice, just won't idle and dies on me.

 

[profisher]

I wasn't sure if you were already dealing with SG Power here in Victoria. Your warranty is good for any shop in Canada. Do yourself a favour and go see Ken Hague at SG. He is one of the best Yami mechanics around and if anyone can get your engine to run properly he can. I saw you (didn't know who it was..sorry) working on the kicker...but didn't stop fishing because you didn't hail (wave) me for help. I determined you didn't need help, but if you had I would have been there.

 

[profisher]

Falcon...all those small 4 strokes are very sensitive to any contaminants in the fuel. The idele circuit jets are so small (for economy) that the smallest grit particle will screw them up. If you are running from a day tank and no filter I would say with 100% certainty that this is your problem. The carb needs to come apart and be cleaned.

 

[Falcon]

Falcon...all those small 4 strokes are very sensitive to any contaminants in the fuel. The idele circuit jets are so small (for economy) that the smallest grit particle will screw them up. If you are running from a day tank and no filter I would say with 100% certainty that this is your problem. The carb needs to come apart and be cleaned.

Thanks PF, I'm having the carb taken apart (I'm away from home right now) and cleaned by someone. It runs off the main tank but I may still look into having some type of filter system put in, if possible.

Edit: Mill Stream Co-op, that's where I get my marked fuel. Maybe I should think about changing that?

 

[yammy5]

That is OK...thanks for the advice...I may just take it to SG its more convenient. Its probably crap in the carb... I run a day tank with no filter...Anyways sorry to derail this is for fishing reports I will start it another thread....

High Five

Try Forsch Marine in Sidney when you get tired of dealing with SG. After years of overpaying and sub-par work at SG we now get our Yammy service done at Forsch.

 

[Shepnoir]

Not a big reports poster, but thought this may inspire some to get out at the end of the season as it is still good out there if the time is put in.....

4 fish for us between 26 - 15. 3 white one red. 3 at Otter and one at the lighthouse. 3 on bait one on white hootch. Between 55' - 110'.. deeper as the day went on. Two in the morning and a double header to end the day early afternoon.

Foggy as hell, but beautiful when it lifted.

Missed the gong show at the ramp....enquiring minds want to know, or laugh their butt off....what happened?!

 

[drilleryells]

Fished from 6.30-12.30 from Otter to Muir, Two Fish, one about 15Lbs( released) and one hatchery about 12Lbs that we killed, no fog and good conditions, Bait both deep. Good Day Driller

 

[fish stalker]

how long is fog hanging out for. Im a stupid to try and go out with no gps or radar? Usually go out of Beecher but would like to try sooke ramp to Sheringham.

 

[profisher]

GPS and radar are aids but you should know how to find your way without them...as electronics can fail. A simple compass and a good knowledge of the area...beach types, shallow areas, points of land, wind direction and travel time needed at certain speeds between reference points is all you need to navigate in the fog. The one exception is other vessels and debris which move around and only a radar will help pick these up before you are on top of them or they are on top of you.

 

[rockdog]

I was out on Monday, out of cheanuh. The fog rolled in as we were trying to fish the bedfords. It was crazy thick, I was a little worried. my friends boat has a plotter/gps unit. I would have been hooped if we were in my boat, which only has a sounder. I'm gonna get one now, but it made me realize that I need to be better prepared, navigation wise, like profisher said.

 

[candrive55]

out at 10 today from beacher bay. strait to sheringham. Got a 21 pound spring. around 1 pm.. on bloody nose and gold sooke flasher 100ft
Day before just past alderage. same set up 30 pounder. white and long.. 70ft in 130 feet of water.
odd note I had the treble hook on the other side of the bait. Line over the top. Made for a strange roll but what ever works
got both of them that way. Seems they dont like the normal roll. also today small spring maybe 8 pounds. dead flat all day and cookin hot. zero fog.....Hali Fishin tomorrow... Anyway thats my first report. See ya out there.

 

[fish stalker]

hmm I dont know the area at all. I do have a compass on board now after getting stuck in thick fog just outside beecher a couple weeks ago. I took the power squadron course last year which teaches you mainly about chartplotting but if you lose or have no bearings all thats out the window. Definitely getting one as soon as I can afford it. Ill get one of those radar balls asap too.

great reports! im excited

 

[candrive55]

you can get a real cheap hand held off usedvictoria. Not a plotter mind you. But on a clear day go and mark way points. Leave the track route marking on. ( crum trail).. And just never go over that line. The idea is you making the coast line with it.. I have seen them as cheap as 20 bucks No kidding

 

[Englishman]

Went out with Rockfish today in his boat. Objective was a concentrated teaching session on the elusive summer Chinooks. I learned a huge amount about the structure, contours and areas to fish around Possession and “out front”. We fished from 7:30am until 7:30 pm. It was slow to start but by late morning and into the early afternoon we got seven or eight hits on anchovies in glow teasers. Most did not stick but two good “pullers” were on for a minute or two before turning into long distance releases. The curse of the Englishman had now struck Rockfish’s boat.
Later in early evening Rockfish set up a glow hootchie and we got a hit at 100 feet. This one was a real good “puller” and it made several short burst runs before I got it to the surface 50 yards away, where it promptly threw the hook. The curse continued.
Undaunted, down went a hootchie on both rods. Twenty minutes later both rods went off at exactly the same time! A chaotic and amazing 5 minutes ensured while we passed the rod over and under each other to untangle the lines and we finally managed to land both fish. 12lb and 10lbs. By no means huge but a very exciting end to the day and I consider the 2012 summer Chinook curse of the Englishman to be broken!! Well done and kudos to Rockfish and his perseverance!!

 

[Adler]

Congrats English on breaking the curse, and thanks for giving hope to all rookies who have had little luck in bringing in a summer chinook! Can't wait for next weekend when I get to try again! Got one 8lbs Coho last weekend in 2 days of trolling, albeit the second day was near the breakwater downtown - just missed out on that 36lber at flagpole! HA!

Stalker, something I did, if you have a smart phone, Navionics has a GPS application that you can download for $16 (on the Androids, anyway) that provides much of the same basic functionality as a marine GPS. Lots of similar tips on the forum about such applications, but I enjoy it's tracking functions, depths, and just the plain safety it offers in the fog, in the 2 times this summer I've been in it. I'd rather avoid the fog for now, though, as I did on Monday. I'm also looking to get a basic VHF radio added to the boat in the near future for extra safety. Full marine GPS is down the road. Cheers!

 

[sudsy]

Congrats english, and everyone else! Finally home this saturday after being gone for 3 weeks, been keeping up to date with everything thats going on, hoping there will still be a few fish around when i return this weekend! Sounds like they are still around, just have to work for them...anyways see you all on the water!

Sudsy