2019 Sooke Reports

[Englishman]

Family responsibilities kept us off the water all of last week.

So today dropped the line at 6:30am at Possession and did a couple of loops past the point and the harbour mouth, along with bunch of other boats. Nothing except one pink. Went on to the Bluffs and still nada. Came back past the end of Secretary in the flood current and joined some boats there for a spell. Nothing doing, so went down to East Sooke and around the Trap a while where we only caught rockfish and shakers. One shaker was literally only twice as long as the anchovy it took!

Finally down to Beechy and back to the Trap. In the five hours all this searching took we only saw one fish caught among all the dozens of boats. I guess we were all in the wrong location again! LOL

Finally went out to 450’ of water and dropped an AP spoon to 160’. After a couple more shakers we did get a very small 4lb hatchery chinook this way. I kept it and recorded of course, since at the rate we are going we will not finish each of our 10 slots before the season ends!!

Gonna try Muir tomorrow…..

 

[Last Chance]

Yesterday and today were harder but still fish to be had. Yesterday went 1 for 2 at Otter for the AM trip. Otter came on really good at 5ish for my afternoon trip. Slower today, 1 for 2 at Otter for springs, pinks are thinning out but coho are starting to come on strong so plenty of action to be had. You are better off to pound the regular spots by the rocks then wander around.

 

[vicsurfer]

First skunking of the year today. Fished Aldridge to the Head from 7:30-12:30. We had 4 small hits, lost a pink at the boat and didn't see much caught.

 

[cby]

Another great weekend of fishing. Friday out with Pretty Boy Floyd went 2 for 5 on springs, kept 16 and 18, lost two really nice fish and 1 smaller one. All the regular numbers and bait.

Saturday Report in Oak Bay Thread

Sunday 3 for 3 on Springs, kept 1 19 lbs, release 10 lber and 8 lber, had about 15 pinks and 2 wild coho. 40,50,60,70 using all AP spoons.

 

[Tips Up]

Friday Morning - Kept a 20lb, released a 12lbish. Missed one other hit and released a tyee pink.
Sunday Morning - Kept a 14lb and 10lb. Lost a screamer.
Not as much action going on with no solid bite on either day. Had to cover some ground to find fish.
I think the strong run that we were enjoying last few weeks has moved on and we are waiting on new push of fish.

Still getting fish every trip and water was nice so good times.
May try a night fish tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Tips Up]

Aldridge or Possession tonight?
That is the question

 

[wolf]

Start at possession troll to aldridge and back!!!!!or vise versa.(some do)

Yes fish that were here are gone thats for sure everyone should stay home now. LOL
getting just 1 or 2 per trip now lots of shakers too, defiantly some very nice coho showing up
And please follow regs regarding what you can and cant do for hatchery coho. you cannot cut up into little pieces and zip lock bag it at marina and cut off the tail and fins and evidence its a hatch coho. tried to explain it to a guy yesterday and he told me to Go F$%^ my self and dont know what im talking about...WOW really...

 

[Englishman]

Well as reported we would yesterday, we set out for Muir today. This time – this time! – we were in the right place at the right time.

The day did not augur well at first as we arrived at Sunny Shores at 6:15am to find extreme low water and could not launch. Waited for 30 minutes deciding what to do, during which time the water got even lower!! So wrote off the launch fee and headed for the Prestige. Fortunately we were now so late the usual morning zoo was over. Had to park on the road though as I could not find the alleged Maple Ave launch ramp overflow parking.

With this delay dropped lines just off 3rd rock at 8:00am and headed west along 80-90’ contour. Anchovy one side and my little herring in t.h. the other. One hour along going against the flood, we got a double tap on the herring side at 63’ in about 90’ of water and hooked a nice fish that seemed puzzled at first. Came to within 15 feet of the boat right away, then took off – twice. Eventually landed a beauty 18lb chinook. Chugged on west against the current and got a hit on the anchovy but it proved to be a little 5lb chinook so back he went.

Turned short of Sheringham and trolled back with the tide. At 10:30 am we got back to almost exactly where we hit the first one, turned back against the tide and 5 mins later a pin popper on the herring side again. This one declared himself straight away but we were eventually able to net a great 17lb fish.

We had just the two hits on herring but in both cases the fish annihilated the herring as the hook and the t.h. were both right at the back of the throat so no chance of losing the fish. No “short biting” here! Anchovy did not get any real response at all.

After this we set out to get any pinks we could locate but out in 160’ plus water it was absolutely infested with shakers. We got one every 5 minutes at any depth, so after an hour gave up and came in.

I attach a very rare picture of Englishman with our two! very decent Chinook.

 

[RogersonCrusoe]

Start at possession troll to aldridge and back!!!!!or vise versa.(some do)
And please follow regs regarding what you can and cant do for hatchery coho. you cannot cut up into little pieces and zip lock bag it at marina and cut off the tail and fins and evidence its a hatch coho. .

Some people I tell you...

I carry a black paint-pen to paint the gums black, dot the tail, and call it a chinook ;P LOL

Late report, but was out of Pedder on Friday AM. I don't know that area, so mostly just wandered around on the kicker. Two pinks lost close to the boat, but nothing of interest.

 

[Englishman]

Great work Englishman!
Had you circled around and made a couple passes where you hooked first (and last) fish... you may have got into more.
Your having a record year! Congrats!

Thx Tips.

Maybe we should have circled, but then the day would have ended faster! LOL
And continuing to fish to do C&R would have been a disaster the way those guys were hitting the herring. No way to easily release with hook waaay back.....

 

[SpringVelocity]

Well as reported we would yesterday, we set out for Muir today. This time – this time! – we were in the right place at the right time.

The day did not augur well at first as we arrived at Sunny Shores at 6:15am to find extreme low water and could not launch. Waited for 30 minutes deciding what to do, during which time the water got even lower!! So wrote off the launch fee and headed for the Prestige. Fortunately we were now so late the usual morning zoo was over. Had to park on the road though as I could not find the alleged Maple Ave launch ramp overflow parking.

With this delay dropped lines just off 3rd rock at 8:00am and headed west along 80-90’ contour. Anchovy one side and my little herring in t.h. the other. One hour along going against the flood, we got a double tap on the herring side at 63’ in about 90’ of water and hooked a nice fish that seemed puzzled at first. Came to within 15 feet of the boat right away, then took off – twice. Eventually landed a beauty 18lb chinook. Chugged on west against the current and got a hit on the anchovy but it proved to be a little 5lb chinook so back he went.

Turned short of Sheringham and trolled back with the tide. At 10:30 am we got back to almost exactly where we hit the first one, turned back against the tide and 5 mins later a pin popper on the herring side again. This one declared himself straight away but we were eventually able to net a great 17lb fish.

We had just the two hits on herring but in both cases the fish annihilated the herring as the hook and the t.h. were both right at the back of the throat so no chance of losing the fish. No “short biting” here! Anchovy did not get any real response at all.

After this we set out to get any pinks we could locate but out in 160’ plus water it was absolutely infested with shakers. We got one every 5 minutes at any depth, so after an hour gave up and came in.

I attach a very rare picture of Englishman with our two! very decent Chinook.

View attachment 47430

Yep you out fished us today. First blank for me in a while fished west from Muir to Otter . Pretty scarce for fish with amount of boats today. You know it is slowing down when the east guides are at Otter.

 

[Tips Up]

Start at possession troll to aldridge and back!!!!!or vise versa.(some do)

Yes fish that were here are gone thats for sure everyone should stay home now. LOL
getting just 1 or 2 per trip now lots of shakers too, defiantly some very nice coho showing up
And please follow regs regarding what you can and cant do for hatchery coho. you cannot cut up into little pieces and zip lock bag it at marina and cut off the tail and fins and evidence its a hatch coho. tried to explain it to a guy yesterday and he told me to Go F$%^ my self and dont know what im talking about...WOW really...

Ha. Then I’d have to come on here and get told I shouldn’t troll so much ground.

If we took your boat it would be sooke for sure and faster than launching my boat.
Just sayin. Lol

 

[SpringVelocity]

On another note had strange situation at Prestige this afternoon. Swamped aluminum boat came into the ramp. Had to save a few people clinging to dock. Few minutes more the boat would have gone down. Pretty scary situation, and glad it didn't end badly.

 

[Gear'n'beer!]

Fishing was pretty good::::breakfast was darn good

 

[Willyjim]

On another note had strange situation at Prestige this afternoon. Swamped aluminum boat came into the ramp. Had to save a few people clinging to dock. Few minutes more the boat would have gone down. Pretty scary situation, and glad it didn't end badly.

It was pretty busy so they had to wait across the end of the dock. I think what happened was when space freed up, they tried to hand pull around the corner while still sitting in the boat and when reaching out to hold on to the dock, leaned over too far and got swamped. Fortunately, SpringVelocity and others were around to help.

 

[Tips Up]

Fished Beachy Head last night 6-8:30.
Lots of bait and a few boats made it look promising. But only a couple shakers for me and saw only 1 fish caught.
Real nice night though.

 

[harles]

Sorry for the non-fish report post - but does anyone have recommendations for a Sooke/Becher Bay marina to spend the night at Friday? Ideally there would be a bathroom and a decent place to get food within a short walking distance. Coming over from Orcas Island to contribute an entry fee to Saturday's derby. Thanks!

 

[Fisherben3]

Sorry for the non-fish report post - but does anyone have recommendations for a Sooke/Becher Bay marina to spend the night at Friday? Ideally there would be a bathroom and a decent place to get food within a short walking distance. Coming over from Orcas Island to contribute an entry fee to Saturday's derby. Thanks!

Jocks dock in sooke harbor and the hotel next to jocks dock for food

 

[SpringVelocity]

I would phone sooke harbour resort they usually have a few spots for overnight. It is secured and there is also washrooms/shower etc. For food you could go to Prestige or walk a little to town.

 

[fshnfnatic]

Trip #4 to Sooke this summer.Put in at Cheanuh about 7:00 am and ran to Otter as it was fairly flat.The forecast called for moderate SE winds in the afternoon so knowing this we still made the run.Fished 5 hrs. with only one decent bite that didn't stick and saw a few caught but nothing of any size.What a change from last week!Then pulled the pin when the winds picked up to around 15 knts. and pounded our way back to Beecher Bay.Word at the dock was not much came in today at all.Gonna wait until it picks up again before making another trip down from the Valley.First skunk in a long while for me.