2022 Sooke Reports

[Cut Plug]

Started in 350 ft of water off the Head fishing solo first thing. Caught 2 5lb clipped coho by 9 AM but no springs So I moved to the Trap and managed 1 11lb red spring. Great day on the water!

Did the Bankers hours thing today and got to Possession at the crack of 10am. Hit some decent sized wild coho right off the bat, and then a hard fighting 21 lber at around 11:30. Saw a few others caught around the same time. A darker, fully mature, long nosed buck that I’d bet was headed locally and I want to believe was a net pen fish holding. Not marked or the head would have been submitted for sure to prove it. Headed over to Otter at about 1pm. Lots of good marks and bait off 3rd rock but no love until a good hard hit at about 3pm which was missed. Saw the fog rolling in so headed home after that. A great day with a long time friend, his daughter and her boyfriend. He got his first salmon today which was cool. I personally love September in Sooke. There will be decent springs to be had for at least the next few weeks but as they get more mature you might want to consider slowing down, working structure and having at least one **** ‘em off lure down as well as bait. The coho will only get bigger and the crowds smaller as the month progresses.

 

[wolf]

Despite what some people insist (and no doubt it was better in the "good 'ol days) the decent chinook do mostly disappear by early September. I personally have never caught a decent chinook after 2nd September. Oh sure, one or two may be caught by the real experts and they are reported with much fanfare. But to illustrate my point, we caught 4 chinook to 19lbs on 30th August, releasing the last two of course, which was almost one third of the entire catch weighed in by 128 derby anglers on the 3rd September! (See post above). Yet, there were many experts in the derby, so the decent fish do largely vanish by now, unless you are really lucky!!

YOU are very wrong bud . I have personally got VERY VERY nice fish but first you have to understand them to catch them. I have gotten my biggest ones in sept. today was a much better day we landed 2 lost 4 , and some beauty coho .
Last few years we have had rain late august and last year early September and when that happens then happens the springs are gone ...
last few days ive been getting white springs and I personally think some of our sooke fish mature 10 to 14 lbers.

When your out as much as alot of guys you notice patterns . when you only go out here and there you are kinda flying blind, we just notice things you miss we are not wizards, we do this ALOT that is it.

One thing you always over look is weather and current patterns .
what was it doing this past weekend? oh right a complete weather turn and a ebb current 2 things that really hamper fishing. there are things we look for and as guides!!! we basically know its going to be a **** day but we have to go ..and really try and scratch one or 2 fish cause thats what we do, we know the patterns and the water and where fish hide on a certain current, BECAUSE we take mental notes or write diaries

You cant go out EVERYTIME and get fish its called fishing NOT catching....

 

[saltydawg]

Does anyone know the name of this fisherman today off Pedder Bay in the aluminum skiff who had the encounter with Biggs whales chasing the Stellar sea lion under his boat. 2:15 pm. There is a very cool video of the sea lion going airborne and trying land in his boat if he’s interested. Nearly capsized. Photographer would like to talk to him.

 

[Fish Wistler]

Used an extra large (8inch) herring in a teaser head with no flasher for the biggest 2 of the day. 77 - 97ft on the dr,14 lb marble and 8LB wild coho. Killed 2 springs today. Tried constance for couple hours not a sniff

 

[SpringVelocity]

Does anyone know the name of this fisherman today off Pedder Bay in the aluminum skiff who had the encounter with Biggs whales chasing the Stellar sea lion under his boat. 2:15 pm. There is a very cool video of the sea lion going airborne and trying land in his boat if he’s interested. Nearly capsized. Photographer would like to talk to him.

Must have been scary. Almost tipped it over.

 

[saltydawg]

Must have been scary. Almost tipped it over.

Almost landed on his wife.

 

[Rockin Johnny]

Must have been scary. Almost tipped it over.

Must have been scary. Almost tipped it over.

Does anyone know the name of this fisherman today off Pedder Bay in the aluminum skiff who had the encounter with Biggs whales chasing the Stellar sea lion under his boat. 2:15 pm. There is a very cool video of the sea lion going airborne and trying land in his boat if he’s interested. Nearly capsized. Photographer would like to talk to him.

Woah. I remember always being worried about that when fishing Haida Gwaii in 12 footer but then thinking that never happens!! You should send that clip to the news.

 

[RogersonCrusoe]

Repositioned the boat from Sidney to Sooke for the fall season, and squeaked out 2h in the Beechy Head fog late afternoon.

Forgot my knife, two favourite coho hoochies. So I knew we were going to get into the fish!

Three to the boat, Between Aldridge and the Head in about 350ft of water. 45-80 on the DR.
One feeder spring (released)
Wild Coho (released)
18# Chinook! What a tank of a fish, fought way harder than it's size and jumped clear out of the water too!

And for those who heard on the radio, yes, I was the idiot who left his SUV running in the parking lot for 2.5 hours as he headed off merrily to catch fish. These keyless cars will be the death of me!

Not my day, but got a good fish, so alls well that ends well.

 

[Fishalot]

Repositioned the boat from Sidney to Sooke for the fall season, and squeaked out 2h in the Beechy Head fog late afternoon.

Forgot my knife, two favourite coho hoochies. So I knew we were going to get into the fish!

Three to the boat, Between Aldridge and the Head in about 350ft of water. 45-80 on the DR.
One feeder spring (released)
Wild Coho (released)
18# Chinook! What a tank of a fish, fought way harder than it's size and jumped clear out of the water too!

And for those who heard on the radio, yes, I was the idiot who left his SUV running in the parking lot for 2.5 hours as he headed off merrily to catch fish. These keyless cars will be the death of me!

Not my day, but got a good fish, so alls well that ends well.

At least your SUV was running in the parking lot. Many years ago I locked my keys inside mine running on the ramp at Pedder Bay. Thankfully other folks launching saw the humour in my situation while I waited for locksmith....

 

[Tips Up]

Consistent action at otter yesterday. Just had trouble getting them in the boat.
Took my teen daughter out for the morning. On the water crack of 8am. Lost 6 springs. 1 was a line peeler. Released a few smaller springs and a fat 10lbish wild coho.
Still a priceless day with daughter.
Interesting that majority of fish were hooked on the side with leader shortened to about 5 ft. Maybe the short leader and faster bait was triggering the bites? Leader length can be a game changer if you remember to play with it but most of the time we stick to the norm.

 

[fish brain]

Consistent action at otter yesterday. Just had trouble getting them in the boat.
Took my teen daughter out for the morning. On the water crack of 8am. Lost 6 springs. 1 was a line peeler. Released a few smaller springs and a fat 10lbish wild coho.
Still a priceless day with daughter.
Interesting that majority of fish were hooked on the side with leader shortened to about 5 ft. Maybe the short leader and faster bait was triggering the bites? Leader length can be a game changer if you remember to play with it but most of the time we stick to the norm.

Were you using bait or a spoon? I am assuming that with a five ft plus leader, it wasn't a hootchie.

 

[Tips Up]

Were you using bait or a spoon? I am assuming that with a five ft plus leader, it wasn't a hootchie.

Bait. Switched to a spoon on one side near the end and hit a spring on that also. Reinforcing my thought the fish were hitting fast action gear. Contrary to how I normally fish this time if year for big late season springs with long leaders, less flashy, slow rolling bait.

 

[gone fishin]

Does anyone know the name of this fisherman today off Pedder Bay in the aluminum skiff who had the encounter with Biggs whales chasing the Stellar sea lion under his boat. 2:15 pm. There is a very cool video of the sea lion going airborne and trying land in his boat if he’s interested. Nearly capsized. Photographer would like to talk to him.

hoping someone can confirm this great photo is not photo shopped.
@markmillessonphotography shows on the enlarged photo

 

[casper5280]

Bait. Switched to a spoon on one side near the end and hit a spring on that also. Reinforcing my thought the fish were hitting fast action gear. Contrary to how I normally fish this time if year for big late season springs with long leaders, less flashy, slow rolling bait.

Exactly what I thought Sunday. The White Hoochie was a very short leader and that was the lure that got all the fish. Same as you, not how I normally fish either.

 

[eroyd]

Fished this morning around Possession. Lots of action, mostly 4-8 lb scrappy springs but kept one around 10. Lost one about 500lbs after a long strong run. A group of sea lions were having a good time. I discovered the reef West of Secretary Is. Bait ruled 3:1 over spoons. Dummy flasher set up.

 

[Newf]

Did an afternoon trip instead of our normal morning trips that were getting us nothing but shakers and a couple in the 4-5lb range. At 4pm had a pin popper that resulted in a nice one in the boat. 23lbs on my little digital scale but 20.9 on the Cheanuh scale. I like my scale better . 83cm. Herring aide skinny G , 101 ft on the DR in 200ft off of the head. One more nice one on for a few minutes but long line release... few shakers and called it at 6pm.

 

[fish brain]

Did an afternoon trip instead of our normal morning trips that were getting us nothing but shakers and a couple in the 4-5lb range. At 4pm had a pin popper that resulted in a nice one in the boat. 23lbs on my little digital scale but 20.9 on the Cheanuh scale. I like my scale better . 83cm. Herring aide skinny G , 101 ft on the DR in 200ft off of the head. One more nice one on for a few minutes but long line release... few shakers and called it at 6pm. View attachment 84731

That spoon, with a Super Betsy flasher has been my go to this season, unfortunately I lost mine last time out. I'm going to have to replace it.

 

[Slack-tider]

Hey Hewf, how long of a leader are you running this time of the year? Watching the folks off the water front lately, those catching looked like they had longer leaders than I normally run.

 

[Newf]

Hey Hewf, how long of a leader are you running this time of the year? Watching the folks off the water front lately, those catching looked like they had longer leaders than I normally run.

On those Skinny G's and Wee G's I normally run around 48", give or take a couple of inches.

 

[Roberth]

Rode the ebb in the dark from Cheanuh to Otter Point this morning. At tide change, 9am or so, got a 15 and a 25 right off the point. On anchovies at 100 ft