2022 Sooke Reports

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Curious but not judging. This is the second post linked to Rockfish (other was October 04 by someone fishing with Rockfish) referencing retaining unclipped Coho. Am I missing something? I’ve released some chunky wild Coho and been heartsick doing it but others appear to follow different rules for 20-5. Que pasa?

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Fishery Notice
Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Salmon
Subject:
FN1106-RECREATIONAL - Salmon - Coho - Areas 19 and 20 - Coho Management Measures - September 23, 2022 - Reminder

This Fishery Notice reminds recreational fishers of upcoming changes to Coho retention opportunities in Areas 19 and 20. Retention opportunities for Area 19 and 20 (excluding those areas that are closed to salmon fishing or closed to all fin-fishing) are as follows:

Area 19:
Effective 00:01 hours October 1 until 23:59 hours December 31, 2022, the daily limit is two (2) Coho per day, of which only one (1) may be wild (unmarked).

Area 20:
That portion of Subarea 20-1 seaward of a line between a square white boundary sign at Owen Point, the Port San Juan Light and Whistle Buoy, and San Juan Point, and Subareas 20-3 to 20-7 (excluding those portions of Subareas 20-1 and 20-5 that are closed to salmon fishing until to 23:59 hours October 31, 2022):

Effective 00:01 hours October 1 until 23:59 hours December 31, 2022, the daily limit is four (4) Coho per day, of which only one (1) may be wild (unmarked).

Subarea 20-2 and that portion of Subarea 20-1 shoreward of a line between a square white boundary sign at Owen Point, the Port San Juan Light and Whistle Buoy, and San Juan Point:

The daily limit is four (4) Coho per day, of which two (2) may be wild (unmarked) in Subarea 20-2 until 23:59 hours December 31, 2022.

Variation Orders: 2022-RFQ-222; 2022-RCT-058


The minimum size for Coho is 30 cm.

Fishers are reminded of management measures to support the survival and recovery of Southern Resident Killer Whales that include areas closed to salmon fishing and/or vessel traffic. Please refer to Fisheries Notice FN0972 (fisheries management measures) or FN 0523 (vessel management measures), or visit the following webpage for additional information:

Notes:
Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal and non-tidal waters of British Columbia.

The term "hatchery marked" or "marked" means a fish that has a healed scar in place of the adipose fin. This is also referred to as an adipose fin-clipped (AFC) fish. Unmarked fish still have an adipose fin present.

Sport anglers are encouraged to participate in the Salmon Sport Head Recovery program by labeling and submitting heads from adipose fin-clipped Chinook and Coho Salmon. Recovery of coded-wire tags provides critical information for coast-wide stock assessment. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program toll free at 1-866-483-9994 for further information.

Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) are currently in effect and are closed to all fin-fishing. Descriptions of RCAs, other closures such as finfish closed areas and salmon non-retention areas, and other recreational fishing information, can be found on the Internet at:

Restricted fishing areas | Pacific Region | Fisheries and Oceans Canada (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)

Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line at 1-800-465-4336 or by email at DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at 1-866-431-FISH (3474).

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office or visit our website at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca.


Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN1106
Sent September 23, 2022 at 1014

Return to Main Menu

Date modified:2022-10-07
 
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Curious but not judging. This is the second post linked to Rockfish (other was October 04 by someone fishing with Rockfish) referencing retaining unclipped Coho. Am I missing something? I’ve released some chunky wild Coho and been heartsick doing it but others appear to follow different rules for 20-5. Que pasa?
Regs changed 1 Oct. You can retain 1 Wild per license as well as 3 clipped coho for a total of 4 max.
 
well, thanks, but I just Googled “DFO Area 20” a minute ago (again) and it’s still saying no retention for wild Coho in 20. WTF?
I'm heading out tomorrow and spent about an hour on the DFO website trying to figure it out as well - scroll down to 'restrictions', that say 1 wild and 3 clipped. The restrictions are actually less restrictive than the regs.
 

Species regulations​

Always check for restrictions.

As stated. Always read restrictions area. The chart is for general regulation for the area. Any special circumstances will be listed under restrictions.
 
Yesterday fished from 1015am - 1pm. Started east of the head going north-south and got no bites. No one wanted to chat/share info on VHF 68 when I asked if anyone was getting any action.

We then decided to run with the ebb to secretary and fish there. Tried to chat on vhf 68 again and got no friendly replies.

After almost 2 hours of trolling with no action, checking gear, changing lures, changing depths, I told my fishing buddy I’ll take over driving (jokingly because he’s bad luck) and I’ll put us on fish.

Took over the wheel shortly after…..Bam! Fish on!

Landed a nice big clipped. Started circling around and got more hits. We eventually got another 3 (all wild), lost a few. Had boats come over and circle us while we were fighting fish… they don’t get any bites and looked forlorn….

All our fish were around secretary island in 400ish feet. Hot lure was hoothcies over spoons.

Had to pull up gear at 1pm to head back and pick up my kid from school. Came up on VHF and announced where and how deep we were catching out fish to help others… no reply back.


Made it in time to get the kid from school then came back to the dock and took the boat out to check crab traps with his classmate. Got 5 keepers.
 
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Yesterday fished from 1015am - 1pm. Started east of the head going north-south and got no bites. No one wanted to chat/share info on VHF 68 when I asked if anyone was getting any action.

We then decided to run with the ebb to secretary and fish there. Tried to chat on vhf 68 again and got no friendly replies.

After almost 2 hours of trolling with no action, checking gear, changing lures, changing depths, I told my fishing buddy I’ll take over driving (jokingly because he’s bad luck) and I’ll put us on fish.

Took over the wheel shortly after…..Bam! Fish on!

Landed a nice big clipped. Started circling around and got more hits. We eventually got another 3 (all wild), lost a few. Had boats come over and circle us while we were fighting fish… they don’t get any bites and looked forlorn….

All our fish were around secretary island in 400ish feet. Hot lure was hoothcies over spoons.

Had to pull up gear at 1pm to head back and pick up my kid from school. Came up on VHF and announced where and how deep we were catching out fish to help others… no reply back.


Made it in time, came back to the dock and took the boat out to check crab traps with his classmate. Got 5 keepers.
Thanks, Hot Streak -- I fished from just west of Race Rocks about 1030 to Beechey Head by 1 PM -- faster in the ebb, slower in the flood, and got nothing except a small whale show near Race Rocks. Guys I talked to had nothing except a few shakers. You found the spot!
 
Thanks, Hot Streak -- I fished from just west of Race Rocks about 1030 to Beechey Head by 1 PM -- faster in the ebb, slower in the flood, and got nothing except a small whale show near Race Rocks. Guys I talked to had nothing except a few shakers. You found the spot!
Yeah we saw the whales at race, they came up on us and we had to stop and let them pass. How deep were you fishing? I was working my gear pretty hard and at one point it seemed a bit bleak. I ran 3 lines top at about 30-40, 2nd one at about 55-65 and third 70-130 just trying to find them.
To make it back in time and get my son from school I knew I only had till 1pm. We got our fish within the last hour but I saw lots of boats out there not catch anything.
 
Yeah we saw the whales at race, they came up on us and we had to stop and let them pass. How deep were you fishing? I was working my gear pretty hard and at one point it seemed a bit bleak. I ran 3 lines top at about 30-40, 2nd one at about 55-65 and third 70-130 just trying to find them.
To make it back in time and get my son from school I knew I only had till 1pm. We got our fish within the last hour but I saw lots of boats out there not catch anything.
I fished between 35 and 90 -- but mostly 55 and 70 -- changing depths about every 15 minutes.
 
Yesterday fished from 1015am - 1pm. Started east of the head going north-south and got no bites. No one wanted to chat/share info on VHF 68 when I asked if anyone was getting any action.
Good to know about vhf 68. We came down from Ladysmith to check things out for fall coho for the first time. We haven't been down to Sooke for the last couple of seasons but always enjoyed it. Good thing we were allowed a wild each or we would have been grinding most of the day for nothing. We fished Secretary in the morning at 60-80' in 400' of water - with just a few lost fish to show for it. A few other boats there but barely saw any caught. Then ran down to Beechy Head for the high slack at around 3:00pm and landed 3 nice wild (one released), all at 65' in 500' of water. All on white/green glow hootchies. Saw one boat net 4, and another net 3 in the 2 hours we were toff Beechy Head. All in all a great day. Thanks to all for posting to give non-locals a bit of a head start.
 

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Good to know about vhf 68. We came down from Ladysmith to check things out for fall coho for the first time. We haven't been down to Sooke for the last couple of seasons but always enjoyed it. Good thing we were allowed a wild each or we would have been grinding most of the day for nothing. We fished Secretary in the morning at 60-80' in 400' of water - with just a few lost fish to show for it. A few other boats there but barely saw any caught. Then ran down to Beechy Head for the high slack at around 3:00pm and landed 3 nice wild (one released), all at 65' in 500' of water. All on white/green glow hootchies. Saw one boat net 4, and another net 3 in the 2 hours we were toff Beechy Head. All in all a great day. Thanks to all for posting to give non-locals a bit of a head start.
No problem! Glad the info helped. I get helpful info and like to pass it on. When everyone gets a chance to catch a fish it makes it a better community for us all.

Congrats on the nice catches and thanks for giving back to the group! Maybe we’ll see each other in the water sometime in the future!

Cheers!
 
Pretty slow out off sooke harbour today. More humpbacks than fish. Managed 2 coho in 6 hours. Back at dock seemed same for others there.
 
went out after work yesterday solo, fished 330-5 guess I was just there at the right time probably the best day coho fishing I’ve ever had, back to back double headers non stop action and some absolute tanks released so many big wilds had one pushing 15lbs or more, thought it was going to be a big chum or late Chinook based on how much line it was peeling out lol. Kept 2 nice hatchery’s and a wild. Spoons and hootchies 50-90’ out off the bluffs. Was hard to get pictures driving the boat and running gear solo but ended up with a few.
 

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A very productive 4 hour trip this morning off the Bluffs...we kept 4 wild and 4 hatch with biggest about 9 pounds..also a couple of feeder springs. Released another 8 wild to 11 pounds and lost 3 or 4 more. all 55-70 ft on hootchies. Quite the red sun rising this morning...the pic doesn't capture it as it was.
 

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Fished from 9 until noon off the head. A few 3-4 pounders.;) Let several go trying to hold out for a big one that never showed. Naked spoons 45 - 90'. Some pretty long pauses between crazy action. Whales seemed to turn the fish on.
 

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What a difference a day can make. Main purpose out was to show my wife these whales I've been talking about. She wasn't disappointed. Several sightings and one particular whale that likes breaching. Those folks on shore sure got a show.
Fishing, well it kind of sucked for me today. Didn't bring a single adult fish to the boat and only two good strikes. Couldn't figure it out. Did notice the seagulls picking at small stuff on the surface. Some sort of 'hatch'? Speckled hootchies might of been the answer, but I hate using flashers.
Great summer outing anyways!
 
What a whale show day. Humpbacks were everywhere… I spent the entire morning watching where they were to navigate behind them and stay out of their way. The chum test boat (seiner) was in close to shore as that was the only place to safely deploy s net. I started at 45-70ft and after 2 hours and just 2 feeder springs … I noticed all the whale were surface feeding. They did no deep dives and were coming to the surface with mouth open and then rolling on their side with half of their tale flukes out of the water. I brought my gear up to 25 and 30 ft and got into them right away. We ended up with 3 feeder springs, 3 wild coho and 2 hatch. Done in 3 hours so all the action between 9 and 10am. Hootchies again.
 
My wife and I were off Rocky Point and Becher Bay -- with a late morning start, so we didn't get quite the action Profisher saw, but we did see 5 humpbacks in the 3 hours we were out. 1 small wild coho [caught at 63' in about 460' of water], another that grabbed the lure while I was doing a bait check, and two great bites that didn't stick -- 43' and 68' in ~480-500' of water.

Hey Profisher -- where were you fishing today?

PS: Very tough conditions after last night's gale warning. Almost no boats out off Becher Bay.20221017_135757.jpg
 
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