When you give your exact location to someone that you don"t know.....it is not the "4' fish they may catch that is the issue..it is the flotilla of boats that may be in your way the next morning. It may sound ridiculous but case in point. Came in with a nice spring catch from Sheringham...at the dock a guy from Alberta who stayed at the old Sooke Harbour Marina asks me where I was while I was cleaning them. I hesitated but told him the light. The next morning I arrive there first and set my gear...he is next and pulls in a couple hundred feet on my tail. We hook up and the fish heads towards him...he had a loud 2 stroke kicker and no matter how loud I yelled he kept coming and cut us off...never knowing he did it. The only fish we hit that morning. Luckily the next boat back was Foghorn Charters..he called me a half hour later and said my fish wrapped up all 3 of his rods and downriggers before he managed to net it...34 pounds. He gave us the fish but my 84 year old client never got to play it. So we have our reasons not to be to specific. The one thing I don't do is give people false info...I just say privileged info. Doesn't stop them from following me out but at least it will be just them and not a flotilla.
2025 Sooke Reports
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Aces
Well-Known Member
This^^
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
The last thing fishermen want to see is other fishermen
Bluffs paid off big-time today. 80-90 FOW, 70-80 feet on DR. 3.5 inch spoons or bait..didn’t matter. 3 nice clipped Coho as well, but only 2 made it in the box. 
Pic is 80 cm fish. White King. Had 4 other springs on—3 long release and one at boat came unbuttoned due to me being impatient. Tried to muscle him in on the rod at the boat. Really good bite at low and 1/2 hour on either side. Just fishing a few hours in the early am at bluffs and then heading back to Seattle tomorrow. Best to all.
Pic is 80 cm fish. White King. Had 4 other springs on—3 long release and one at boat came unbuttoned due to me being impatient. Tried to muscle him in on the rod at the boat. Really good bite at low and 1/2 hour on either side. Just fishing a few hours in the early am at bluffs and then heading back to Seattle tomorrow. Best to all.Attachments
the force
Crew Member
Back at Otter again today at 640 am. Wind stopped and water laid down nicely. Paid off…have 2 nice Springs. Done at 830. We let one a bit smaller go (yikes!) and were rewarded with larger one to punch out for the day on Chinook. We stay out of the crowd and fish deeper water 90-150. Found some bait at 130 right on the point and bingo. 3 1/2 inch spoons, green Herring Aid patterns. Have not used bait at all in 3 days and have caught 6 nice Springs. On to look for Coho—-again, 15 fish, no keepers!! Out SW of Secretary in 350-500 FOW with blue/green/silver sparkle (Seahawk) hoochies and Seahawks Ace Hi-Fly with 28-32 inch leaders with red-racer flashers. Go fast and hang on! We were mindful of the yellow no-fishing zone. Coho Rodeo—fun but would be nice to have some clipped we can keep. Would love to find some Sox…saw a guide come in with some really nice ones that he caught “in the ocean”
My island time is done for the year but need to tune up my coho game for next year, when you say fast is that like 4mph 60 degree cables?
Yes that would work-as fast as your gear will allow. You can shorten your leaders as well to speed things up.
Line in at 11:30am just outside of the head in 300’ of water trolled around caught nothing but 8” springs, daughter said daddy we have Danny’s sign on the side of our boat, I didn’t quite get it and son murmured kids eat free……. Didn’t want to play with juniors so we decided to pickup line and headed west. Thought of making it all the way to Otter but midway found a group of birds diving we decided to drop line and work around them. It paid off we immediately got into a line peeler. My son grabbed the rod and reeled… then yelled dad reel’s broken I can’t reel. I took over and to find break seized up. So I had to switch to free spool when feeling pull too strong and flip right back and pull line in by hand. After about 10 min of chaotic reel/line play we netted the fish. A 12# springs!!! 10min after resetting we got into another spring. This fish was lost near boat during 3rd time peeling line out. And pop goes the spring…. It was such a sad moment. Found out hook got straightened out. Think on the bright side it was probably over size. From then on we got nothing but pinks. So decided to keep 3 for the weekend family BBQ and called it a day.
I hope this post is OK as it is a bit off topic. I'm looking for a guide to take my wife and I out for a half day or so in the Sooke area and show us some good spots as well as maybe give us a few pointers on Salmon fishing. Please PM me if you've got time to take us out in the next week or so, or if you can recommend someone good who might.
Thanks,
Dennis
Thanks,
Dennis
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
kingspring
Well-Known Member
Otter this morning, lines down at 8. Released some pinks and small springs then a spicy 75 cm fish hit the anchovy and came to net.
We then hooked and unhooked 5 or 6 fish until we closed with an 80 cm on a Kingfisher spoon.
Depths were in the sixties , I think.
We then hooked and unhooked 5 or 6 fish until we closed with an 80 cm on a Kingfisher spoon.
Depths were in the sixties , I think.
Another salmon grand slam today; 4 different species, all at or near the trap. First 2h after sunrise was nuts. Not even a pod of Orcas coming through slowed the biting down. Got quieter after 8am. Hooked several really nice coho - strangly all were clipped! Go figure.
It is a good day for hatchery coho. We got 4 hatch coho, 1 spring, 2 pink, and a sockeye today. Trolled in 300-350’ contour. DR depth between 80’-120’. All were caught on mini hootchies as our intentions was targeting sockeye. We released a wild coho it’s got yellow belly. Very weird looking fish.
Fishin
Well-Known Member
Great day out in Sooke. Got my dad and father-in-law out, couldn’t keep the pinks off. Looking for sockeye, we went into the trap, hoping to find some larger slot springs. We were only able to find a few around 10 lbs, but it was lots of fun though and many laughs. We decided to target some bottom fish early afternoon after our salmon fishing and weren’t disappointed. Some beauty lings and a few good-sized rockfish for fish tacos. 50-70’ was the ticket for our salmon, all on wee g spoons.
Attachments
Kids wanted to go out for last try at sockeye. Line in at 12:40pm. Since its flooding tide we started at Sheringham Point trolling easterly in 325’ of water. Water was really calm we can’t tell where tide line is so decided to troll from paddy to paddy. We only hit pinks and wild coho for the next 4 hours. I finally convinced kids to go for springs and coho. Gear change while trolling towards shallower water. Not long after we go into 179’ water depth we had a pin popper. After it dove twice I got it to the surface and found it tangled with no 3 rod. Daughter reeled it in and got line tangled at my rod tip. Good thing she quickly cut the line and son was able to pull it off. We managed to land the spring it taped out to be 74cm. Line retied all rods reset, 5 min in and rod 3 went off son grabbed it and rod 4 went off we thought darn it tangled again but looking at the line separation it’s not I grabbed it and fish already running. Both rods lines’ peeling we know it was a spring double header. Daughter grabbed the net and said you guys feeling lucky?!? I can barely lift the net good luck seeing me net the fish. Well…. Rod 1 went off she quickly dropped the net and go grub rod 1. Now triple header. Daughter’s fish was smaller so she got it close to boat and just stick the rod into rod holder and I passed my rod to her and she was able to guide it in nicely and I net the fish. A 67cm spring. Quickly I turn around to the other side of the boat and net son’s fish and it measured to be a 68cm spring. High 5s and 10s !!! Now just need some hatch coho to complete the day. Line in al reset and not long another double header. We ended up releasing a 77cm and a 64cm. By day’s end we managed to keep 3 springs 1 coho and 6 pink and 3 rockfish. Springs caught on green flasher Irish cream spoon and gold Betsy with gold spoon. Depth between 80’-50’
Stizzla
Crew Member
Nice report! Pandemonium
Fantastic weather this weekend.
Saturday took a buddy out and tried to avoid the crowds. Lost 3 good springs. Boated 1. Release some small springs and shakers. Kept a sockeye, couple pinks and a nice size hatch coho
Sunday took my daughter and her boyfriend. Bit later start with gear down just after 7:00 in different spot than Saturday. Sounder was loaded with bait and fish. 5 min in and double header. Lost 1 and landed 1. Bite stayed consistent till almost 9:00 with fish after fish. Then slowed down but still a fish ever 20 min or so. Lost track but probably had 15 good springs on with 10 to the boat. Kept 3. At 10:30 we headed out a bit deeper to see if we could get coho or sockeye. All we got was another big spring released beside boat. That one was an awesome battle. Daughter played it first but handed it to me after it took way too much line for her comfort. I got it closer to boat and let her boyfriend finish the fight so I could do a clean release. That fish was oversize for sure but plier release beside boat. Packed it in at 11:30.
Amazing weather, unreal fishing. So glad I was able to have my daughter on board.
Saturday took a buddy out and tried to avoid the crowds. Lost 3 good springs. Boated 1. Release some small springs and shakers. Kept a sockeye, couple pinks and a nice size hatch coho
Sunday took my daughter and her boyfriend. Bit later start with gear down just after 7:00 in different spot than Saturday. Sounder was loaded with bait and fish. 5 min in and double header. Lost 1 and landed 1. Bite stayed consistent till almost 9:00 with fish after fish. Then slowed down but still a fish ever 20 min or so. Lost track but probably had 15 good springs on with 10 to the boat. Kept 3. At 10:30 we headed out a bit deeper to see if we could get coho or sockeye. All we got was another big spring released beside boat. That one was an awesome battle. Daughter played it first but handed it to me after it took way too much line for her comfort. I got it closer to boat and let her boyfriend finish the fight so I could do a clean release. That fish was oversize for sure but plier release beside boat. Packed it in at 11:30.
Amazing weather, unreal fishing. So glad I was able to have my daughter on board.
Englishman
Well-Known Member
After Thursday’s good day, headed out again today for the Trap. A few boats there and a lot off Beechey.
After an hour wouldn’t yah know it but the kicker died again and refused to start, just like three trips ago! Decided to continue on the main, which is difficult as no prop guard and no fine motor control Either 0.7K or 2.5K LOL.
After two hours with only several undersized little chinook decided to troll West. Went through the gap at Secretary, past Possession and across harbour mouth. Still nothing except undersized and a pink.
Then about 10:00am opposite the Bluffs I went to check the bait on one side and as soon as I set the downrigger moving there was a hit. The fish gave a reasonable fight and we netted a nice 66cm fish (9lb).
Ten minutes later we had another hit in the same area, the fish pulled hard, surfaced, stayed there for bit then out popped the hook.
Then we had a very nice male pink which went 6.5lb, then we released an unclipped coho. Finally at 11:30am, still off the Bluffs we had a tremendous sideways yank just like Thursday and this fish ran at least 50 metres, pretty close to another boat. Finally we got it back to the boat and netted a beauty 76cm fish.
We called it right after this fish. Don’t think we will be out again till October. Boat booked in to try and solve this recurrent kicker problem and I don’t fancy risking trolling on main again.
Pic below.
After an hour wouldn’t yah know it but the kicker died again and refused to start, just like three trips ago! Decided to continue on the main, which is difficult as no prop guard and no fine motor control Either 0.7K or 2.5K LOL.
After two hours with only several undersized little chinook decided to troll West. Went through the gap at Secretary, past Possession and across harbour mouth. Still nothing except undersized and a pink.
Then about 10:00am opposite the Bluffs I went to check the bait on one side and as soon as I set the downrigger moving there was a hit. The fish gave a reasonable fight and we netted a nice 66cm fish (9lb).
Ten minutes later we had another hit in the same area, the fish pulled hard, surfaced, stayed there for bit then out popped the hook.
Then we had a very nice male pink which went 6.5lb, then we released an unclipped coho. Finally at 11:30am, still off the Bluffs we had a tremendous sideways yank just like Thursday and this fish ran at least 50 metres, pretty close to another boat. Finally we got it back to the boat and netted a beauty 76cm fish.
We called it right after this fish. Don’t think we will be out again till October. Boat booked in to try and solve this recurrent kicker problem and I don’t fancy risking trolling on main again.
Pic below.
That pink puts the “hump” in humpy.After Thursday’s good day, headed out again today for the Trap. A few boats there and a lot off Beechey.
After an hour wouldn’t yah know it but the kicker died again and refused to start, just like three trips ago! Decided to continue on the main, which is difficult as no prop guard and no fine motor control Either 0.7K or 2.5K LOL.
After two hours with only several undersized little chinook decided to troll West. Went through the gap at Secretary, past Possession and across harbour mouth. Still nothing except undersized and a pink.
Then about 10:00am opposite the Bluffs I went to check the bait on one side and as soon as I set the downrigger moving there was a hit. The fish gave a reasonable fight and we netted a nice 66cm fish (9lb).
Ten minutes later we had another hit in the same area, the fish pulled hard, surfaced, stayed there for bit then out popped the hook.
Then we had a very nice male pink which went 6.5lb, then we released an unclipped coho. Finally at 11:30am, still off the Bluffs we had a tremendous sideways yank just like Thursday and this fish ran at least 50 metres, pretty close to another boat. Finally we got it back to the boat and netted a beauty 76cm fish.
We called it right after this fish. Don’t think we will be out again till October. Boat booked in to try and solve this recurrent kicker problem and I don’t fancy risking trolling on main again.
Pic below.
View attachment 120221
Check out the faces on the Chinook. Bottom one long and dark like we we getting a couple weeks back. Top one is short face and fat. Like a 20lb 80cm fish. lol.
Interesting the different characteristics of different runs.
sweettjim
Well-Known Member
all the springs reds?After Thursday’s good day, headed out again today for the Trap. A few boats there and a lot off Beechey.
After an hour wouldn’t yah know it but the kicker died again and refused to start, just like three trips ago! Decided to continue on the main, which is difficult as no prop guard and no fine motor control Either 0.7K or 2.5K LOL.
After two hours with only several undersized little chinook decided to troll West. Went through the gap at Secretary, past Possession and across harbour mouth. Still nothing except undersized and a pink.
Then about 10:00am opposite the Bluffs I went to check the bait on one side and as soon as I set the downrigger moving there was a hit. The fish gave a reasonable fight and we netted a nice 66cm fish (9lb).
Ten minutes later we had another hit in the same area, the fish pulled hard, surfaced, stayed there for bit then out popped the hook.
Then we had a very nice male pink which went 6.5lb, then we released an unclipped coho. Finally at 11:30am, still off the Bluffs we had a tremendous sideways yank just like Thursday and this fish ran at least 50 metres, pretty close to another boat. Finally we got it back to the boat and netted a beauty 76cm fish.
We called it right after this fish. Don’t think we will be out again till October. Boat booked in to try and solve this recurrent kicker problem and I don’t fancy risking trolling on main again.
Pic below.
View attachment 120221
