RedneckDale
Active Member
Got a 79cm white Saturday by the bluffs
2025 Sooke Reports
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The Green Bastard
Active Member
Great night bite at the East end of the Trap yesterday. Got there around 4:45 and while setting the gear there was some chatter on the radio how it had been lights out for the past couple hours so I thought I'd missed the bite but it was non stop action until around 7:30. Every tack was picking up a fish with a few double headers as well. Decent size they all looked around 80ish everyone on that tack was nailing them. I was at 37 and 43 with a couple green/yellow/chrome spoons. You could hear the guy with the bells on his rods hooking up the whole time I was there. What a fantastic evening fishy calm seas and not windy cant beat that!
So, based on a recommendation from Scott Craven, I contacted Roy Carver at Blue Wolf charters. He had a free day today so we went out for the morning. My wife caught three Chinook and kept the largest which was 80 cm. She also caught a nice sized Pink. I caught a 74 cm Chinook. Despite this blatant favoritism
we both had a great time and learned a lot. This was money well spent and we're planning on trying to schedule a halibut trip with him when that season rolls around.
OldShoreFisherman
Active Member
It has been a couple of years since I've done any kayak fishing but my son recently bought a used Ocean Kayak Trident 13 and expressed some interest in giving it a try. So yesterday, three days shy of my 72nd birthday, we headed out to launch at Gordons. Among other things, I had forgotten how long it takes to get the kayaks and gear loaded for a day of fishing so we didn't hit the water until the crack of noon--not that I'm much of a crack-of-dawn guy anymore anyway.
We were jigging and trying to stay out of the way of the boaters doing the usual tack and I hooked into what felt like a decent fish in about 85 feet of water off Third Rock. It didn't make much of a run, but it hugged the bottom and would head straight back down whenever it felt like I was making any headway. It took about 15 minutes before I even got a look at it, a lot of that time spent with the top third of my rod buried in the water, and by that time we had drifted well past Second Rock. The fish finally tired but I couldn't twist around enough to reach my net in the rod-holder on my fishing crate so I asked my son to come along side and try to net it. Of course the fish didn't make it easy and kept summoning the energy for another dive and it was my son's first time kayak fishing so it was about six or seven attempts that required a great deal of circling around before he managed to get it into what was admittedly an under-sized net. He taped it quickly in the catch-and-release net and made sure it was in the slot. It was 78 centimetres.
I expect we provided some amusement for nearby boaters; I know I would have been having a chuckle!
We were jigging and trying to stay out of the way of the boaters doing the usual tack and I hooked into what felt like a decent fish in about 85 feet of water off Third Rock. It didn't make much of a run, but it hugged the bottom and would head straight back down whenever it felt like I was making any headway. It took about 15 minutes before I even got a look at it, a lot of that time spent with the top third of my rod buried in the water, and by that time we had drifted well past Second Rock. The fish finally tired but I couldn't twist around enough to reach my net in the rod-holder on my fishing crate so I asked my son to come along side and try to net it. Of course the fish didn't make it easy and kept summoning the energy for another dive and it was my son's first time kayak fishing so it was about six or seven attempts that required a great deal of circling around before he managed to get it into what was admittedly an under-sized net. He taped it quickly in the catch-and-release net and made sure it was in the slot. It was 78 centimetres.
I expect we provided some amusement for nearby boaters; I know I would have been having a chuckle!
wolf
Well-Known Member
LOL LOL it was a great day indeed the look on your wifes face catching her first ever spring and I said I think we should throw it back.. (about 68cm) as it was really early in the trip then another smaller one about the same... ahhh but it paid off she got the biggest fish!!!!! I think you have a new fishing partner for life now Dennis... until next timeSo, based on a recommendation from Scott Craven, I contacted Roy Carver at Blue Wolf charters. He had a free day today so we went out for the morning. My wife caught three Chinook and kept the largest which was 80 cm. She also caught a nice sized Pink. I caught a 74 cm Chinook. Despite this blatant favoritism
And yes fishng is still great out there as you know I am finding them a bit deeper dont be afraid to zip a line down to 100 feet
kaelc
Crew Member
Got out late on my buddies new boat with our two boys. Started jigging Pedder, no bites. Ran to beechy, felt slow, picked up and ran to possession. Had three quick hookups. About a 69cm clipped coho, a 71cm spring and another that took a real nice run on the spoon that was on my dummy flasher side. 55-70 feet of water. White hootchie near the bottom for the spring. Quiet the rest of the evening, saw two fish landed for about 25 boats. My buddies first time fishing possession in his own boat, I’m no expert but got to share my knowledge with him.
Lots of food and having the bow for the boys to play on imagining using the bow rope as pirates, a little casting off one side while stacked on the other side kept them busy. Saw whales around race rocks. Stopped and jigged the boiling bait at the trap as the sun went down but not bites. Tired boys, but pretty happy. I’m pretty dam happy too!
Lots of food and having the bow for the boys to play on imagining using the bow rope as pirates, a little casting off one side while stacked on the other side kept them busy. Saw whales around race rocks. Stopped and jigged the boiling bait at the trap as the sun went down but not bites. Tired boys, but pretty happy. I’m pretty dam happy too!
RedneckDale
Active Member
No shortage of parking at Prestige at 0700 on a Saturday morning. Seas calm and weather clear.
Chinook fishing slow around Possession and Secretary. Saw a couple of likely chinooks in nets but not the craziness of previous weeks. We did find a bunch of coho, especially on the southern side of the island. Some good sized, hooked nose coho, but unfortunately only a couple of 4 pounders were clipped.
High light of the day was some incredible playful White Sided Dolphins that put on a Marine Land type show. Never seen them that close before.
What's with all the cops in Sooke escorting ~50 bikers? Seemed like 20 cruisers plus a helicopter was a bit of an overkill.
Chinook fishing slow around Possession and Secretary. Saw a couple of likely chinooks in nets but not the craziness of previous weeks. We did find a bunch of coho, especially on the southern side of the island. Some good sized, hooked nose coho, but unfortunately only a couple of 4 pounders were clipped.
High light of the day was some incredible playful White Sided Dolphins that put on a Marine Land type show. Never seen them that close before.
What's with all the cops in Sooke escorting ~50 bikers? Seemed like 20 cruisers plus a helicopter was a bit of an overkill.
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Englishman
Well-Known Member
Yep, Eroyd we had the same reaction when these two guys played around our boat which I mentioned in an earlier post last week.
Here is a 45 second video my wife captured of their second cavort around the bow of our boat.
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Weekend report, fished Friday and Today in Sooke.
Friday started at the Trap at 1st light, it was dead slow for 1.5 hrs so we moved up to Secretary. Found action right away and kept 2 Chinook (65,75cm) and 6 Pinks.
Today, fished Hali from 7am till 10:30, let an 90cm, and Pacific Grey Cod before the Doggies became annoying. Switched to Salmon and kept a 70cm, a hatchery coho and 1 bleeding Pink.
Besides fishing it was an amazing Humpback show the last couple of days. We saw them in Beecher Bay, the Trap, Possession and Sheringham.
Friday started at the Trap at 1st light, it was dead slow for 1.5 hrs so we moved up to Secretary. Found action right away and kept 2 Chinook (65,75cm) and 6 Pinks.
Today, fished Hali from 7am till 10:30, let an 90cm, and Pacific Grey Cod before the Doggies became annoying. Switched to Salmon and kept a 70cm, a hatchery coho and 1 bleeding Pink.
Besides fishing it was an amazing Humpback show the last couple of days. We saw them in Beecher Bay, the Trap, Possession and Sheringham.
Newf
Crew Member
Launched at Pedder and ran to Church. 5 min in and released a nice wild coho. Then it was nothing but 10” to 12” shakers so ran to the Head. More shakers but managed a 78cm/ 13lbs (not a fatty) 85ft on the DR in 150ft water on a spoon. Ran back to Pedder and drop the lines from 1-2pm but again nothing but little shakers. No clipped coho to the boat. Spoke to a guy at the ramp who fished Pedder all morning but nothing but shakers for him.
wolf
Well-Known Member
There is still some nice spring out there they are in pockets now once you find them , now is time to use new hooks and sharp as these guys jaws are getting tough (pre spawn) want theose hooks to really set in, had a fish other day already dark and ready for spawning seems last few days a few pinks but coho are showing in more numbers and getting bigger... but yes that one shot of rain last week definatlly changed the fishing,, more are coming.....
Time of the year when many hook ups are short lived with a few moments on the rod and gone. Territorial males slapping the bait not so much to feed but out of aggression towards anything close to them except a ripe female. Many times when fishing bait and after such a hit the teaser head comes back driven from the front back hard to the hooks. Obviously it was hit from the head not the tail. Like Wolf says your best hope is sticky sharp hooks...but unfortunately you are still going to loose as many as you get on days with predominantly males around from now until the end of the Chinook season.
Lewy
Active Member
Launched at Cheanuh today around 9 and as most boats I saw were over by the Head, took a chance and headed over to the Bedfords - lots of tide as usual and as soon as we passed the first Bedford we got a strong popper which turned out to be a nice 78cm spring. I'd rigged a big spoon and put it down to about 120'-140' looking to get into a spring, but the spring bit on the 50' rigger on this pink/clear squirt with a flash insert and a fat clear head behind a pale purple moon jelly flasher. Turns out this was the go to setup for the day. Soon after landed a nice fat clipped coho and from then on kept getting coho as we crossed the tide. Tide was pretty strong and I knew we were moving down past Whirl and once the fog thinned a bit I saw we'd drifted almost as far as the Race! But we kept getting fish, so we stayed with it till we didn't. No more clipped fish though so released a bunch, all pretty decent size. As the kicker was getting us nowhere, pulled up the gear, fired up the big 6 and headed over to Beechey.
As soon as we got the Head and dropped the gear we were picking up coho every couple of minutes, same idea, 50' on the rigger, same setup although I ran a trap shack skinny g on the other side. It worked OK, I got coho on that too, but it was the hoochie that was producing consistently. Trouble was, of all the coho we caught the only keeper was the first one we got earlier. None of the others were clipped. Must have released 10 or more and surprisingly only picked up a few shakers, maybe 3 all day. Started blowing around 2oclock and the swell came up too so we trotted back in. Good day though!
As soon as we got the Head and dropped the gear we were picking up coho every couple of minutes, same idea, 50' on the rigger, same setup although I ran a trap shack skinny g on the other side. It worked OK, I got coho on that too, but it was the hoochie that was producing consistently. Trouble was, of all the coho we caught the only keeper was the first one we got earlier. None of the others were clipped. Must have released 10 or more and surprisingly only picked up a few shakers, maybe 3 all day. Started blowing around 2oclock and the swell came up too so we trotted back in. Good day though!
zodiak_killer
New Member
Theres still a few around if you can get away from the shakers. First thing around 7am trolling out of the bay I picked up a 71 half way between Aldridge and Creekye. Trolled to Beechy and got a few coho. First two were clipped and really good size... couldn't believe it. Not many boats so I stuck around and got into a few more Coho all wild. At about 11 I saw a boat hook into a decent fish off the point and quickly disappear in the current and fog. I trolled over and lost a good pin popper. Circled around and picked up a 75. All on spoons
Englishman
Well-Known Member
Thanks to a contact of Jim at Sunny Shores I was able to get my intransigent kicker fixed on Tuesday, so out we went today, sooner than expected.
Unfortunately the fog and awkward low tide meant we did not launch till 10:00am. Lines down at 10:30am in the harbour mouth and we began trolling west against the tide.
We had three sharp hits in short order but missed two and released an unclipped coho. Around 11:30am somewhere off the Bluffs (I genuinely don’t know where since it was still foggy!) we had a bouncing hit on the starboard rod in around 85’ of water. When I struck the fish went off in huge run. As it did so, the other rod went off too! My wife grabbed the rod and that took line as well, so out of nowhere we had a double header of chinook!!
Mine appeared to be bigger so the second rod went back in the holder with light drag set and we concentrated on getting mine back to the boat. Here we eventually netted a really nice 81cm fish. Turning to the second rod, remarkably the fish was still there and my wife brought that one in, and I netted a 72cm fish. We were very surprised both at the sudden double header and the fact we got them both in.
We continued trolling west but had no further action so we turned and trolled back east with the tide, as far as Possession. We picked up two clipped coho, including a really good one of 8lb, and released two more unclipped, plus two pinks. We never saw another chinook, not even a shaker, which made the earlier sudden solitary double header even more remarkable. We called it at 2:30pm.
Back at base the pair of chinooks went 18lb and 11lb respectively, and both were female whites. The bigger coho had an 8” baby salmon inside it! All fish were caught on little herring in t.h.
Catch pic below.
Unfortunately the fog and awkward low tide meant we did not launch till 10:00am. Lines down at 10:30am in the harbour mouth and we began trolling west against the tide.
We had three sharp hits in short order but missed two and released an unclipped coho. Around 11:30am somewhere off the Bluffs (I genuinely don’t know where since it was still foggy!) we had a bouncing hit on the starboard rod in around 85’ of water. When I struck the fish went off in huge run. As it did so, the other rod went off too! My wife grabbed the rod and that took line as well, so out of nowhere we had a double header of chinook!!
Mine appeared to be bigger so the second rod went back in the holder with light drag set and we concentrated on getting mine back to the boat. Here we eventually netted a really nice 81cm fish. Turning to the second rod, remarkably the fish was still there and my wife brought that one in, and I netted a 72cm fish. We were very surprised both at the sudden double header and the fact we got them both in.
We continued trolling west but had no further action so we turned and trolled back east with the tide, as far as Possession. We picked up two clipped coho, including a really good one of 8lb, and released two more unclipped, plus two pinks. We never saw another chinook, not even a shaker, which made the earlier sudden solitary double header even more remarkable. We called it at 2:30pm.
Back at base the pair of chinooks went 18lb and 11lb respectively, and both were female whites. The bigger coho had an 8” baby salmon inside it! All fish were caught on little herring in t.h.
Catch pic below.
