Sooke reports - August 2006

[yammy5]

Some mornings are just fun. Deep water, 1st rock, Otter POint...2 Sockeye and 4 springs (20 to 27lbs) by 9:45AM. Our second and third came as a double header - the first one hit our deep line and when we slowed the engine a second one pounded the shallow line. We had to release a 5th spring chasing sockeye. I think we got lucky because I didn't see many others caught. First light in the fog was the trick. Can't believe the number of boats we saw at secretary on the way in! Was there anything going on?

 

[dohboy]

hey yammy, as far as secretary/possesion went , i was there from 8-2 no springs in the boat, and only saw one other landed all day, i myself only had 2 hits with 3 rods out, compared to yesterday 2 rods and 10 fish on, ouch, but we fished for some rock fish on slack tide what a blast and got some nice keepers, is anyone getting any male crabs, my trap is always full but only females, what the ****, still what a amazing day on the water, with a whale show just at the end
dohboy

 

[codfish]

Fished the island this afternoon nothing!!! Ran to muir creek qouble header 25 and 15 pounders and got a 20 off of otter point 2 sockeye and a 12 pound hatchery coho only my second of the year. My guests sure were happy. Betsy flasher green glow headx 90 feet.

Cheers codfish

 

[yammy5]

Thanks DB, it was hard for me not to stop on the way by to see what y'all were up to. It looked like everyone was a little distance off the island so I thought perhaps there was a big body of sockeye you guys were working. We were getting them there a couple days ago.

 

[yammy5]

Thanks DB, it was hard for me not to stop on the way by to see what y'all were up to. It looked like everyone was a little distance off the island so I thought perhaps there was a big body of sockeye you guys were working. We were getting them there a couple days ago.

 

[tubber]

Home after a trip to Sooke. 2 springs, 2 sockeyes, 3 wild cohoes, 2 lost springs?, 2 dogfish, 6 other hits. Fished Thursday, Friday and Sat am. No skunks but disappointing considering what I saw at the dock at Sunny Shores most days. There was a 43# on the scale on Saturday at noon.
Friendly people, lots of fish around, but there sure was a lot of boat traffic. Fishing alone, it was tough at times to get 2 manual d.riggers up and down without tacking into someone's way. Used brined anchovies mostly, just like everyone else.
I was surprised to catch sockeye on anchovies, I always thought they ate krill not baitfish.
Overall an enjoyable trip, incredible calm water and sunnny. I chose not to fish Wednesday, after arriving, launching and venturing out to find the wind and chop too much for my little Whaler.

 

[tubber]

Home after a trip to Sooke. 2 springs, 2 sockeyes, 3 wild cohoes, 2 lost springs?, 2 dogfish, 6 other hits. Fished Thursday, Friday and Sat am. No skunks but disappointing considering what I saw at the dock at Sunny Shores most days. There was a 43# on the scale on Saturday at noon.
Friendly people, lots of fish around, but there sure was a lot of boat traffic. Fishing alone, it was tough at times to get 2 manual d.riggers up and down without tacking into someone's way. Used brined anchovies mostly, just like everyone else.
I was surprised to catch sockeye on anchovies, I always thought they ate krill not baitfish.
Overall an enjoyable trip, incredible calm water and sunnny. I chose not to fish Wednesday, after arriving, launching and venturing out to find the wind and chop too much for my little Whaler.

 

[wolf]

Tubber how can you say disappointing you obvious were not at the cleaning station on those days at around 3 pm we had to wait in line to clean fish and i think sat I saw the most fish caught in a long time My guests all got tons of salmon on sat another forum member hired me and he got a 35 and 3 more in the 20s it was anything but slow out there, its been fantastic you just have to know how to fish it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Good luck Wolf

 

[wolf]

Tubber how can you say disappointing you obvious were not at the cleaning station on those days at around 3 pm we had to wait in line to clean fish and i think sat I saw the most fish caught in a long time My guests all got tons of salmon on sat another forum member hired me and he got a 35 and 3 more in the 20s it was anything but slow out there, its been fantastic you just have to know how to fish it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Good luck Wolf

 

[yammy5]

Wolf, I believe he's saying that he's dissapointed that he didn't catch more salmon considering all the fish he saw at the docks.

Why don't you give him a tip or 2 for his next trip!

 

[yammy5]

Wolf, I believe he's saying that he's dissapointed that he didn't catch more salmon considering all the fish he saw at the docks.

Why don't you give him a tip or 2 for his next trip!

 

[Gooey Bob]

Well, I finally got the chance to head out and hit it myself on Sunday.

Headed out of Pedder at about 6:30 intending to fish Beechy & the Trap Shack. Saw about 15 boats working Church Rock and stopped for a pass.

First rod down to 70 feet, hooking up the second and the first rod goes off! That was quick! 22 lb whitey, and scrapped like a fish twice that size.

Fished another hour or so and then the tide really started to rock so we pointed our bow towards Aldridge and just started trolling with the tide at 3.8 knots with the kicker barely idling! Half way across the bay in about 250 feet of water and wham! Spring number two on the shallow line (55 feet) 26 lbs and a much easier scrap than the first.

Hit Beechy Head right at the 10:30 tide change and quickly picked up two sockeye. While landing the second one, the other rod releases and the reel goes off just about scaring my wife out of the boat. I picked up the rod and it felt like another nice spring. We ended up losing that one to an inconsiderate persons downrigger cable.(Grrrr!)

Headed in at about 11:15 after what we considered a great first day in a new area. LOTS of boats out but I heard there were two derby's going on.

Fished with Betsy Gold & Silver flashers, red\chrome teaser & purple\gold teasers with 70 inch 40 lb. leaders. Both set ups hooked fish.

What an awesome fishery!!! I can't wait to get out again.

GB

 

[Gooey Bob]

Well, I finally got the chance to head out and hit it myself on Sunday.

Headed out of Pedder at about 6:30 intending to fish Beechy & the Trap Shack. Saw about 15 boats working Church Rock and stopped for a pass.

First rod down to 70 feet, hooking up the second and the first rod goes off! That was quick! 22 lb whitey, and scrapped like a fish twice that size.

Fished another hour or so and then the tide really started to rock so we pointed our bow towards Aldridge and just started trolling with the tide at 3.8 knots with the kicker barely idling! Half way across the bay in about 250 feet of water and wham! Spring number two on the shallow line (55 feet) 26 lbs and a much easier scrap than the first.

Hit Beechy Head right at the 10:30 tide change and quickly picked up two sockeye. While landing the second one, the other rod releases and the reel goes off just about scaring my wife out of the boat. I picked up the rod and it felt like another nice spring. We ended up losing that one to an inconsiderate persons downrigger cable.(Grrrr!)

Headed in at about 11:15 after what we considered a great first day in a new area. LOTS of boats out but I heard there were two derby's going on.

Fished with Betsy Gold & Silver flashers, red\chrome teaser & purple\gold teasers with 70 inch 40 lb. leaders. Both set ups hooked fish.

What an awesome fishery!!! I can't wait to get out again.

GB

 

[walter]

Great to see everyone getting lots of big fish, It just shows that you need not be a considered Pro with a big flashy boat and all the latest equipment to catch fish. It's not a science afterall.
The main thing is keeping the gear down between 55-85 feet and weed free.
Simple Red or green Hotspot with a glo green teaser, 6'leader, a nice roll at about a revolution per second is all that is required.

Tubber, Don't get discouraged by wondering if your using the same gear as the Charter guy. Just put in the time, keep it fishing and good luck to you.

 

[walter]

Great to see everyone getting lots of big fish, It just shows that you need not be a considered Pro with a big flashy boat and all the latest equipment to catch fish. It's not a science afterall.
The main thing is keeping the gear down between 55-85 feet and weed free.
Simple Red or green Hotspot with a glo green teaser, 6'leader, a nice roll at about a revolution per second is all that is required.

Tubber, Don't get discouraged by wondering if your using the same gear as the Charter guy. Just put in the time, keep it fishing and good luck to you.

 

[Mongoose]

i was one of the boats out on sunday. hit the water at 5:30 and foggy as hell (never fished in the fog before).2nd time out in sooke and followed a big bertram 28 out to the fishing grounds you couldnt see 100' away. good thing i had the gps or i would of ran aground and set my gear and within one minuite i had a sockeye on the line but fergot to set the drag on the reel so i lost the fish. after that one little baby spring about 3lbs and sent it back to get nice and fat and just bites after that. fished 5:30 till 3 with the both types of betsy flashers. i think i was running to short of leaders.

 

[walleyes]

Like Walter said,, don't get caught up in what the guides run... Talk to guy's on shore,, what color,, how deep,, leader lenght,,. how deep to run and leader lenght have alot more to do with catching fish than color.. don't think so,, how many green headed anchovies have you seen in you're life??? me,,, none!!
Giudes are fisherman,, they have good days and bad,, generaly they have a handle on whats hot,, why?? because they talk to each other.. You can do the same,, talk to other people at the dock. My experience is you will get more knowlegde from a fellow fisherman than a guide that thinks its his inherant right to catch fish.
I go out to the coast once or twice a year and hold my own againts the best of them,, why because I ask the right qeustions, and don't get worried the first time I see a guide come in with fish.. My experience with guides is they will feed you bull *** before fact to discourage you,, hey it's there job to take you fishing not for you to take you're self..

 

[Charter Tofino]

Not all guides are full of bs. Lot of them are good guys. Dont judge them all because of one thats an idiot

 

[Mongoose]

yeah some are good guys and when i went out to sooke the other day pritty much all the other boats were guides but thank fully i got lost in the fog with in minuites and never got yelled at for fishing where they were. and the gps battery died when i was in the fog had to stay with the other boats untill the fog lifted at 8am but theres always next week

 

[wolf]

Walleyes I really dont care to respond to what you have said its obvious your the best so we will leave it at that for someone who has only posted 40 posts your the greatest

Thanks Wolf