Sooke Salmon - Billing’s Spit / River

[KLaursen]

Hey Everyone,

First time poster, long time creeper

Me and my friend are heading out to Sook to check out the Salmon. We primarily fish the Cowichan but after heading out Friday and Saturday she’s still really high. Gonna have to wait for the water to drop a bit before we head back out that way.

SO we are opting to try Sooke for some salmon instead. We are heading out around High Tide today but am wondering on the best approach. I’ve spent the last couple days doing some reading but was hoping could get some more insight from the regulars on here.

Where’s the best place to park for getting down to Billing’s and should we focus on right near the bridge or move our way out a way while the tide is coming in?

Thanks in advance and looking forward to being a more active member!

Cheers,

 

[Kildonan]

You can get to Billing's spit by following Kaltasin road off of Sooke Road, there's some pull off areas at the end of the road when you follow it to the very end. Be prepared, there's often some real donkey's there snagging fish which is off putting. I stopped going because it was pissing me off.

 

[Huyfishin]

I was at Billings a couple days ago. One fellow bonked a chinook calling it a coho.

 

[eroyd]

Use to be a fun fishery but has become a gong show with so many people. If you have a small boat you could paddle out to on of the bars and get away from some people. Up the river is fly only, but most of the fish are still foul hooked or flossed in the mouth.

 

[KCW]

There is some specific tackle regulations for the basin and the river itself is catch and release , fly fishing only .

 

[eroyd]

The basin is single barbless hook maximum gap 15mm. I'm guessing about a 2/0 max depending on the hook.

 

[KLaursen]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the info. We headed out to the spit first but like you all said it was pretty busy (at 11 am on a Tuesday!). So we headed up the river. We are fly fishing guys so it was pretty fun still, wasn't to busy. Pulled one out clean for a quick pic before sending back up river but that was all we had. Still a fun day sending flys out for 6+ hours straight. Back to the cowichan we shall go!
Cheers,

 

[Wildvanisle]

...Up the river is fly only, but most of the fish are still foul hooked or flossed in the mouth.

I find about 3/4 of the ones I catch are bright and willing biters. There is some stuff you can do to mitigate flossing/snagging but it’s inevitable if you’re throwing a hook in a river where the water is low and the fish can be packed tight.

 

[KLaursen]

I saw a school of about 20 running past me up river away from a seal! They all looked nice, silver, and had fresh faces still. Couldn't catch any though!

 

[eroyd]

Drag a hook through your sleeping wife's gaping mouth. Her reaction? Did she willingly bite the hook or did the hook bite her? Same reaction I bet.

 

[Wildvanisle]

Drag a hook through your sleeping wife's gaping mouth. Her reaction? Did she willingly bite the hook or did the hook bite her? Same reaction I bet.

Hahaha that’s a good one! I’d say if my wife moved 4-5 ft away from the blankets she was holding in to bite my fly, that is a willing bite

 

[Huyfishin]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the info. We headed out to the spit first but like you all said it was pretty busy (at 11 am on a Tuesday!). So we headed up the river. We are fly fishing guys so it was pretty fun still, wasn't to busy. Pulled one out clean for a quick pic before sending back up river but that was all we had. Still a fun day sending flys out for 6+ hours straight. Back to the cowichan we shall go!
Cheers,View attachment 57504

Beautiful fish! I just got into fly fishing and it's crazy addictive

 

[KLaursen]

Does anyone know any info on getting down behind the liquor store? I'm gonna check it out Sunday as I saw much less people on that side and am hoping to get a nice silver one Sunday!

 

[Ghostprof]

Just posted in the Sooke report, but here's the gist -- we were out on Billings today for three hours and saw only four fish taken (plus one chum we got). It was crowded but everyone was being good and behaving, especially in those cases where someone managed to hook something. And whoever it was who helped me land mine -- thank you!

 

[Ghostprof]

Oh yeah, an hour's fly fishing just above the bridge and nothing to show for it. We could see the fish schooling and circling, but they were NOT interested in what we had to offer.