Sooke2015
- Thread starter barrie
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Sir Reel
Well-Known Member
Fished Secretary Island and Trap Shack yesterday. Beautiful calm sunny morning. We picked up a 20 pound chinook off the island along with 3 wild Coho that we let go. Bite came on around 7:30am.
We then decided to head down toward the trap shack as we were headed back to White Rock later that day anyway. Got a big hit about halfway down to the trap and it strip line about 300 feet behind the boat.
Was just trying to coax it back when I saw a seal head pop up just behind it. Starting reeling like crazy but the seal got it. What ensued was a 30 minute struggle to get our fish back. We had it to the boat 4 or 5 times but each time the seal would grab it and take off. We think the fish was high 20’s or low thirties as all the seal could do was grab it by the tail. Each time he took off I went high drag and reefed on it. Guess he would run out of breath, let go and surface. I would reel like crazy and then he would dive and come rushing at the boat again real aggressive. Amazingly the fish did not break off and would try to swim deep each time. Finally the 6[SUP]th[/SUP] time the line broke between flasher and hook. But I got my flasher back! LoL
Thanks to the many boat around who must have thought we were crazy and kept out of our way. I heard one guy say “ that better be worth it!” Legs were shaking after that ordeal. That seal was possessed!
All our hits were at 50 to 70 feet with green glow flashers, black and silver JDF heads and anchovy.
Thanks Sooke! Back in a couple of weeks
We then decided to head down toward the trap shack as we were headed back to White Rock later that day anyway. Got a big hit about halfway down to the trap and it strip line about 300 feet behind the boat.
Was just trying to coax it back when I saw a seal head pop up just behind it. Starting reeling like crazy but the seal got it. What ensued was a 30 minute struggle to get our fish back. We had it to the boat 4 or 5 times but each time the seal would grab it and take off. We think the fish was high 20’s or low thirties as all the seal could do was grab it by the tail. Each time he took off I went high drag and reefed on it. Guess he would run out of breath, let go and surface. I would reel like crazy and then he would dive and come rushing at the boat again real aggressive. Amazingly the fish did not break off and would try to swim deep each time. Finally the 6[SUP]th[/SUP] time the line broke between flasher and hook. But I got my flasher back! LoL
Thanks to the many boat around who must have thought we were crazy and kept out of our way. I heard one guy say “ that better be worth it!” Legs were shaking after that ordeal. That seal was possessed!
All our hits were at 50 to 70 feet with green glow flashers, black and silver JDF heads and anchovy.
Thanks Sooke! Back in a couple of weeks
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SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Interesting look like those seals have parked there butt in trap last week and this week..You weren't only one getting robbed so I hear..
sammyslabber
Active Member
Yikes I've never seen soooooo many pinks so early before. I hope this is just an early push and not a foretelling of a huge record run this July and August. 5 trays of bait today and that with reusing when I could. I only had 1 10 minute break from rigging gear from 6 till noon. Worked my butt off keeping the lines working.
kayladog
Active Member
Good fishing this morning although in the fog and wind off Beechy Head. Picked up 14.5 & 13 off the head between 7-7:30 and 22 in the bay at 9:30. Bloody nose teaser & gold Betsy @ 80' and nasty boy coyote spoon @ 60'. Lots of nets out early then slowed down after 8:00. The 14.5 had nice gash and teeth marks in the side. Guess a seal tried to have a meal.
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Not just the trap. They were following us around yesterday out front off of Sooke. I hope our area is not about to be cursed with this to the same degree that those fishing off Victoria have been dealing with for a number of years now. One day at Constance we had a half dozen Chinook jaws after the seals bit off the heads.
They are greatly over populated now that transient killer whale populations are down and humans as historical predators have stopped harvesting them and they have been given some very heavy protection as marine mammals.
Sir Reel
Well-Known Member
Ha Ha. I can only guestimate by the run it took and the tail we saw. We had just got a 22 pound and it was no where near the strength this one had. We talked about the experience and I think we are going to buy a GoPro so we have some picture evidence! Would have been cool to have the camera in the water when the seal was attacking.Great pics and story, Sir Reel. Are you sure it was only high 20's/low 30's? The ones that don't make it in the boat are usually bigger than that
Be like Wicked Tuna! lol
Sir Reel
Well-Known Member
Same with us. Non stop re-rigging lines. The pinks were big too. Plus lots of small Coho and Chinook added in meant we were busy all the time.
As well 2 of our 20 pounders acted like Pinks until they got to the surface and then woke up. So we had to play each hit like it was big until we were sure.
Nice to see the ocean full of salmon though. Beats trolling around with no hits.
Bag-Juan
Well-Known Member
Seagirt
Active Member
Was out this morning for salmon from harbour mouth to Otter for the first time in weeks (months maybe?). Brown water and lots of jellies, and lots of smaller pinks and coho, and possibly a small sockeye that released just behind the boat. Nothing of size for us, didn't see anyone else with a decent fish either but there were lots of boats out, couldn't keep an eye on them all. Didn't bother with bait, was lazy and fished spoons, hoochies and plugs.
Gear'n'beer!
Well-Known Member
Man took my boy fishing this morning and it was a complete mixed bag.......springs, coho and the ever loving pinks......kid must have played 30 fish today. He slept the whole way home. Ran spoons and bare plugs 7- 11. View attachment 18816
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Gear'n'beer!
Well-Known Member
One done kid. I didn't play a fish all day!
wolf
Well-Known Member
There is fish to be had for sure now!!!!!!!! stayed close to normal spots i like yesterday only landed 2 springs but lost a few others today we were 6 for 10 on springs lots of pinks and cohos to be had word of advice brine at least 4 packs of bait.....and use the andrew P spoon
here are pics for yesterday and today.
Only negative i have is the jelly fish clogging up lines and weird colored waters things we have no control over..never seen it like this before??
here are pics for yesterday and today.
Only negative i have is the jelly fish clogging up lines and weird colored waters things we have no control over..never seen it like this before??
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Englishman
Well-Known Member
Fished Sheringham today with a buddy from 7:15 am until 1:30pm. Don't think I have ever been out there when it has been so hot! Flat as a millpond too. Fishing not as good as Thursday. We got one chinook about 10lb, three hatchery cohos, and a few pinks on a whole of variety lures and depths. MY buddy caught most of the fish. LOL !
Anchovy did nothing at all.
Saw a few small fish being caught by the fleet of maybe 15 boats but by 10:30am Sheringham was practically deserted. So either everyone limited out and went home early or the fishing was not hot for most folks in that area.
P.S. Lost a cannonball on a sunken obstacle which I assume was lost crab gear about 2km west of Sheringham at 86 feet in 120 feet of water. The nearest visible crab floats were aver 300 yards away, closer to shore. Damn glad I use those scotty plastic clips as clip popped and only lost rubber snubber and ball !! Rest of the gear came back.
Anchovy did nothing at all. Saw a few small fish being caught by the fleet of maybe 15 boats but by 10:30am Sheringham was practically deserted. So either everyone limited out and went home early or the fishing was not hot for most folks in that area.
P.S. Lost a cannonball on a sunken obstacle which I assume was lost crab gear about 2km west of Sheringham at 86 feet in 120 feet of water. The nearest visible crab floats were aver 300 yards away, closer to shore. Damn glad I use those scotty plastic clips as clip popped and only lost rubber snubber and ball !! Rest of the gear came back.
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ryanb
Well-Known Member
I'm going to be over in sooke for the first time mid July. I have a pretty good idea of the salmon fishing spots, but is there any kind of a chance at a halibut at that time of year within a reasonable run of Sooke? Never caught a halibut and would love to get one. I have a 24' boat so should be able to run wherever i might have a good chance.
