Winter Reports Sooke and Victoria 2008/2009

[cby]

Well I thought I would start a new post for Winter fishing as the summer fishing seems to be well over. Please post any reports from Sherringham point to 10 mile point. I am sure there are many fishermen who would like to know what goes on this winter as the summer fishing was pretty scratchy all around.

Lets try to stay on topic with only good fishing reports. About Where, Depth, lure and weather annd any pictures would be great. ;

Cheers, Good luck this winter.

cby

 

[jimbob]

Out yesterday at East Race. Landed a 45 pound halibut. Currents seemed to be not in synch with the predictions especially early in the morning. Did anyone notice this?

 

[scott craven]

Slow off the waterfront last couple of days, threw down the usual assortment of gear and no taker's.
Outfitter's boat had one, other than that not much going on....

 

[Sea Ranger]

I've done a lot of summer spring fishing but never went out winter spring fishing due to too small of a boat and only armstrong downriggers but this year I bought a 1988 17 foot Arima and put on a couple of new electric downriggers and a friend of mine is coming to victoria this weekend. I was hoping to take him out with weather permitting but not sure of a few things for winter springs. Will be launching out of Cheanuh Marina. Would I fish the same areas as summer springs but just out deeper? Is 120 to 150 on the downrigger a good depth to find them? Oh and which would be better, Bait? or spoons? or plugs? or hotchies?.... someone told me to use lots of glow in the dark gear like a glow army truck hootchie with a glow army truck flasher. Or would purple haze patterns be better.... or the old stand by of red or green gear. Geeee.... I make it sound like I don't know what I'm doing.....lol, but with it being so slow out there I will probably need all the help I can get to catch a spring period....lol. And isn't that what this site is all about.... helping each other out. Any help at all will be muchly appreciated, Thanks Steve.

 

[scott craven]

Forget the bait, and use spoons,squirts and hootchies...
Glow stuff and purple haze works good.
Winter fish are usually deeper, 120' to 180'.
As usual, find the feed and the fish should be close by.

 

[danthewire]

If they are there, you can start right around the corner from the marina off the flagpole,they are normally right on the bottom.Another good spot is Whirl bay again on the bottom.I'm not sure about closures in the bay check on that.I use a clear hootchie with a single black stripe,white eyes works great.If its SLOW i'll use small herring in a green glow rhys davis head,but watch it like a hawk.And if you have one, a krippled k number two 50/50 green chrome spoon.Dan

 

[flash]

When going for the winter fish I will usually throw down a cut plug mackeral as close to the bottom as possible. It's surprising how many Halibut you can get providing you watch your depth changes. Last thing you need is the 'rigger bending. I only do this technique in areas I'm positive of the shelves,etc.

 

[codfish]

Salmon fishing right now is hit and miss. Try throwing a buzz bomb into the large bait balls that have been around lately. We hit a 15 pound hatchery coho on sunday. We also had three halis over the two days as well.

Cheers Codfish

dy

 

[cby]

Hello FishinFool, Fish a bit deeper, 100ft to 130ft, Use glow, Green particular. But try different things. Church Rock, Bedfords and Beechy head have been producing fish but you need to find them and be patient. Bait is still a good option, run both bait and a spoon or hootchie and see how you fair. Good luck let us know how you do.

cby

 

[wolf]

I bounch bottom and then bring it up 10 ft and try and stay on a certain depth whirl bay is easy same as the bluffs its all gravel just be close to bottom on one rod and bring the other one up as soon as you find them hammer em at whatever depths they are running as they do tend to school at certain depths.

Good luck Wolf

Blue Wolf Charters
www.bluewolfcharters.com

 

[cby]

Any luck out there. Are the coho's starting to show.

cby

 

[Sea Ranger]

Thanks for all the tips, I will be trying all the different gear you all mentioned. Just to make sure of leader length is it:
6 to 7 ft leaders with bait?
3 to 4 ft leaders for hootchies?
Spoons use with out a flasher?
Spoon size: 4 to 6 inchs?
If I was to look for some Coho sould I use Blue/Green hootchies or purple haze or Army Truck and maybe get a spring?
So many lures... so little time!!!
Wish I had more winter fishing experiance so I wouldn't have to ask so many questions, Arggg!!!......... Steve.

 

[scott craven]

quote:Originally posted by cby

Any luck out there. Are the coho's starting to show.

cby

Slow, launched from pedder yesterday a.m., we were the only trailer in the lot at 8:30am
Ran out and criss crossed the 2nd tide line for 2 hours, nada.
Marina reported slow as well

 

[bananas]

Ran my boat back from reny yesterday and did my first winter spring trip this morn.Wasn't looking forward after all the reports,but they magicaly showed this morn.Fished 7:30-12:30 and hit 10 fish limited with 6 between 8 and 12lbs.The best bite was early between 7:30 and 9:30. off clover pt in 130-140ft of water hard on the bottom.

 

[scott craven]

Saw you there Banana's. i was in the white K&C with blue top...
started about 9:30am and i missed the action.
Were they on bait or hardware ?
Slow tacking west against the flood eh ?


Cheers !

 

[bananas]

Purple haze on both sides with purple and chart glow flashers.The bite ended rite when that tide started to hump.What A FANTASTIC DAY.Hope the am is as nice.

 

[scott craven]

It was a beauty, i'll give you a wave tomorrow if i see you there.

 

[jimbob]

Chased coho out in the tidelines yesterday. Lots of shakers but no adults. What a great day.

 

[Rayvon]

Fished Constance today,current was good from 9am to 2pm.Perfect flat day,results 1-35lb.1-90lb.and 1 lost and 0 dogfish.The freezers full,so no more Butts for me.

 

[Mrtrailer]

Fished at the bank from 8 til 11.notta...partner forgot anchor at home. drifted for a few hours.
Went to Albert head at noon. drifted while pulling bouncing gear off bottom for 30 minutes.notta..
Did pick up 3 dungees'.WOOPEE..
I'm gonna lake fish for a while.