Fishing for Spring Salmon in Sooke is GOOD, the big Spring Salmon have arrived and have been hitting anchovey trolled in bait heads.
Many of these large Spring Salmon have to be released due to the local restrictions D.F.O. has placed on the Victoria/Sooke areas. There are plenty of smaller hatchery Springs around that anglers can retain, which helps those who want to eat thier catch.
The slot restriction on Spring Salmon remains in effect in our area until June 19th, when fishers will be allowed one Chinook over 67cm and one under 67cm,check the regulations online or check out the fisheries notices at Marinas and tackle shops.
For now wild Salmon over 67cm in the Sooke/Victoria area are to be released, hatchery Spring Salmon over 45cm and wild Springs under 67cm may be kept. The Coho Salmon arrived in the area this last weekend which provided some good action, and some extra good eating fish. The Coho were being found in deeper,180 to 260ft of water,but were taking hootchies and spoons trolled at 35 to 65ft on the downrigger.
Halibut fishing has been GOOD, with many “chicken” Halibut 15 to 35lb fish being brought to the dock at Sooke Harbour Resort and Marina. Many boats normally Salmon fishing are now targeting Halibut, when the weather and tides permit. Gear, locations, bait and information on Halibut fishing can be found at Eagle Eye Outfitters in Sooke.
Halibut are being taken in 100 to 180ft of water at spots all around the area, West of Sooke Harbour being the most popular. Herring, Salmon bellies, Octipus and Squid are the most popular baits, spreader bars with 2lb balls and wire or strong monofiliment leaders the popular set ups. Hootchies of many different colors and sizes can help enhance the presentation of the bait, and hold onto the added scents that many fishermen are using. Crabbing in the Sooke Harbour has been GREAT, especially when using fresh Salmon or Halibut trimmings for bait.
May 2nd Fished with Ryan,Dave,Gene,and Jimmy again, as we were kept off the water yesterday by unsettled weather. Gene landed a nice 10lb Salmon minutes after dropping the gear near the Sooke Bluffs. We continued to hit winter sized Springs on our troll towards the Trailer Park. We were running a Party Girl spoon and a lime green Oki anchovey teaser behind red Oki Striper flashers at 110 and 115ft on the downriggers. The guys finished the half day morning with a 10lb,6,6,6,and a smaller Spring Salmon and 5 nice Dungeness crabs. Weather was windy,overcast, some rain showers and small choppy water.
May 6th Fished with Denis from East Sooke, for Lingcod, first thing in the morning. Brought two Lings to the boat that were slightly to small to keep, trolling herring in a Super Herring Teaser head. Tried Salmon fishing in the Trap Shack around 9am, slow fishing, saw one fish caught near Secretary Island, between 6 or 7 boats. Trolled to the Harbour Mouth where we picked up a 12lb Halibut on a lime green anchovey teaser head. The fish went crazy and broke the landing net but we still got him.
May 8th Trolled from the Harbour Mouth west with John,Vasco and Daniel from Vancouver, for Spring Salmon. We were using red Oki Striper flashers on both sides, a Rhys Davis red and chrome head, and an Oki lime green/black stripe on the other. John and Daniel liked 113 and 117ft on the downriggers,and it worked well. No strikes until 10am west of Otter Point, had five Salmon hit the gear landing four Springs : 12,13,15,and 15lbs. Great half day morning, flat water, sunny, and first time this year very warm on the water.
May 10th Fishing with Steve and Gilbert from Sooke and Alberta, for Spring Salmon. Started at the Harbour entrance and trolled west towards Sherringham Point, with the gear at 100 to 120 on the downriggers. Landed one smaller Spring Salmon as soon as we started fishing and had two other bites that didn’t hook up. Great day, flat water, some wind, overcast, 6 Dungeness crabs in the traps on the way in.
May 14th Fishing with Jason from Discover Sooke and Nick from Eagle-Eye Outfitters in Sooke. Trolled the Trap Shack from early in the morning, had one strike in the afternoon on the Party Girl spoon that took the line off the downrigger, but it didn’t stick. Flat water in the morning, wind coming up in the afternoon, lots of boats on the water looking for fish, saw one Spring Salmon caught on another boat mid day. Slow day. Six nice Dungeness crabs in the traps on the way in.
May 16th 2REEL2 Bob fished with Wally and his party East of the Sooke Harbour mouth and landed a 7lb Spring Salmon. Slow day, not many seen caught.
May 18th Test fishing with another guide from Sooke Harbour Resort and Marina, we travelled west from the Sooke Harbour mouth, and anchored for some Halibut fishing. In three hours we landed our two smaller Halibut (chickens). I was using pink Radiant double skirt hootchies slid over some nice salmon bellies hooked onto two single “J” hooks. Both Hali’s hooked up on this set up. The bait was off a spreader bar with a 2lb ball all tied to a Shimano Charter Boat Special level wind reel, and 7ft Shimano Talora one piece Halibut rod. Super light, super fun set up. Trolled for Salmon on the way back, hooked into a small wild Spring that we released, and a large Spring that we didn’t see, spat the hooks. Both Salmon hit a Glow Below hootchy trolled behind a Green Mist flasher at 95ft on the downrigger. One nice Crab in the trap on the way in. Great day flat water.
May 19th 2REEL2 Bob was fishing with Allison and her crew from the mainland, trolling west of the Sooke Harbour mouth to Otter Point. They trolled up a great 15lb hatchery Spring at 80ft on the downrigger using a Betsy pattern spoon. Tide has been ebbing strong in the mornings.
May 20th 2REEL2 Bob was fishing with Allison and her crew again aboard 2REEL2, trolling for Salmon up to Sherringham Point. The group landed two more Springs on this trip, 9 and 13lbs. The morning was windy and choppy with the strong ebbing flow out of the harbour mouth, both boats started mid morning , later than usual. Small, strong weather squals came through all day.
May 20th Fished with Henry D. (my father inlaw). Trolled from the Harbour Mouth west to the Trailer Park. Had one strike on the Party Girl spoon at 115ft on the downrigger, that didn’t hook up. Had a better strike on the anchovey trolled in a red and chrome Rhys Davies anchovey special bait head at 105ft on the downrigger infront of the Trailer Park. Henry helped me land a nice 27lb Halibut , (Henry had never seen one caught before). Great fun on the Salmon gear. Weather turned windy and choppy and we headed in shortly after, no further action. One good Crab in the traps on the way in.
May 21st Fished both 2REEL2 and 2REEL this morning with Jim Der
and his crew. Jim put two guys on each boat and we trolled for Spring Salmon west of the Sooke Harbour Mouth. Bob and his crew on 2REEL2 had three Salmon strike the gear landing 2 Springs 6 and 7lbs. We had two strikes on 2REEL landing one Salmon 11lbs. Nice sunny morning, with a slightly cool breeze, 4 nice crabs in the traps on the way in.
May 22nd Fished with Kevin and Mark from Sooke and the Prince George area, for Spring Salmon west of the Harbour Mouth towards the Trailer Park. Slow morning didn’t see any Springs caught. Landed one nice Spring Salmon in the afternoon after covering alot of ground/water. Kevin had a great time playing an 8lb Salmon into the net. We were trolling a red and chrome Rhys Davies anchovey special bait head behind a red Striper Oki flasher at 125ft on the downrigger in 125ft of water.
May 23rd Fished with George and Jim from the 21st of May trips again for Salmon. Another slow day of Salmon fishing, Jim landed one 7.5lb Spring Salmon in the morning infront of the Trailer Park, had one other fish strike the gear in the same area, no other fish. The Salmon took the red and chrome anchovey head trolled behind the red Oki Striper flasher. Lots of crabs in the traps on the way in.
Afternoon Fished with Jamie and his 7 year old son Ryan from Courtney/Comox on the Island, for Spring Salmon in the afternoon. Jamie landed one small Spring that we made that night for dinner. No other strikes on the Salmon gear. Had 8 nice Dungeness Crabs in the traps on the way in.
May 24th Fished with Jamie and his son Ryan again this morning for Halibut , travelled west of the Sooke Harbour Mouth over calm water and under sunny morning skies and anchored in 145ft of water. Using Salmon bellies and herring on double “J” hook set ups with Pink and glow Radiant hootchies and the long pink and silver, P-Line hootchy, we landed 3 Halibut 15, 17 and 21 lbs by 11:15am. Great morning, flat water, good action. Had 4 more great Dungeness Crabs in the traps on the way in.
May 26th Fished with Jack,Joanne, and Perry from Sooke and the mainland, in the morning for Spring Salmon and the afternoon for Halibut. Perry and Joanne landed two nice Springs 12 and 10lbs, trolling anchovey in a red and chrome Rhys Davies bait head,and a lime green/glow black stripe Oki bait head, behind red Oki striper flashers at 105 and 115ft on the downrigger. Low winds and good tides made us decide to stay out for Halibut. Between Salmon and Halibut fishing a large pod of whales swam by providing a great show. Using Salmon bellies and pink hootchies in 160ft of water, Perry landed a nice 17lb Halibut
May 28th Fished with guests from Vancouver, Liliano,Vince,Philip and Peter, from the Harbour mouth to Otter Point and West to Sherringham. Hooked into and lost two Spring Salmon between Otter and Sherringham. Landed one small wild Spring and had 4 nice crabs in the traps on the way in.
May 29th Fished with the same crew as yesterday, slow morning, no strikes on our first long troll to Sherringham light house. On the way back to Sooke Harbour we had a couple strikes that did not stick.
May 30th Fishing with Paul and his crew,morning trolling for Spring Salmon was slow, saw a couple caught at Sherringham Point, most boats were searching. Decided to go Halibut fishing at around 10:30am, landed a small one after about 20 minutes. No further action.
June 1st Fished with Warren and Don from Vancouver for Spring Salmon West of Sooke Harbour mouth to Sherringham light house. Had a big Spring Salmon hit the gear at Sherringham and peel off forty or fifty feet of line before it got away from Warren. We managed to land two smaller Springs . Great day of fishing with flat water and cloudy skies.
June 2nd Slow morning trolled from the Harbour mouth to Sherringham light house with Darryl and his crew, didn’t hook into any Salmon.
June 3rd Fishing with the same crew as yesterday, released a nice wild Spring Salmon probably 12 or 13lbs. We were trolling an anchovy in a Purple Haze bait head behind a red flasher at 90ft on the downrigger. Spent the second half of the day fishing for Halibut, didn’t find any. Slow day, nice flat water.
June 4th Fished with Ben and Alicia from Sacremento California for Spring Salmon. Had one strike off the Sooke bluffs that didn’t hook up. Had another strike at the Trailer Park that didn’t hook up, then the other rod was struck and Alicia played and landed a great 15lb hatchery Chinook Salmon . We hit another smaller Spring Salmon soon after.
June 5th Fished with Shaun and his crew, for Spring Salmon. Found some Coho Salmon off Otter Point, landed 4 hatchery Coho, and released many wild Coho, trolling a Glow Below hootchy and a Party Girl spoon behind red flashers at 50 to 60ft on the downriggers in 180 to 260ft of water. Later we trolled between Otter Point and Sherringham light house and played 2 Spring Salmon into the boat, one 8lbs, the other a smaller Spring.
June 6th Fished with Mark, and his crew from the mainland, for Salmon. We located the Coho Salmon off Otter Point and after releasing a few wild fish we landed 2 hatchery Coho and a 7.5 lb Spring Salmon . Spent the second half of the day fishing for Halibut on a spot near the Sooke Harbour mouth, we didn’t catch any.
June 7th Fished with Rodger and his son Steve, for Salmon. Hooked into a large Spring Salmon trolling by the Trailer Park on the first pass of the morning, the fish was lost near the boat, we didn’t see how large. Continued to fish the area and landed 4 smaller Salmon, trolling anchovey in a Krippled K Betsy Gold teaser, and a red and chrome Rhys Davis head behind red flashers, trolled at 80 and 90ft on the downrigger. Great action on a half day trip, 7 Crabs in the traps on the way in.
June 8th Fishing with Paul and his crew from the mainland for Salmon. We had a huge strike on the gear on our first pass by the Trailer Park that didn’t hook up. We continued to have many fish hit the gear that didn’t connect. Paul hooked into a wild Spring Salmon at Otter Point that we estimated to be 25lbs, the Salmon was released according to current regulations. 2 Dungeness crabs in the traps on the way in.
June 9th Fished with same group as above, for Spring Salmon, from the Harbour mouth to Otter Point. Landed 3 smaller Springs , released another 3 Springs, not in the slot limit. Anchovey trolled at 80 and 90ft in green and chrome and green and gold heads,behind red flashers, worked well for us.
June 10th Fished with Jamie, Pete ,Ralph, and Trevor, for Spring Salmon,released two nice Spring Salmon estimated 18 and 25lbs, trolling from the Trap Shack to Otter Point on a slow ebbing tide. Landed a good 7lb Coho and a 12lb hatchery Spring at Otter Point. Lost a couple more good Springs at Otter Point. Lots of hits even trolling back to the Harbour mouth from Otter Point.
June 11th Fished with the same crew as above at Otter Point,released a nice estimated 13lb wild Spring Salmon. Had 4 or 5 more hits that didn’t hook up. Didn’t take any fish. Wind coming up in the afternoon.
June 12th Fished with Pat, Jonathan, and Dave off the reef at Secretary Island. Landed 2 nice hatchery Spring Salmon in the 6 to 7lb range. One or two other bites that didn’t hook up. Trolled the anchovies in red and chrome, and green and chrome Rhys Davies anchovey heads, at 80 and 90ft on the downriggers. Two Dungeness crabs in the traps on the way in. Released a nice estimated 18lb wild Spring played by Jonathan. Warm sunny morning, calm water, great day.
June 13th Fished with Jonathan and Pat from yesterdays group for Spring Salmon in the Trap Shack and off Secretary Island reef. Strong ebbing tide and strong winds out of the West, made fishing difficult. Had four or five strikes, didn’t hook up any fish. Rough day.
Good Fishing, Ron
Report courtesy of 2 Reel Fishing Adventures.
Filed under: Fishing on June 14th, 2010 | No Comments »
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