Salmon fishing in Sooke waters continues to produce mostly winter sized Spring Salmon, although there are some fish in the 15 to 20lb range coming into the dock. The consistancy has become more spotty lately with some quiet days, and some outstanding days.
The weather has been unsettled, which is very typical in this area at this time of year, luckily our weather systems don’t last very long. It’s only windy for a day or two before it settles down enough to fish. Overall it has been a great start to the season with alot of action from decent sized winter hatchery Spring Salmon and very consistant Halibut fishing.
Bait,spoons,and hootchies are attracting strikes from these tasty winter run Salmon, most boats are running the gear deep, 100 to 165ft on the downrigger,but some have picked up the odd nice fish in tight to shore with the gear at 70 or 80ft. Halibut have slowed down a little as well, probably due to the weather, boats have not been able to access the spots. Saw one 20lb Halibut come in to Sooke Harbour Resort and Marina today, from a charter boat that was out fishing for Halibut.
March 4th Fishing with Sylvain and Eric from Quebec and Victoria for winter Salmon infront of the Harbour mouth and west, past Otter Point. Trolling anchovey and the Party Girl spoon at 110 to 125ft on the downrigger, we had at least 7 strikes on the gear and landed 4 smaller winter Spring Salmon around 5lbs. Weather was good, sun and low winds made for a great day of fishing.
March 11th Fished with Bob from 2REEL2 for Halibut in the morning west of Otter Point for 4 hours in the morning didn’t get any strikes. Started Salmon fishing and had a nice 10lb hatchery Spring Salmon in the boat in 20 minutes. We were trolling a Ghost Shrimp hootchy behind a red flasher at 118ft on the downrigger. Had some nice crabs in the trap as well.
March 12th Fishing for Salmon with Cam and Melissa from Sooke, for Spring Salmon. Had two Spring Salmon hit the gear, Cam landed one 10lb’er. We were trolling anchovey at 120ft on the downrigger in a glow pattern Krippled anchovey Special behind a Gold Betsy flasher.
March 14th Fishing with David and Jim on “High Noon” a private boat out of Sooke Harbour Resort and Marina, for Halibut West of the Sooke Harbour Mouth. Way West. Anchored in 180ft of water, landed three Halibut and had one other bite that didn’t hook up. On the anchor for probably 5 to 6 hours, using herring and pink hootchies, and lots of Butt Juice scent.
March 15th Fishing with staff from the Sooke Harbour Resort and Marina; Ashley, Richelle, and Chelsea. Trolled for Salmon, started early morning at the Harbour Mouth, Ashley hooked into and landed a nice 20lb Halibut on a green anchovey teaser head with a black stripe on top, trolled at 125ft on the downrigger. Her first fish ever. Had a Salmon strike that didn’t hook up, and then Richelle played a 12lb hatchery Spring Salmon into the net. We had a BBQ back at the Resort with the catches from two other charter boats that caught 3 or 4 salmon each. Great day, calm water, lots of action for this time of year.
March 16th Fished with Charlie,Bernie and his Son Eric for Salmon from the Sooke Harbour Mouth to West of Otter Point. Very slow morning for action, only had three Salmon strike the gear. Eric played a nice 10lb Spring Salmon to the boat, trolling a new Rhys Davis Purple Haze anchovey head, which we were trolling at 125ft on the downrigger. This was close to the Harbour Mouth and near the end of our trip, the water had become choppy and the weather windy. Lots of crabs in the traps on the way in.
March 23rd Trolling for Salmon with Mike, Mike and Karla from Alberta. Chinook Salmon was our target species as we started fishing the Trap Shack early morning with the anchovies down at 110 and 120ft on the downrigger. Mike (younger) soon had a good fight on his gear with a nice 10lb Spring he landed, on a new bullet role Purple Haze stripe,Rhys Davis head. His first ever Pacific Salmon. We had another bite that didn’t hook up at the same time. After alot of trolling and water covered (older) Mike hooked into another good Salmon infront of the Trailer Park, at 120ft on the downrigger using a green anchovey head with a black stripe on top. Flat water and sunny skies, Salmon , and lots of crabs in the traps on the way in.
March 30th Fishing with Ron,Joanne, and Chrystal from 100 Mile House. Trolling for Salmon in the Trap Shack. Landed three Springs from 7:30 to 10am, then went Halibut fishing and had one grab on off the Trailer Park, but it got off on the way up. Went back to Salmon fishing and landed two more Springs from the Bluffs to the Harbour Mouth, we ended up with 5 Springs ; 5,5,10,10, and an awesome 17lbs. All hatchery Spring Salmon. We were trolling anchovey in green and chrome, and straight chrome teaser heads behind red and gold Betsy flashers at 105 to 120ft on the downriggers. Four good sized Crabs in the Traps on the way in.
March 31st Fished with Jim, Wendy, Audie, and Bruce for Spring Salmon early morning in the Trap Shack. Started the morning with a huge strike that resulted in a wild Spring we had to release, which we estimated to be 18 to 20lbs. Continued to troll anchovey in the Trap Shack area with the gear at 105 to 120ft on the downriggers, chrome and red and chrome and green teaser heads trolled behind red and gold betsy flashers worked well. Landed 5 Springs total; 7,10,12,12,and 14.5lbs, great action, good sized fish for March.
April 3rd Fished with Ron and Don from the mainland, for winter Spring Salmon in the Trap Shack. Couldn’t get started until noon as high winds have been hitting the area. Landed three hatchery Springs in the 6 to 8lb range . Don played a huge early wild Spring Salmon to the boat, estimated at 25lbs, that we released. Had a couple of other Salmon strikes that didn’t hook up.
April 5th Fished with John and Tom two brothers, one from Victoria and the other from Ontario, in the Trap Shack for Salmon. Tom played and landed a nice 13lb Spring . Had a couple of other small Salmon bite that didn’t hook up. Had six Dungeness and two Red Rock crabs in the traps on the way in. Great sunny weather, calm water.
April 10th 2REEL2 Father and Son Randy and Kirk were treated to fishing on 2REEL2 with Bob, in the Trap Shack for Spring Salmon. The guys landed two Springs 12 and 6lbs, trolling a Party Girl (quickly becoming my favorite) spoon at 110ft on the downrigger,out off the Trap in 270ft of water. No other bites to report but calm water made for a great half day morning trip.
April 12th Fishing with good friend and guest Denis west of Sherringham Point for Ling Cod and other bottom fish. Bottom fishing was slow, we switched up to Salmon and soon had one close to the boat that got away. Denis landed a nice 9lb winter Spring Salmon, and we had one other bite that didn’t hook up. We were trolling medium sized anchovey in glow and red and chrome, Rhys Davis heads at 120ft on the downrigger. We started our trip at noon and fished flat water until sunset, the air temperature was noticably higher by a few degrees
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April 15th Fishing with Barry,Eli, and Darren from Victoria and Ontario for Salmon in the morning in the Trap Shack. Lots of action with the gear at 110 to 115ft on the downrigger trolling anchovey in glow and red and chrome heads. Landed three nice Spring Salmon 20,7.5 and 5lbs. Anchored at a Halibut spot 5 minutes from the Harbour mouth, using Salmon a belly and pink and glow double skirt hootchies, Barry landed a 33.5 lb Halibut after about an hour of fishing. Great fishing, flat calm sunny weather, anf 4 Dungeness Crabs in the traps obn the way in.
April 16th Fished with local recording artist Langdon Auger and Doug, had a slower morning in the Trap Shack. Four Salmon hit the gear landing one small Spring Salmon. Pulled two big Dungeness Crabs out of the Traps on the way in.
April 17th Fished the early morning with Denis from East Sooke. We trolled anchovey at Sherringham Point for Spring Salmon at 110 and 115ft on the downrigger. Had a few bites that didn’t hook up, and landed two Spring Salmon 6lbs each. Had three Crabs in the traps on the way in. Flat water, some rain showers, no wind.
April 19th Fished this afternoon, 2pm start time, in the Trap Shack with Shawn from Fairmont Hotsprings. No strikes on the gear. Flat calm warm sunny weather to start, wind blew strong out of the West by 6pm. Four good crabs in the traps on the way in.
April 30th Fished with Ryan,Gene,Jimmy and Dave from the main land in the Trap Shack for Spring Salmon. Rough water and cool winds took its toll on 2Reel2’s guests, sending them back to the dock, while we held out aboard 2Reel with no strikes, no fish. Took a couple of nice crabs out of the traps on the way in. Saw one Spring Salmon caught on another boat around 19lbs.
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.
Good Fishing, Ron
Filed under: Fishing on May 3rd, 2010 | 1 Comment »