Spring salmon fishing in Sooke has slowed. There's still a few good ones to be found here and there, but in between are some slow patches. Otter Point in the afternoon seems to be the most commonly report bite time.

Pinks and coho are still plentiful out in the tidelines. There are some really nice coho salmon into the teens ... a mix of wild and hatchery.

Last weekend there were two events in Sooke's waters. The Consultants Invitational Derby was a great success, fun times for all involved. The Pink Salmon Festival continues to be super event for the kids....getting kids who don't have the opportunity to go fishing out on the water. It was an excellent event from start to finish, ran smoothly, and a 100 or so kids grinning ear to ear! Anyone with a boat is encouraged to come out in 2011, for the next pink salmon run.

Here's some fishing excitement during the Consultants derby...photo taken by Glenn Votkin of Martech. The orca whale chased their salmon almost right into the boat. They landed the 15 pound spring, and then the orca hung around under their boat for a minute or so, rubbing alongside it. Yikes!

All in all...there's adventures to be had, definitely worth getting out onto the water for a Sooke fishing adventure.

Roy from Blue Wolf Fishing Charters sent in a couple of nice photos. The first is a group of happy guests from San Francisco, returning with their limit of chinook salmon: a 26 pounder, 25, and lower 20s and a few in the teens. The second is Roy himself, fishing for fun with buddies in the afternoon, and actually getting to reel in a fish himself for a change -- a 37.5 pounder. That's when you know you're fishing with a real fisherman, after who knows how many hours on the water guiding fishing trips, what do they do on their day off? You guessed it, they go fishing! Nice fish Roy.

Finally, here's Dave with his best yet Sooke salmon, a 28.5 pounder caught at the Trap Shack using a Betsy flasher and oki Juan De Fuca anchovie teaser head. Nice hog Dave!

Sooke's fishing continues to be hot and cold....though probably more on the warm side! There are reports of some slow days and then there are some REALLY BIG salmon being caught. The latest is a 51 pound slab caught off Possession Point in Sooke by Dewayne Walsh (photo from Island Outfitters report).

The Bite Me Salmon Fishing Derby had some very respectable fish too over the two days. 106 salmon were weighed in on Saturday and 44 weighed in Sunday. The winner was a 42.7 lbs Chinook Salmon caught by Keith Martin.

Ryan from Fresh Fishing Charters posted the following report: "Since thursday nite i've been hitting a good one every time out. I've been very aggressive with the reefs at Otter Point by staying close to the bottom when cruising over them, in tight to shore. 75 feet off first rock...50 ft from 1st to 3rd...had luck in both spots. Got a couple of hogs at Possession Point too...good luck out there."

Upcoming in Sooke:

• Consultant's Invititation Salmon Derby, Aug.22
• Pink Salmon Festival - Take a Kid Fishing! Aug. 23
• Vancouver Island Salmon Classic, Sep 3-5
  

Sooke's fishing continues to be hot and cold. Some days there's a hot spot and a good bite, like Otter Point for a few evenings last week, on the flood tide. Other days, things are fairly slow all over. But one thing for sure, there are some very nice fish out there, and the only way to have a chance is to get a line in the water.

Ron from Sidetrack Fishing Charters caught a 42 pound tyee salmon off Otter Point on Sunday: "We hooked it up in the flats off of Gordons beach and third rock in 120 ft of water and 90 ft on the gear..... in the afternoon flood this past Sunday. The client who reeled it in was very good on the rod but the fish did take virtually all the line out of the reel and I did have to turn the boat around and chase it down a little. 43lbs 3oz! Its a monster looking fish!

"Profisher" reports the following on sportsfishingbc: "Friday morning a bit slow but managed a 24 and lost another. Started the afternoon trip with the crowd in the hot spot for the last week but after an hour and a half only seen Cal get 2. Decided to play a hunch and make a move. From 3:40 to 5:10 we landed 28, 25, 24, 21, 14 and 10 pound springs, lost 2 more. Fish were on as fast as you could get gear in the water once the bite started. Only a single pink too! Had to be the fastest flood current I've ever seen, bite started just after peak flow and start of reduced flow."

The salmon fishing for other types of salmon is very very productive and fun. Out in the tidelines, 250' deep plus, it is non-stop action for pinks, coho, and sockeye. Right now you can only keep hatchery coho and you can't keep sockeye. Time to bring out the kids. Bring along some lighter gear, loosen the drag on your reels, and have some fun. Here Aiden and Jacob from Vancouver showing off their first ever salmon...way to go boys!

Sooke salmon fishing is a mixed bag these days. There are definitely nice fish out there, but you have to be in the right place at the right time.

Gord from Foghorn Fishing Charters reports:
"fishing has been slow for the springs, you have to work hard to get a couple, but the ones you get are good size. Offshore is still good for pinks, coho and sockeye. Here is Boone and Rick with a pair of 28 pound chinook salmon. They are from Thailand and had never fished the ocean here."

Spring salmon in the 20s and 30s are regularly being brought in, with Possession Point and Otter Point reported to be good. Below is some happy guests from Blue Wolf Fishing Charters: Terry & Lisa Mellett with good friend Greg, with 3 spring salmon up to 28.5 pounds, caught at the Trap Shack.

If you get bored trolling for springs, there is endless action to be had out in the tidelines for pinks -- point towards the USA and somewhere around 300-400' depth, you will have some fun!

Good luck out there!

The Sooke Salmon Enhancement Society held its annual fishing derby this weekend. A good time was had by all. The winning fish was a 39.4 pounder caught at Sheringham Point, a new record for this derby. And a hatchery fish too! All in all the top 10 were all over 30 pounds, a nice sign of good things going on.