Sooke's salmon fishing continues to be pretty good for coho. Out in the deep water, 500' plus, there is pretty steady action. Many small shakers, and then a good number of decent sized coho -- up to 15 pounds. They are mostly wild, rather than hatchery, so most have to be thrown back...but as of Thursday (Oct 1), one wild coho per day can be retained.

The fish are moving around out there, each day different in location and depth. Most of the hookups are reported deep, 90-110 feet, though others are reporting hits up to 50 feet. Dark green hootchies, coyote spoons #4 or 5. Fast troll, 3.5-4 knots.

In Sooke Harbour, there's still lots of shore anglers trying for chum and coho from the banks of the Sooke River out to Billings Spit.

Please use care with all those salmon you throw back! Today's shaker is next year's trophy...and the wild ones are the parents of our future fun fishing. No point in conservation measures to protect them if you kill them in the release. Don't net them if they aren't a keeper, release them on the side of the boat by grabbing the hook with needlenose pliers or the gaff and turning upside down.

Here's a picture of a 40 pound halibut caught near Sooke this weekend...fishing solo and while cranking it up the orcas came through. Yikes! But landed it, and fish n chips tonight, tastes all the better when caught close to home.

Good luck out there!

The coho and chum salmon are out front of the Sooke River and around the corner from Billings Spit, jumping all over the place. Anglers are fishing from shore and from boats...it is tricky to lure them to bite, because they aren't actively feeding any more, but some lucky anglers are catching good ones. Keep in mind the regulations update -- single hooks ONLY inside Sooke Harbour.

Sooke Fishing Regulations Update: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/a-s20-eng.htm

Effective Sept 18 -- All salmon species: Subareas 20-6, 20-7 (Sooke Harbour): no angling with a hook having more than one point until December 31, 2009

It seems the big spring salmon have mostly passed through now, though you still hear of the odd one caught here and there, mostly by accident, as most anglers are now targetting coho salmon.

Most of the action is out in the tidelines towards the shipping lanes, 400-600' depths. Once you get into a school, it can be non-stop action, a bite every few minutes. Given the action, most are fishing with hootchies or spoons, rather than bait. A few reports of using apex lures to great success! As well, the coho seem to be deeper than usual, 90-120'.

There are lots of small feeder springs and lots of wild coho (can't keep them until Oct 1!), but in there is the occasional nice hatchery coho keeper. Fish reported up to 15 pounds plus, that's a nice coho! For a treat, once you're in the action, try lightening up the gear and stopping the motor once hooked up...let the fish run and have some fun with it. If you catch a 10lb plus coho on a light fly rod...you'll be in for some adventure landing that.

As well, fishing from shore becomes a good possibility for the next month or two. Click here for DC Reid story on Vancouver Island shore fishing. Here's what he said about Sooke area "Other spots closer to Victoria include Point-No-Point for coho on cast lures. The estuary for Muir Creek extends far out in the water at low tide. And it's almost time to trek out Whiffen Spit for chum and coho that pass close to shore on their way around. Then Billings Spit is the place for gear chuckers closer to the end of September and through October. And at about that time, the coho and chum pass under the Silver Bridge and fly anglers get two months of fishing at All Sooke Day Park and then follow the fish up stream."

Sun is shining, winds are light, no more fog, lots of fishing action....September is a beautiful time of year for fishing in Sooke.

The big news out of Sooke this week is last week's Vancouver Island Salmon Classic Derby.

Dave Cowell of N'Joy Fishing Charters in Sooke, and fishing partner Len Neveu, won first place with a 40.6 pound salmon. They also gained 2nd place, with a 37.8 pounder. Good for $150,000 in prizes!

Trevor from No Bananas Fishing Charters got third place with a 37.2 pounder, winning $25,000.






The fishing was a little slow, with 38 salmon weighed in from the 55 teams. However, the top 8 were over 30 pounds, so the Sooke report continues...some slow moments, but some nice fish out there too. The winning fish were both caught off Sooke Bluffs....no other details provided!

There are still pinks and coho out in the deeper water. Dave Hadley reports some luck: "run a little faster - 3 to 3.5mph around the tidelines, greens are good, whites are good/combinations of white/green. My traditional favorite combo is usually mint tulip hootch on a plaid flasher - rarely fails me, yesterday was doing good when we found the pockets on glo-green coyote and plaid. Can be partly a hunting game as well...only area we got into them was around 95', but earlier in the day, one guy mentioned all around 40'. Stack your lines until you find the depths. I'm hearing further east (Church/Race) is better right now as well, but I'm sure waves of them will be coming through."


And finally a hopeful word from Trevor at No Bananas, for all you hunting that last Tyee of the season: "i have a feeling there's going to be one more small push of springs in the next morning floods...don't give up yet boys, the biggest fish of the year are still lurking around."

Good luck out there!

Sooke's salmon fishing continues to be spotty...with some very slow days chasing spring salmon, but still a really nice one caught now and then. Coho are in thick, reported up to 16 pounds. Pink salmon are still around in the tidelines too. So, fishing is definitely still worth a go in Sooke!

The Vancouver Island Salmon Classic derby starts this week, Sept 3-5. It is a big one, with huge prizes that will attract the finest anglers...both from around Sooke and internationally. Expect some intense competition for the $100,000 top prize! We will keep you posted as results come in.

Good luck out there!