The 2001 summer fishing season is coming to end. Local anglers have enjoyed good fishing the whole summer. With steady run of chinook action throughout, and the bi-annual run of pink salmon made 2011 one to remember.
Sooke fishing remains strong. Anglers are reporting chinooks up to 25 pounds, no real bite just steady fishing. Still lots of nice pinks around as well as some big sockeye. It shouldn’t be long until the big white chinooks start arriving — they are out at the Swiftsure now and heading this way. They can get into the 40-pound range and are the best fighters. They tap the downrigger soft most times, not even breaking the clip, but when you hook up the fun starts. Shouldn’t be long till we start seeing some nice big northern coho showing up.
Port Renfrew fishing continues to be good as well. The Swiftsure Bank has been on fire the last week for big springs. Ward Bond landed a nice 42-pounder and there are lots in the 25 to 30-pound range, many of them whites.
Halibut has picked up with some nice ones coming off the anchor. This week is the last chance to catch halibut as they will be closed at midnight on Sept. 5 for the remainder of the 2011 fishing season. See story in this weeks Sooke News Mirror for more details.
The beach has slowed a bit but hopefully by the Labour Day weekend things will pick up for the Annual Labour Day Weekend Port Renfrew Marina Derby, always a good time and nice way to end the summer chinook season. For more info and tickets check out info@portrenfrewmarina.com.
Until next time keep your rod tip.