Ron Neitsch
Contributed
Winter salmon fishing continues to be spotty in Sooke.
Anglers are getting into springs and chinooks, but many are too small to keep.
Most trollers are reporting catching one to three-keeper sized salmon, running spoons, hootchies, or bait close to the bottom in 100 to 130 feet of water.
There are still some eight- to 10-pound springs being caught.
Halibut fishing has been open since Feb. 1 and many good reports have been reported.
One of our boats was anchored up for halibut near the Sooke harbour mouth and landed a 20-pound and a 48-pound fish by 10 a.m. on opening day.
On Feb. 9, I was anchored out in 205 feet of water and landed a 35-pound halibut on herring rigged with a spreader bar system using double J hooks on a heavy monofilament leader.
Weather continues to be a factor with only two or three days a week being acceptable for saltwater fishing.
Sooke Salmon Enhancement Society volunteers put approximately 300,000 of their 425,000 hatched chinook salmon fry into troughs this past weekend. There, they will be fed until spring time and released.
Crabbing is reported as being good by many of those using local marinas and the public Rotary Pier in Sooke. Fresh halibut or salmon trimmings work well as crab bait if used while the tide is coming in.
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Ron Neitsch is the owner operator of 2 Reel Fishing Adventures, based in Sooke.