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Winter fishing showing signs of improvement

Winter Salmon fishing appears to be improving from most reports being received over the last two weeks
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Ron Neitsch with an eight-pound chinook salmon he caught at the mouth of Sooke harbour last Wednesday.

By Ron Neitsch

Winter Salmon fishing appears to be improving from most reports being received over the last two weeks.

There are larger eight- to 12-pound fish being weighed in, and more of them.

Weather is still a bit of a challenge, but there are usually one or two days a week where the wind is down and the sun pokes out.

The winter or chinook salmon are right on the bottom in anywhere from 100 to 150 feet of water.Sooke harbour mouth to Otter Point are great places to look.

There are still some smaller undersized springs around that need to be released, but not as many as a few weeks ago.

Small spoons like the “white lightning” Coho Killer or Bon Chovy” G Force spoon from Gibbs Delta have been working well, as well as glow white hootchies.

Any bright green or mirror type flasher has been helpful in getting the salmon to see your presentation.

Halibut fishing opened Feb. 1 and we will be hearing reports soon.

Crabbing in the Sooke harbour has been improving say those fishing the Rotary Public Pier and various marinas in the area, with catches of larger male Dungeness crabs increasing, some saying to levels better than last year.

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Ron Neitsch is the owner operator of 2 Reel Fishing Adventures, based in Sooke.