The 2007 summer fishing season has come and gone, as always so quickly. This past season was highlighted by our return to fishing in Nootka Sound after a ten-year absence. It will also be remembered for the sunny summer that never really was. This past summer was one that saw far too many unseasonal overcast cooler days and only the occasional nice warm day. A record-breaking early July day that saw temperatures top 100°F had everyone fooled into thinking a hot summer was surely ahead. Just two days later the overcast skies and below seasonal temperatures returned once again. At least the cooler temperatures made for comfortable fishing and I didn’t have to smear on the sunscreen very often.
The fishing last summer was very much up and down in the Sooke area. The early summer Chinook runs were not as plentiful and we had to work extra hard to find a catch for our clients. There were days in the early summer when it seemed like there were no fish to be had at all. Thankfully on most days the extra effort would pay off with a decent Chinook or two for our customers. Our largest Sooke Chinook went 38 ½ pounds making 2007 one of the few summers we didn’t top 40 pounds. That fish was caught on July 9th at Sheringham Point, by Dave Veltman. For most of the summer it seemed that the far western-most fishing holes produced the more consistent catches. Muir Creek, which has been the preferred spot for the past 3 or 4 years, was less predictable and Sheringham Point to Point No Point proved the better choice. For our customers this only meant a bit longer ride to the fishing grounds and the chance to see more of the scenery that they might not have seen otherwise. For me, it meant a larger fuel bill at the end of the season.
As I mentioned earlier, I ventured back up to Nootka Sound for its peak season for large summer-run Chinook salmon. This past July didn’t disappoint and everyone who signed on had awesome fishing, starting on the very first evening when we decided at the last minute to go out for a couple of hours after dinner, just to get tuned up for the morning. That night we landed 31 and 25 pound Chinook fishing about ½ mile from the lodge. Not a bad way to reacquaint yourself with the area after a ten year absence. The next morning we headed out to Ferrier Point on the outside of the sound for a day trip of fishing. The first fish we landed went 35 pounds and was followed by 25, 22, 20, 19 and 17 pounders. We released a few nice fish – some on purpose and some by accident. On the way out and back from Ferrier Point we saw many of the local family groups of Sea Otters which float around on the surface near kelp beds. I have to remember to take some pictures next summer. The rest of the time we spent in Nootka Sound was the same, with fish everywhere you stopped and tried. Every group took home their limit and also enjoyed playing more fish, which they released.
The summer of 2007 saw huge schools of Pilchards (pacific sardines) show up along most of B.C.’s southern coast. We experienced them in both Sooke and Nootka area waters. They were the large, mature pilchards - about 10 to 12 inches in length. They were so thick that our downriggers constantly bounced as the wire line crashed into the solid schools of fish. At times, it was hard to tell if you had a fish hitting the gear or not. I lost count of how many times clients were fooled and shouted that there was a fish on the line. A quick glance at the sounder showed a solid mass of fish from the surface to the bottom under the boat. Another glance and you realized that all three downrigger were bouncing wildly at the same time and it was just another false alarm. Humpback Whales follow pilchard schools and feed on them by the thousands. It was amazing to watch them bubble net them in shallow waters and then break to the surface with their mouths wide open, devouring hundreds of pounds of fish in a single gulp.
Sooke’s best Chinook fishing was again in August and the first half of September - a trend that has been repeated for the past 4 or 5 seasons. During that time there were a good number of bigger fish to be caught, with some fish that topped 50 pounds. Most of the bigger Chinook are Harrison River whites (white-fleshed Chinook or kings). We caught Chinook in the 20 pound plus range up until September 22nd.
Here is one of the better stories from the 2007 fishing season. On the morning of August 5th I was fishing with newly acquainted David Caputo and Stanley Flasterer at Sheringham Point. Twenty minutes into the trip and half way down the first pass of the morning the port rod slams off the rigger. David graciously allowed the much senior (and he presumed experienced) Stanley to take the first fish. The fish took off right from the start and it was quickly apparent that this was a decent fish. The reel never slowed down at all as the big fish pulled out a few hundred yards of line. I was still trying to get all the other gear aboard so I could turn the boat around to chase the fish when I noticed another boat coming our way. The owner of this boat saw our catch from the previous day and asked me where David and I had been fishing. I made the mistake of telling him the truth. Stanley’s fish was heading right for this boat, or the boat was heading right for his fish. I yelled to let him know that we were into a fish and he was getting too close. By the time he reacted it was too late. Our line briefly began to swing with the other boat as he turned to get out of our way. A sure sign we were crossed up. A few seconds later the rod snapped up straight…. complete slack line. We got busted off. That is when I noticed Gord, another local guide, heading away from us just another couple hundred feet away from the boat that had just cut us off. He had been watching us play our fish and told us later he was explaining to his guests what had just happened to us. For the next 20 minutes I was busy trying to get all my gear back in the water which included retying a complete setup.
While doing this I heard another guide who was fishing another spot to the east call Gord on the VHF radio. Gord’s words were “I’ll get back to you, I’m busy right now. I’m dealing with a bit of a mess.” It got me thinking, the water is clean here (no weeds) and I hadn’t seen Gord into a fish. I had to ask. So I called Gord on the radio. Gord comes back with “I’ve got your fish, Rollie – I’ll get back to you in a minute.” Twenty minutes later we passed along side Gord and we get a chance to ask, "What happened?" He asked, “What colour teaser head were you using?” I said that you must know if you have the fish and my gear. He yells back that all he got was the fish, the hooks and a foot of leader line. Apparently after getting cut loose, the free swimming fish swam another couple hundred feet and then managed to wrap the top hook which was hanging on the outside of its mouth around one of Gord’s lines. It then swam further on to the next line and wrapped itself into it as well. By the time it was all done, all his rods and a downrigger line were involved and tangled. Gord managed to hand-line the tired fish into the net before it broke free.
At the end of our trip we pulled alongside of Gord’s boat and he passed Stanley his fish - a 34-pound Chinook that had to be the easiest big fish Stanley ever played and took home. He never cranked a turn on the reel! David’s insight was right on, what an experienced guy that Stanley is!
Fall coho fishing was slightly better than 2006, but still off from what is normally an awesome late salmon fishery with plenty of limits of 6 to 15 pounders and the occasional one over 20 pounds. Winter Chinook showed up early and helped fill in for the less plentiful coho. Many of them were in the 10 to 12 pound range and as always they are the best salmon of all for dinner table. It is now a week away from Christmas and winter Chinook fishing is still very good! If my boat wasn’t covered in lights for my home Christmas display I would be out getting some fresh salmon for the holidays. This summer's salmon candy, lox and smoked canned salmon will have to do. Soon it will be a new year and with it comes renewed anticipation of another summer and all the great trips it will bring. Hope you are there to share a few of those with me!
Wishing you all tight lines, sharp hooks and many good memories with your own (Stanley's) friends.
2008 Forecast
The summer of 2008 may bring some challenges for the recreational fishery on the south coast. DFO managers will no doubt be trying to minimize the impact from all sectors on south Vancouver Island Chinook and Coho stocks. The 2007 returns of these fish were poor and some conservation measures will be required to ensure that they rebound, preferably in a quick fashion. The tricky part is always finding a balance between effective conservation tactics and minimal impact to all the user groups. DFO has promised an early announcement of any new measures they are to implement next season. I will update them as they are known.
I’m expecting the 2008 season to be very similar to the 2007 season. Sooke will remain one of the better places on Vancouver Island to fish for large summer Chinook salmon. There will be ups and downs from week to week as less abundant and more abundant stocks pass through the Sooke waters. Picking the right week will be as or more important as picking the right bait or depth to fish. No one can see into the future so as with a lottery it will be the luck of the draw. Sounds like fishing to me! When you fish for any trophy fish around the world there is never a guarantee – if there was, they wouldn’t really be trophy fish. Even so, we will still maintain a 90% + success rate as we have in the past.
As mentioned before, l will be spending some time up in Nootka Sound (Gold River) in 2008. That Chinook and halibut fishery is in very good shape. Late July is always a good time to fish this area and I’m planning on being there from the 15th of July to the 31st. I may extend longer into August if DFO announces changes down south in the Sooke area which make staying in Nootka more attractive to both you and me. The Nootka Sound Chinook fishery typically slows down by the 3rd week in August. By then most of the fish are well inside the sound and holding close to their spawning grounds. The Sooke Chinook fishery extends well into September with some of the biggest fish of the year being taken from late August into September. I don’t expect that to change. The late summer Chinook fishing in Sooke has been very good the past 4 or 5 seasons and there are no signs of that changing for 2008. In fact, the largest Vancouver Island caught Chinook (king) will more than likely once again be caught in the Sooke area.
Our Sockeye fishery is still up in the air at this time, as it normally has been. In 2007 Sockeye never did open as numbers could not support either a commercial or sport fishery. If Sockeye do open up for 2008, it will most likely happen in late July and early August. This is typically when the vast majority of the migrating Sockeye are in Juan De Fuca Strait. An announcement on any Sockeye opportunities will most likely come well into the summer as test fishing confirms their numbers. 2008 is not a pink salmon year so we will not be pestered by them as we fish for Chinook salmon. That will help with my bait budget next summer. In 2007 I used up a lot of good bait on pinks and ran out of the real large anchovies I prefer by September. The bigger anchovies seem to work better when the larger sized pilchards are around. Many of the larger Chinook salmon I caught last summer had partially digested pilchards in their stomachs.
Most of you are aware that the Canadian dollar has surged upwards in the past year or two. It is now about par with the US dollar. You will notice that we have eliminated all US dollar pricing on our website because of the parity in the two currencies. We are holding the prices for all our day fishing trips and packages at the 2007 rates. In fact this will be the 3rd year that prices have remained the same. We are absorbing the higher cost of fuel instead of passing it on to our customers.
The marina that I moor at in Sooke now has completed their redevelopment. There are now 34 new fully furnished condominiums that are for sale and also for rent by the night or week. Also onsite are two large hot tubs, reception/lounge area and outside patio and picnic area. The docks have been improved with new AC power, lighting and improved fish cleaning tables. Anyone booking a charter in Sooke now has the option to stay onsite and have the boat right at your doorstep for the early morning outings. Package prices that include a condo are available by request.
I think that it will be important in 2008 to hire the best guides available to ensure a successful fishing trip. When fish numbers are a little below average a good guide can make all the difference between a decent catch or no catch at all. There will be times in 2008 as in 2007 when only the best guides/fishermen will bring home fish. Being from Victoria and having fished the waters since 1965, I offer my customers all those years of experience. In fact I’m aware of only one other active guide with more years of experience than myself. Damn, I’m getting old!
I will update any new information as I receive it regarding changes to any fishing opportunities in 2008. I look forward to talking to and seeing many of you again this year.
Sooke Salmon Charters Ltd. 836 Rockheights Ave.
Victoria BC CANADA V9A 6J4
Phone: (250) 380-7018
E-mail: SSCL@shaw.ca
