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FISHING ADVENTURES: Coho fishing ‘excellent’ in local waters

Salmon an easy catch in Sooke harbour
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Suzy Rasch, fishing on a local charter boat on Saturday morning, caught this 10-pound coho salmon. (Contributed)

Ron Neitsch

Contributed

Coho salmon fishing in Sooke has been nothing short of excellent, with great weather, and big northern coho hammering the trolling gear off the downriggers.

There have been many flat water days providing ample opportunity to get out on the water and try for these hard-fighting fish.

Many boats trolling gear for coho are finding them straight out of the harbour mouth off Secretary Island or the Bluffs, From in close at 100 feet of water, out to 500ft, and the gear at anywhere from 50 to 90 feet on the downriggers.

The coho will not be around for much longer, usually they migrate into the rivers by the end of the month.

Halibut and rockfish are closed for fishing, but the crabbing in the harbour is excellent. The crabs have come into the harbour to feed on the spawning salmon carcasses and are here in good numbers.

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