Types of fish you can catch in Sooke, British Columbia
Salmon:
(please note: the total combined daily limit for all salmon species is 4, possession limit is 8)
Species of Salmon
- Chinook (aka: Spring, King, Tyee, Blackmouth)
- When: All Year
- Size: 18 to 70+ pounds
- Limits: 2 per day, 4 total
- The largest of the salmon, this fighter really tries to make a run while you're reeling, rarely leaping. The Chinook has a lightly spotted blue-green back, a dark mouth with black gums at the base of the teeth and a V-shaped silvery tail, the top and bottom generally covered with spots.
- Coho (aka: Silver, Hooknose, Blueback)
- When: Late June through October
- Limits: 2 per day, 4 total
- Size: 7 to 20+ pounds
- Puts up a wild, fast and erratic fight, frequently leaping out of the water. The Coho is bright silver in colour, has a white mouth with white gums at the base of the teeth and has a silver tail with spots usually on the top and with a wide base.
- Chum (aka: Calico, Dog, Keta)
- When: Late June through October
- Limits: 4 per day, 8 total
- Size: 8 to 20+ pounds
- Known for its long runs and aggressive tactics. This is the toughest fighting ocean salmon. Chums have a large mouth with well-developed teeth in both jaws, a white tip on the anal fin, a lack of spots on the back, and a slightly forked tail with silver streaks and a narrow base.
- Pink Salmon (aka: Humpback, Humpie)
- When: Early July through September
- Limit: 4 per day, 8 total
- Size: 4 to 10+ pounds
- Description: Smallest of the salmon, but a good fight when taken on lighter tackle, leaps occasionally and has short runs along the surface. The Pink Salmon has tiny scales on a silver body, a white mouth with black gums, and a V-shaped tail, which isn't silver-coloured like other salmon, covered with large oval spots on top and bottom.
- Sockeye (aka: Red, Blueback)
- When: May through August
- Limits: 4 per day, 8 total
- Size: 4 to 10+ pounds
- Silver-blue in colour, with prominent glassy eyes. Sockeye have small black speckles on their back with distinct large scales and a moderately forked tail with no black spots.
Bottom Fish:
- Halibut (aka: Flattie, Hally, Flounder)
- When: All Year
- Limits: 2 per day, 3 total
- Size: 15 to 300+ pounds
- Will feel like a dead weight when reeling up from the ocean floor, with occasional determined deep runs, but will fight erratically once they've broken the surface. Halibut have a flat, diamond-shaped body that is mottled brown topside, and white on the under body, their eyes are on top of their head, they have a large symmetrical mouth and small scales. Any halibut over 70 pounds is a female carrying millions of eggs.
- Lingcod (aka: Blue Cod, Leopard Cod)
- When: All Year
- Limits: 3 per day, 6 total. There is also a size limitation in effect year round.
- Size: 10 to 25+ pounds
- Can offer a fight similar to salmon when initially hooked. Lingcods have a large mouth with very sharp canine-like teeth and small smooth scales. Their colour varies with environmental conditions but is generally dark mottling with light golden spotting over brown, grey, green shades and a grey-white belly. This fish is very durable and has a very high survival rate when released.
- Rockfish (aka: Red Snapper, Scorpion Fish)
- When: All Year
- Limits: 4 per day/total
- Size: 4 to 12+ pounds
- There are numerous types in a wide variety of colours. All Rockfish have wide mouths and spiny dorsal fins. The most common is the yellow-eye rockfish, which have a bright orange-red to orange-yellow body and bright yellow eyes. Rockfish should be fished very selectively. When brought to the surface, they will rarely survive being released.
Fishing Limits
- 4 salmon per day each (of which only 2 may be chinook)
- 2 day possession limit (8 salmon of which 4 may be chinook)
- Halibut - 2 each (no size restrictions) 2 day possession limit of 3 each
Types of Salmon and Halibut Species caught in Sooke off the west coast of Vancouver Island: Chinook, Coho, Chum, Pink, Sockeye, Halibut, Lingcod and Rockfish.
