How to Catch Sockeye
The Fraser River Sockeye run has been opened to recreational and commercial harvest this year, 2018. My other boat is out of commission so I have been going out on my 16 foot aluminum Spectrum. It works fairly well out in this area, just have to watch out for the winds picking up and head in before it gets too messy out there. I fish four rods and stack dummy flasher below my rods. Check out my set up in the video. I go through everything in detail at the beginning. I am no expert by any means. This was from my third time out this year. Since then I have been out 6 more times and I think I have been getting better every time out with how to handle the fish on the line and even learning the sockeye flop. Thanks to all the help I got online. It really was a game changer for me out there.
The fishery is still open for now and there are still guys getting their limits of nice fish. So if you want to hit it come on down, because it doesn't happen for another four years. https://youtu.be/vQ90NgzSqzs |
awesome vid, looks like alot of fun out there
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Brandon, thanks for posting this. I've read about the technique but seeing the video really helps. To summarize:
- You have the 3 part flasher at the ball - One more dummy single flasher about 5 ft from the ball - Then the rod line, with flasher in-line, about another 5 ft up from the single dummy 60-70 feet down and bob's your uncle :) I'm sure taking the motor out of gear would be bad for the follow-up tangle-fest so it looks to me like you kept some momentum going to prevent that. Looks like all rods caught to and you did lose a lot. That was impressive to see you fighting 2 at once. Good work! I might have to get me and wifey out there the next time this comes around. |
Yeah, sockeye fishing is a bit different than the other species. It's also usually insanely crowded, whether it's at the Fraser or Alberni Inlet so you pretty much have to stick to your course while you fight the fish.
It's not uncommon to have 4 on at a time if you hit a good spot, they do have a pretty soft mouth so with the barbless hooks there can be a few fish lost. It's a great fishery to take a bigger to because there is usually constant action, and they will be able to learn quite fast what they need to do to properly fight the fish. |
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Yup and I also clip a second rod about 8 to 10 feet about the first rod. So I put stops on my downrigger wire at 5 feet, 10 feet and 18 feet so I can easily place my clips on. I've lost two of those triple blades this season. One snagged on bottom. One the downrigger line broke on my buddies boat. So you can just run a single flasher off the ball too three feet behind. Works pretty much just as well from my experience. Yeah they do have soft mouths and some days they kill the hoochie and they're hooked deep and you may lose one or two. Other days feels like they're barely biting and you can lose 50% or more. Thats quite typical sockeye fishing if you ask a lot of people. My first time out with the wife and kids though I went 9/10. Then went out couple days later with a friend and I think we lost the first 8 hits in a row. Was bad that day. |
Brandon, great video It appears you could use a lil help on the boat. Sockeye in my opinion are the absolute cream of the crop in the salmon world. I’m not a fish eating lover but sockeye are the ones I targeted in the Rupert area. Smoked or candied they are superb! Great job.
Tom |
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I think this is your best video.
I was very surprised that you are using 4 rods at once. Are there other fishermen in the boat or is this legal iN BC ? |
Brandon.. Awesome video..
I love the passion. Could you do us all a favour and put on a inflatable PFD? So much confusion on that boat and your buy yourself... Hate to see you go in the drink. Keep em coming. Jamie |
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Yeah technically this is not BC, this is Canadian Tidal waters fishing. As long as every person on board the boat has a license you can use as many lines as humanly possible. Quote:
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Great video and great fishing.
Sorry if these are stupid questions but I didn't grow up here and have no clue :) Aren't these salmon going up the rivers now? I thought they turn red for that but the ones in your video are silver. Do they only turn red once they get closer to the river where they spawned? Also, we were at the Adams River a few years ago to see how they go up the creeks there and there were people fishing them but only catch&release. One guy told me they don't taste that great once they come up the rivers so people wouldn't keep them because of that. So does one fish for the ones to eat only in the ocean? Would love to go salmon fishing again, did it once in Sweden and it was a real blast. |
Awesome video quality! Feels like I'm right here with you fishing. Just subbed and I hope to see more of your videos.
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They usually only start to change once they are closer to their spawning grounds. Some will be noticeable in the ocean, but the ones going up the Fraser are usually travelling a long way up through the North Thompson and in to Shuswap Lake and Adams Lake. I've caught Chinook that were in an edible state in Little Shuswap Lake before. The salmon will stop eating once they return to fresh water, so they strikes you get in the river are usually just because your lure happens to be right in front of them. The pigment in their flesh transfers to their skin as they travel to spawn, and the flesh ends up white and pretty inedible. |
Thanks a lot for the explanation!
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Wow as always awesome vid and a challenge for sure with that amount of rods. Yup those soft mouths and the flop and jump sure make it hard to keep on the line but sometimes that's part of the fun. Wish I was there to help ya :lol:. We usually fish for their smaller land locked brethren. The kokanee. Same soft mouth and lose lots but still fun. Keep those vids coming they are great to watch :happy0034:
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There is an interesting Sockeye Salmon Fishery in Osoyoos lake most summers. These fish come all the way up the Columbia river from the USA and you can actually fish for them in the lake with downriggers just like in the ocean with pink hootchies and they do bite! Its great. They are a bit colored up by then but still quite edible. Check out this video from my first time ever fishing that fishery. https://youtu.be/oJRnQ3Gjmfo Quote:
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Well If You Looking For A Buddy To Go With
-- if you are looking to increase your buddy list ... two words ... Doyle Hansen ... haha ...
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Pure chaos! Lol
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Wish I could do it this year but I will have to wait. This is definitely on my list. Maybe I'll get some other species practice off the Fraser next year or year after. :)
If you get out again, post back on how you did. |
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I think I'm done unless I have time to go out one evening after work maybe tomorrow. DFO just released an update today and said they are keeping it open but a closure is likely to come within the next two weeks and there will only be a 48 hour notice of closure. |
Nice!! Other than the commercial fishing annoyance but good for you being the smaller boat but bigger man :)
I hope you enjoy the fish. Thanks for the great thread here. One of the top threads / UTube watches for me on here. |
Awesome video. Were you fishing 29-6? Where were you launching from?
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I went out with the pastor again after work on Tuesday and fish were jumping like crazy, ocean was calm and the sun was shining. Current was really blowing hard making fishing hard. Landed three sockeye and released a wild coho. Lost so many that weren't staying on long enough for us to even grab the rod. Still plenty of fish. The underwater footage is insane!!! Check this out. I'll be making a video with more footage. It's insane you'll love it. This video doesn't even show the mega school we passed. It looked like a solid ball of bait fish but it was all salmon. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn5heU8n...d=ksmxcjqluzfu Quote:
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