You can spend your time in Sooke fishing for some of the most sought after game fish in British Columbia. Perched at the southern end of Vancouver Island, this small harbor town is the perfect place to land a big catch.

Within minutes of leaving the dock, you can hook into massive Halibut, Lingcod, Dungeness Crab, Trout, and five species of Pacific Salmon. The best part is, you can indulge in this fishery year-round (and believe us, you’ll want to).

With a variety of Sooke fishing charters to choose from, it’s easy to get a taste of this world class fishery for yourself. The only question is, will you be hungry enough to eat all that fish at the end of the day?

Known For

A fishing trip in Sooke takes you into the Strait of San Juan de Fuca. This aquatic border between British Columbia and Washington State measures 10-18 miles wide, and you will find many species swimming here as they make their way out to the Pacific Ocean and back.

Fishing in the Strait of San Juan de Fuca gives you access to all of BC’s favorite saltwater species, almost always close to shore. Your captain will take you to one of many productive fishing grounds near the coastline, along a stretch known as “the west side” which stretches from the Race Rocks lighthouse near Metchosin all the way to Jordan River on the northwest coast of the island.

Popular Sooke fishing spots along this stretch include Possession Point (a 5 minute run from the dock), Trap Shack (a 10 minute run), Otter Point (15-20 minutes), Sheringham Point (25-30 minutes), Point-no-Point, and Jordan Point (45-60 minutes).

Salmon

Halibut

Other Bottom Species

Getting Here

There are a number of ways to reach Sooke if you’re traveling from out of town. Just a 40 minute drive from Victoria, it’s easy to make your way to Sooke by car or public transit. You can even cycle along the Galloping Goose Trail if that’s your speed.

If you’re traveling from Vancouver or cities along the coast of Washington State like Seattle, Anacortes, or Port Angeles, you can reach Victoria by ferry boat before driving to Sooke. Float planes can also bring you directly to Victoria Harbour. Depending on your method of travel, it might take 3-5 hours to reach Sooke from Vancouver or Seattle.

Once you arrive, you’ll have Sooke’s magnificent fishing right at your fingertips. Most local fishing charters are based at the Sooke Harbour Resort and Marina. From there, it’s only a matter minutes before you’ll have lines in the water.

Sooke Fishing Charters

Private fishing charters in Sooke range from 350-900 CAD, depending on the length of the trip and your target species.

Standard half day trips last from three to five hours and come with a price tag of 350-400 CAD. These charters allow you to fish for anything that’s biting near shore at the time, including Salmon, Halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish, and Crab. A full day trip is about 700 CAD.

You can also choose from a variety of charters designed specifically to give you the best of BC Salmon and Halibut fishing. Sooke Salmon fishing charters cost 500-650 CAD for a half day trip and 800 CAD for a full day.

Halibut fishing charters typically last six hours minimum, since it can take more time to reach their fishing grounds. A six hour Halibut trip costs around 600 CAD and a full day trip is usually 800 CAD.

If you simply can’t make up your mind, fear not—the captains in Sooke have got you covered. You can enjoy a full day of Salmon-Halibut combo fishing for 720-900 CAD.

Some Sooke charter operators run exclusively in summer to take advantage of BC’s Salmon season. Others continue to run trips during winter for winter Chinook and Crab fishing.

Rules and Regulations

All recreational fishers age 16 and older must carry a fishing license.

Tidal water fishing licenses (saltwater) are administered by the Canadian federal government. Non-residents can purchase a tidal water fishing license online for as little as one day (7.35 CAD) or an entire year (106.05 CAD, prices subject to change).

Non-residents can also buy a British Columbia freshwater fishing license online for one day (20 CAD) or one year (55 CAD, prices subject to change).

If you intend to catch and keep a Salmon, you must also purchase a Salmon Conservation Stamp (6.30 CAD).

You may also be required to buy a Conservation Surcharge Stamp for other species, regardless of whether you intend to keep your catch or not.

Size limits and bag limits apply to many fish species in British Columbia, and these regulations can change year to year. The Halibut season may close at the start of the year to allow for spawning, and can sometimes close to harvest again later in the year in an effort to keep the fishery balanced.

You can stay up to date on local regulations online. Or choose from any number of Sooke fishing charters to make sure you have a local guide who can help you follow regulations properly.

Fishing Styles

Trolling for Salmon

Bottom Fishing for Halibut

Freshwater Fly Fishing