Halibut Fishing in Sooke, BC

Pacific halibut move inshore to Sooke's banks in late spring, leaving offshore spawning grounds and staging on shallow feeding water. The run builds through March and peaks April to June, then holds on a summer plateau that carries through August as migratory fish feed hard. From September the fish slide back out toward deeper winter spawning depths, and by December through March there is little biomass left close in. If you are booking a trip around halibut, put it inside the March to August window and aim at the heart of it.

We cover 17 spots in Sooke that hold halibut. Aldridge Point, Beechey Head, Christopher Point and Bentinck Island sit on the eastern end near Pedder Bay, while Otter Point, Muir Creek and Muir Point, and the Jordan River Mouth stretch you west along the strait. Each one gives you access to gravel and sand bottom within a short run.

Drift fishing does most of the work here. Work 150 to 300 feet over the banks with salmon bellies, herring, octopus or salmon heads held near the bottom off structure like Swiftsure Bank. When the drift slows, switch to leadhead jigs, metal jigs or swimbaits bounced on the bottom. Fish the slack. From dead slack to about 0.5 knots your gear hangs where you put it, and by roughly 2.5 knots it is unfishable. Anchor over good bottom with bait and build a scent trail when the current allows a stable set.