I’m new to winter fishing Sidney, any tips?
2020 Sidney Reports
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RogersonCrusoe
Well-Known Member
Welcome!
Winter fishing is Sidney is pretty good overall, but our 62cm minimum size is an absolute pain - I don't get into keeper size fish, consistently, until February. Before then, it's good action, but small sizes.
My advice is to stick in the 100-130ft contours where it's all mud and drag the bottom with needlefish size spoons or hootchies. Glow and UV are your friends here where I prefer glow in cloudy days and UV in sunny. Troll quicker than summer chinook fishing, but slower than coho and you'll be golden - make sure to keep your balls on the bottom. If you stay at the above depths, there isn't much rock/weed/trap around to take your lead away.
Spots:
- Coal Island, between the North-East Point and the Islets to the south. beware the reefs! Usually holds lots of bait and is a very consistent producer.
- Sidney Channel, from north of Sidney Spit (beware the lumps, for they hold derelict traps!) all the way down the length of the island to James Island and Powder Wharf.
- Miner's Channel (East side of Sidney Island). Start north of Sidney Spit and troll the whole length of the island. Really useful when the tide is burning as you can fish one way on one tide, then the other way.
- Fairfax Point, Personally, my least consistent producer in the winter and with the longer run time (12 minutes from the ramp), I don't go there that often. But very nice on a strong ebb as the island provides cover. Work up to the point, then turn around and repeat.
carpeweekend
Crew Member
Agreed with @RogersonCrusoe except for Fairfax. It is my favourite place to winter fish. Usually hidden from the wind and a consistent bottom makes it easy to fish, especially if you are out solo. Out from about 10 -1 today at Fairfax. Only me and one other boat out today. A bit of wind in the morning but turned into a pretty nice day. Picked up this 11 pound hatchery Spring. Fishing the bottom at around 140'. Black/white cop car AP spoon with a black/glow flasher. Came up wanting on both prawns off of Moresby and crabs in the @Stizzla crabbing honey hole.
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RogersonCrusoe
Well-Known Member
Do you stick mainly to one side of the island? I haven't put in a lot of time there in the winter, so don't know the area super well.
carpeweekend
Crew Member
Pretty much just the south side and the area around Fairfax Point seems to produce pretty consistently. When the tide is ripping elsewhere in the Sidney area, this area always seems fishable.
Thanks very much for the tips! I am hoping to get out in the next week or so if there is a decent day out there.
RogersonCrusoe
Well-Known Member
You're welcome!
Having done some napkin math, I think Sidney is fishable 300 days a year. We're pretty spoiled for wind up here - though the South winds are hard to hide from. There's always a decent day
carpeweekend
Crew Member
Weather forecast seemed good so I headed out and fished Moresby on Sunday morning. Big Wave Dave was a little optimistic on his forecast and it was a lot blowier (around 15 knots with gusts to probably 25) than I expected. Fishing solo which made it difficult to get both lines out. Wind moderated around 11. No bites and I packed it in around 12:30. I was running glow flashers and spoons as there wasn't much sunlight and fishing mostly 140 -180'. Not as much bait showing as a few weeks ago. Managed 3 keeper crabs so not a total loss.
Xena
Active Member
How long a soak for the prawns? Beauty tails!!
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