Vancouver and Sidney Fishing Report for Mid Winter!!
We have been treated with amazing weather and consistent fishing this January! The calm and relatively warm temperatures in the Salish Sea have made for ideal conditions to target winter chinook salmon. The fishing has been productive in both Vancouver and Sidney, with just the odd slow day in the mix. If you are looking to get out on the water to target some of the best eating salmon of the year, now is the time to make a plan!
Winter chinook fishing is truly one of our favourite fisheries of the year. We find them in some truly stunning locations that are often protected from the weather. They are not the largest of the year, but are some of the cleanest and best eating of the year. In both of our Sidney and Vancouver locations, we have areas to target winter chinook salmon that can be as close as 10 minutes from our dock locations. The season for winter chinook salmon is open until March 31st. At that point, chinook salmon will close for retention in Vancouver for a few months. We are fortunate to stay open in Sidney in April and May for the retention of hatchery chinook salmon, making it one of the best bets for spring fishing in Southern BC.
In Vancouver, we enjoyed some excellent fishing only minutes from our dock in December and into January. The Bell Buoy and the Mile Markers kicked out some great fish. The large schools of anchovies and herring likely helped bring in the aggressively feeding 5 to 15 pound winter chinook! The action has mellowed a bit, but we are still finding some nice fish. Howe Sound has produced some nice fish like usual. Tunstall, the 3rd Marker and Gambier Island have all seen there fair share of good days. Chartreuse spackleback hootchies and Skinny Gs have been really good bets for lures.
The fishing in Sidney has also been quite good. Paying attention to currents and current changes have been the key to success. This past week, we landed a beautiful 19.5lb winter chinook! We have been running small presentations behind our flashers. The Bon Chovy Wee Gee has been a real good one the last few weeks. An Irish Cream coho killer has also been a good bet.
If you are looking to do a winter fishing trip and do not live in Vancouver or Sidney, we have great accommodation options that are within walking distance to our boats! A multi day trip is a great option! In Vancouver, the Granville Island Hotel is an excellent option! www.granvilleislandhotel.com In Sidney, we are only steps away from the Sidney Pier Hotel www.sidneypier.com/. If you want to get away to an island, we offer packages that include fishing and waterfront cabins! Check this link out.. www.bonchovy.com/fishing-packages/bowen-island-winter-chinook-salmon-package.html
The winter is a good time to get out on the water! Check out these winter fishing videos.
