2021 Sidney Reports

Zero rock is a spot that people try.

@ryanb seems to scoop em up mid column at fairfax point haha. I still can’t believe that story!
 
Zero rock is a spot that people try.

@ryanb seems to scoop em up mid column at fairfax point haha. I still can’t believe that story!
Thanks Stizzla! I usually fish border, and the mud holes depending on weather haha. What depth near Zero rock? which side of zero rock and what structure should i be looking for? Sand? rocky? I always get nervous anchoring in a area i'm not familiar with
 
Thanks Stizzla! I usually fish border, and the mud holes depending on weather haha. What depth near Zero rock? which side of zero rock and what structure should i be looking for? Sand? rocky? I always get nervous anchoring in a area i'm not familiar with
When it's slack tide on a weekend go out and take a look at what other people are doing and then anchor far away from them but save it for next time.
 
Thanks Stizzla! I usually fish border, and the mud holes depending on weather haha. What depth near Zero rock? which side of zero rock and what structure should i be looking for? Sand? rocky? I always get nervous anchoring in a area i'm not familiar with
Why are you giving up on Border Bank and the Mudhole?
 
Why are you giving up on Border Bank and the Mudhole?
I winterized my boat and my buddy has his in Sidney. A bit of a far run from Sidney to Boarder Bank and Mud Holes. I've heard of Zero Rock but never fished it. I looked up the area and it's pretty shallow in some parts. Is the hali spots a bit deeper and near the boarder line?
 
I winterized my boat and my buddy has his in Sidney. A bit of a far run from Sidney to Boarder Bank and Mud Holes. I've heard of Zero Rock but never fished it. I looked up the area and it's pretty shallow in some parts. Is the hali spots a bit deeper and near the boarder line?
I used to fish the structure off Zero Rock until recently. Find a good pinnacle or plateau and anchor up. Ironically I moved my boat from Sidney to Victoria because for me anyway, halibut fishing was a bust and summer salmon closures were killing the salmon fishery. Up until 5 years ago I had done quite well and then it just died. Sure some folks are still catching but I found about 5 years ago, they seemed to be gone.
Since moving in to Victoria I’ve caught a couple at Constance but struck out at the mudhole. All in all though a vast improvement. Anyway good luck, I’m sure they’re there.
 
I used to fish the structure off Zero Rock until recently. Find a good pinnacle or plateau and anchor up. Ironically I moved my boat from Sidney to Victoria because for me anyway, halibut fishing was a bust and summer salmon closures were killing the salmon fishery. Up until 5 years ago I had done quite well and then it just died. Sure some folks are still catching but I found about 5 years ago, they seemed to be gone.
Since moving in to Victoria I’ve caught a couple at Constance but struck out at the mudhole. All in all though a vast improvement. Anyway good luck, I’m sure they’re there.
How deep did you fish when you were at zero rock? i've fished up island for Hali in 150ft of water but it seems to be deeper over here in Area 19. Not sure if 150FT is deep enough in this area for these flatties.
 
Up until 5 years ago I had done quite well and then it just died. Sure some folks are still catching but I found about 5 years ago, they seemed to be gone.
Same for me. We used to fish Constance and Haro, mostly Haro.
5 years ago something changed.
No more incidental or targeted halibut.
 
As a kid, i could go out to zero rock in my tinny and jig up a couple halis in like an hour. We used to troll them up in sidney channel as bycatch. I dont think ive caught a hali in the last 10 years in sidney.

I think youre better off trailering your buddys boat to town and fishing one of the banks there.
 
How deep did you fish when you were at zero rock? i've fished up island for Hali in 150ft of water but it seems to be deeper over here in Area 19. Not sure if 150FT is deep enough in this area for these flatties.
I’d fish 180 to 220 At first but then tried 250 or more when that started to fail. I looked mostly for a decent drop off and there are quite a few around Zero Rock. I never fished right off Zero but more in the Vicinity of. If you look at the charts in the general area there are some good drop offs. You can also try D’Arcy outside the RCA. Bear in mind this is advice from someone who hasn’t had much luck there for a few years.
 
I think the issue with Sidney is when I have fished there over the past 5 years there is always a Long liner fishing for halibut in that area. I think they cleaned it out and I believe they have moved on now, I believe they are working Race Rocks last I saw. They worked the area 225-350 ft out by the border usually in Sidney.
 
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Pretty novice to Area 19 fishing areas in the Sidney Area. Wondering if anyone could share some general Halibut spots? I mean if you want to share your honey hole, i'd be happy to go there but just mainly looking for a general area for halibut!! Thanks in advance!

Best bet is to try Zero Rock area, between the rock and the RCA on the south end of Darcy can hold a few halibut. I’ve picked them up drifting in that area.
 
Hi! Can I switch the language on this site?
How do I switch the language?
 
Anyone finding winters around Sidney? It’s been awful quiet on here probably due to the never ending rain and storms!
 
Been itching to get out relax, and winter fish but the crappy weather hasn't cooperated. Got up this morning and saw sun and no wind. Still beautiful at noon and weather forecast said another week of crap weather. Told the wife screw work I'm going fish'n. Hook up the boat at 12:00 and go. A couple of passes at Sidney spit and a few smalls. Pull up the gear moved to Sidney Channel and rewarded with two around 8-9lbs. Released half a dozen smalls. Relaxing ride back to the ramp into the sunset.
 

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Hey everyone, I am pretty new to fishing in Sidney. Are there any decent spots to try for Halibut this time of year?
 
Peninsula Boat launches, how many are there?

My father and I have a 16 foot Legend. Its intended as a lake boat but has made an awesome inshore boat. We can range comfortably from Tulista all the way out to Pender Bluffs. However, its only a 16 ft. aluminum. If there is any amount of chop or waves, we end up taking on a lot of water from the spray, and we get bounced around by waves. Large spaces of open water are hard for us as they tend to be windy and that exacerbates the choppy conditions we cant handle. It limits the area we can fish.
I am wondering if there are any launches on the peninsula aside from Tulista. I've googled and poured over the coast in google maps to limited results. Are there any launches on the inlet side or further south towards Zero Rock? I want to be able to access more of the waters around the peninsula by trailering the boat and launching closer to fishing landmarks instead of risking large journeys on windy stretches of water.
 
Peninsula Boat launches, how many are there?

My father and I have a 16 foot Legend. Its intended as a lake boat but has made an awesome inshore boat. We can range comfortably from Tulista all the way out to Pender Bluffs. However, its only a 16 ft. aluminum. If there is any amount of chop or waves, we end up taking on a lot of water from the spray, and we get bounced around by waves. Large spaces of open water are hard for us as they tend to be windy and that exacerbates the choppy conditions we cant handle. It limits the area we can fish.
I am wondering if there are any launches on the peninsula aside from Tulista. I've googled and poured over the coast in google maps to limited results. Are there any launches on the inlet side or further south towards Zero Rock? I want to be able to access more of the waters around the peninsula by trailering the boat and launching closer to fishing landmarks instead of risking large journeys on windy stretches of water.
The launch on the Tsartlip reserve is open again (Brentwood Bay) and has been "renovated" (not sure the extent as I haven't been there).

Aside from that, no, there is only Tsartlip and Tulista. Was talk of getting another one, but that was before the federal election... but I haven't followed up to see if there was movement.
 
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