Most of the feeder Chinook fishery throughout the winter is concentrated around Coal Island, Moresby Island from Point Fairfax to Seymour Point, Sidney Channel and Hamley Point. Most are shakers during the October slow season. Other areas worth checking out include Dock Island, Imrie Island, Colburne Passage, Shute Pass from Knapp Island to Shute Rock, Miners Channel between Sidney Spit and Forrest Island, Cordova Channel, the Red Can Buoy at the north end of Sidney Channel, and Wain Rock in Saanich Inlet.

Downrigging deep -- within 10 feet of the bottom -- is the standard winter tactic, with fishing conducted out in the mid-channels, especially along steep drop-offs into deeper water, or over deep flats. Herring and needlefish are the main winter forage, so bait preferences lean toward herring strip and small anchovies. Tom Davis recommends a Tiny Teaser with strip, and an Anchovy Special with anchovies, either of them in Green, Glow Green or any of the Chrome series with green in them. Trail them 42 to 60 inches behind a Hot Spot or O’Ki flasher. 2.He said green and chartreuse are key colours in most Sidney area waters, which is reflected in the hoochies and spoons that anglers generally turn to when bait isn’t working.

Tom suggested that when using hoochies during the summer, leader lengths should be adjusted to 24 to 32 inches for sockeye, a bit longer for pinks, but stick with 42 to 60 inches for Chinooks. It pays to experiment, so troll as many lines as feasible and vary the leader lengths until you determine which one turns on the salmon. He added that the most notable trend in recent years had been the surge in popularity of spoons, especially Luhr Jensen’s Coyote Spoons in Green/Chartreuse and Glow.

This basic fishing pattern continues until February, then, when adult herring appear on their spawning migration, consider larger lures and baits. Toward the tag end of April, some early spring-run spawners in the 15- to 20-pound class should join the over-wintering Chinooks. Downrigging close to bottom remains the preferred tactic, but shallow gear will now start producing a few fish at first light.

When needlefish become the main forage by month’s end, switch to small anchovies, slender herring strips in Tiny Teasers, and needlefish-shaped drift-jigs.

For feeder Chinooks off Coal Island, try downrigging from Shag Rock (east of the white marker off Killer Whale Point) to Dock Island, then north to Charmer Point. During November and December, Chinooks to 10 pounds are available in Satellite Channel and off the southern end of Moresby Island. Make your troll pattern from Point Fairfax, northwest along Moresby to Seymour Point, then south across Prevost Passage to Imrie Island.

Other areas to consider are Colburne Passage off Swartz Bay; Shute Pass from Knapp Island northwest past Piers Island to Shute Rock; the top end of Miners Channel between Sidney Spit and Forrest Island; Cordova Channel between Cordova Spit (known locally as Saanichton Spit) and James Island. Wain Rock off Moses Point at the head of Saanich Inlet might also be worth checking out, and while Arbutus Island produces a few they tend to be smaller fish.

By February and March, the Red Can Buoy at the top end of Sidney Channel is worth a look from time to time. A good troll pattern in April is from the tip of the lagoon spit on Sidney Island to the Red Can, then across to the northern tip of James Island (known locally as Village Spit). The Powder Wharf on the southeast end of James Island also turns on in late April. Try from the Powder Wharf along the beach to the flats on the south end of James Island. Another late April hotspot is Cordova Spit, from its tip over to the cable marker on the small lagoon spit at James Island.

In early May, during the ebb tides try trolling southward from the dolphin at the end of Village Spit along the sandy beach, or eastward in the deeper water along the top end of James Island. Good bets in late May are the Red Can Buoy, Mandarte Island, Point Fairfax, Cordova Spit and Sidney Spit. Larger Chinooks are usually found in fairly shallow water, so move out of the deep channels and start fishing close in along the beaches, especially during the early mornings and evening in areas that have good concentrations of needlefish. Troll close to the bottom with slender herring strips, small anchovies, or small lures. If the water clarity is affected by an algae bloom, a flasher or dodger can be effective.

By June the action moves away from Cordova Spit and James Island, but increases around Sidney Spit, Coal Island, Mandarte Island and Point Fairfax.

Drift-jigging usually starts improving about now, especially with slender lures like the Stingsilda, Point Wilson Dart, and Dungeness Stinger. Drift-jigging usually remains productive well into September.

3.By July mo st of these areas offer larger Chinooks, with two of the best bets around Coal Island and Sidney Spit. If sockeye and pink salmon show up in any numbers, one of the most productive areas is off “Pender Bluffs” along the western side of North Pender Island, between Wallace Point northwest to Mouat Point.

The fishing pattern now reverts back to deep trolling during midday, and then shallow during the early mornings or late evenings. Continue using the same needlefish-imitating baits, lures and drift-jigs for feeder Chinooks, but try plugs or a large Tyee Strip or anchovy for the maturing adults. Pinks and sockeye favour small pink hoochies trolled slowly behind revolving flashers, usually in as straight a line as possible.

August continues much the same as in July, right through until early September, but there is a month-long closure at Coal Island so check the Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Guide. Best bets are around Moresby Island, Sidney Spit, Arbutus Island, Wain Rock and Coal Island (after it reopens). The top end of Satellite Channel (Hatch Point to Cape Keppel) is closed 1-29 September, so check the regulations. In late September there might still be a few larger Chinooks around Coal Island, Point Fairfax and Wain Rock.

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