Cape Cod Canal Firing on All Cylinders to Open 2026
Hello and welcome to the My Fishing Cape Cod Podcast proudly presented by Cape & Islands Mitsubishi and The Olde Cape Carwash! This is our first public fishing report podcast of the 2026 fishing season and we are glad you're here!
If you've been waiting for a sign to dust off your rod, load up the truck, and make the drive to the Cape Cod Canal, this is it. According to AJ Coots of Red Top Sporting Goods in Buzzards Bay, the Canal has been producing striped bass at a pace that far exceeds what anglers saw at this same point in 2025. The fish are here, they're hungry, and there are multiple ways to get them.
The Cape Cod Canal has been the story of the early 2026 season. Reports started rolling in around May 1st that striped bass were showing up in meaningful numbers — a welcome change from last year, when the Canal spent large stretches of the season being inconsistent and frustrating for some.
What makes this year's early bite so exciting is not just the quantity of fish, but the variety of ways anglers are finding success. Whether you prefer tossing plugs in the early morning, jigging after dark, or sitting on the bank chunking during the day, there has been something for everyone along the Canal this season.
The Herring Run
Perhaps the most important piece of geographic intelligence from AJ's report is where the bulk of the fish have been concentrated: the herring run. Early in May, the largest biomass of striped bass was staging right at the herring run, drawn in by the obvious and irresistible food source of fresh river herring pushing through the Canal. This makes complete logical sense — migratory stripers are hungry fish that have traveled a long distance and are eager to feed, and a herring run dumps enormous quantities of calories right into the water column.
From that herring run epicenter, the fish have gradually spread out toward both ends of the Canal as the week progressed. Anglers fishing the Bell Road area have been getting into them, and reports from the east end have confirmed that tinker mackerel have shown up there, with bass actively feeding on them. This end-to-end spread is actually great news — it means there isn't one single honey hole where every angler crowds in. The fish are accessible along much of the Canal's length.
West End and the Railroad Bridge
The logical assumption for many anglers is that the west end — down near the railroad bridge — would be the hotspot, given that migratory fish pushing up from the south through Buzzards Bay would logically filter in from that direction. While that theory has some merit, the biggest concentrations have actually been holding at the herring run. That said, the fish moving through upper Buzzards Bay will eventually have to go around or through the Canal, which means the west end will continue to see action as more biomasses of striped bass arrive from the south.
Productive Baits and Lures For The Canal
AJ laid out a detailed breakdown of what's been selling at Red Top and what customers are reporting success with at the Cape Cod Canal.
Cordell Red Fin — This one has been the runaway bestseller over the last two weeks. The Red Fin is a classic, slender minnow-style swimmer that has been catching fish. It's a natural fit when striped bass are keyed in on herring and smaller baitfish.
Magic Swimmer — A tried-and-true Canal staple that continues to produce season after season. If you've fished the Canal for any length of time, this one likely already has a spot in your bag.
SP Minnow (Daiwa) — Another perennial producer that belongs in any Canal plug bag. The SP Minnow's action and profile are right in the wheelhouse when bass are chasing slender baitfish.
LC Minnow (Yo-Zuri) — Rounds out the classic minnow-style swimmer lineup that has been working so well during this early-season bite.
Color Patterns That Are Getting It Done
Bone and white — These have been the go-to colors across the board in recent days. Hard to go wrong with a natural, light-reflecting bait when bass are feeding on herring.
Blue back and purple back — Excellent choices for imitating herring, which remain the dominant forage near the herring run. The blue back also doubles as a mackerel imitation, giving you versatility down the east end where tinker macs have been showing up.
Pink — With squid beginning to appear in the area (rumors of squid in the Sound, and numbers are building off Collier's Ledge), pink is going to become increasingly relevant in the very near future. It's not the top color today, but it's worth having in the bag.
The Chunk Bite
For anglers looking to maximize their daylight hours at the Canal, chunking has been one of the most consistent methods and deserves its own conversation. If the sun is shining high above at the Canal, the fish will most certainly be down deep. This setup is relatively straightforward: a two to five ounce sinker on a fish-finder rig or sinker slide, connected via swivel to a 24 to 36 inch leader with a hook at the end. The key element of the fish-finder rig is that your weight always sits two to three feet away from the bait, giving the chunk a more natural, free presentation.
The beauty of chunking in the Canal is its adaptability to tidal conditions. During slack water, you can park the rig and let it sit. When the current is running hard, you simply use a bit less weight, let the chunk drift naturally downstream, and then cast back up at the end of the drift. In effect, you're covering a lot of ground without moving your feet — similar in concept to jigging a current, but with bait rather than an artificial.
The Jig Bite
For those willing to set the alarm clock or stay out after sunset, the jig bite has been active at the Canal. This is decidedly a low-light opportunity — evening, overnight, and before sunrise have been the productive windows for jigging. During the daylight hours, anglers have had more success finding random blitzes and using surface-style presentations when the fish cooperate.
Buzzards Bay: Boat and Kayak Fishing
While the Canal is the most accessible option for shore-based anglers, Buzzards Bay itself has been absolutely on fire for those with access to a boat or kayak. AJ spent Saturday morning out in Buzzards Bay and reported a spectacular day — a true run-and-gun blitz bite that had him and his crew stopping count at 30 fish.
The bite was classic blitz fishing: locate the birds, get under them, and the bass were right there feeding. Fish were hitting practically every cast, sometimes all the way to the boat, and sometimes the moment the lure hit the water. The action started around 7:00 to 7:30 AM and ran for a solid two hours before the wind picked up. Even after many smaller boats had to call it a day, those on larger vessels found more birds and more fish down near Woods Hole — another two-hour stretch of the same wide-open action.
Glide Baits — For the Buzzards Bay blitz bite, glide baits were among the lures getting dunked on cast after cast. When fish are in full blitz mode under the birds, this style of bait can be devastating.
Kayak anglers have also been finding success in areas where those who know the Bay's shoreline have been getting them from the bank as well. The biomass in Buzzards Bay is substantial enough that it's providing opportunity across all platforms.
Black Sea Bass: A New Season Opens
Adding to the excitement of the weekend, black sea bass season is opening up. While the early reports suggest that sea bass may be a bit of a work-in-progress at the season's outset — the water is still on the cooler side. Sea bass are another species on the menu for anglers looking to put some fish in the box. Tautog and scup have been the primary bottom species action so far, as evidenced by the numerous head boats in Buzzards Bay targeting them, but sea bass are likely to be more accessible as May continues.
The New Moon Factor
Timing is everything in striper fishing, and the timing couldn't be much better for this weekend. A new moon is arriving tomorrow (Saturday). The new moon drives stronger tidal flows and tends to fire up fish feeding activity, particularly during low-light periods.
Combined with the existing healthy presence of fish throughout the Canal and the Bay, AJ believes this moon phase will push even more fish into the Canal ecosystem. He expects stripers currently staging in upper Buzzards Bay to move into the Canal, creating a fresh push of fish on top of what's already there. If you've been on the fence about making the trip, this weekend should be circled on the calendar.
Practical Tips for the Weekend
A few additional notes worth keeping in mind as you plan your trip:
Weather matters. On overcast days like today or days with a bit of drizzle, fish can stay active throughout the day in the Canal. Bright, sunny conditions like Saturday's forecast tend to push them deeper, shifting the bite more toward jigging or chunking rather than surface and minnow-style presentations.
Morning is your best bet. In Buzzards Bay especially, mornings tend to be calmer before the afternoon breeze kicks up. Getting on the water early and fishing hard through mid-morning is a reliable strategy for maximizing your time in fishable conditions.
Good news for commuters. Construction on the Bourne Bridge has finally been completed, which means that painfully slow, drawn-out commute to the Canal is over for some. The drive should be much more manageable this weekend.
The Cape Cod Canal is off to a much better start than last season. Fish are spread from the herring run to both ends of the Canal, Buzzards Bay is producing blitz bites for boat and kayak anglers, and a new moon weekend is lined up to push even more fish into the area. The season is just getting started and it's already looking like a good one.
Tight Lines & Take Care!🎣