The Cape Cod Canal

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Cape Cod Canal Etiquette & Common Courtesy

Common Canal Courtesy & Etiquette Don't cause problems! Learn exactly what you need to know to fit in at the Cape Cod Canal.


March 8, 2023

Cape Cod Canal Tides | Understand Them To Catch More Fish

The Cape Cod Canal has some of the strongest tides on all of Cape Cod. During extreme weather situations the current inside the Canal can


Cape Cod Canal Tides | Understand Them To Catch More Fish

January 1, 2023

4 Casting Tips for Fishing the Cape Cod Canal

When you think of fishing the Canal, what immediately comes to mind? You may have visions of the rushing current, the rip in front of


4 Casting Tips for Fishing the Cape Cod Canal

July 12, 2021

July 12th Cape Cod Canal Fishing Report

I woke up this morning at 4AM and felt surprisingly energetic - I didn't even have any coffee! Perhaps it was because weather conditions were


July 12th Cape Cod Canal Fishing Report

April 15, 2021

My First Cape Cod Canal Cruise of 2021

Last weekend on Saturday April 10th I splashed our family's boat the Miss Loretta. For this trip I was with my dad Jake and my


My First Cape Cod Canal Cruise of 2021

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The 8 Part Cape Cod Canal eCourse

Part 1 - Must-Know Cape Cod Canal Lingo

If you are serious about learning how to catch striped bass at the Cape Cod Canal, then it's important to understand at least some Canal lingo.  On top of that, if you are hoping to blend in well with the regular Canal fishing crowd, then learning proper Canal etiquette is a must.

Part 2 - An overview of the canal

The Cape Cod Canal is a very interesting place to wet a line. Actually, I really cannot think of a more unique place to fish, especially from shore. In this section I am going to share with you an overview of the Canal. We'll take a look at the Canal's structure and life. At the end we'll talk about how striped bass use the Canal for migration and feeding purposes.

part 3 - Bass blitz breakdown

Over the past few decades the Canal has become famous for it's bass blitzes. These are the days when thousands of fish invade the land cut, and feed aggressively on prey such as mackerel, menhaden and herring. If you are fortunate to get lucky, and happen upon such a blitz, you probably will never forget it.

Part 4 - tips on targeting 40+ pound stripers at the canal

Catching a 40 pound bass from the Canal is very challenging. Hooking a 40 pounder in the fist place is pretty rare. Being able to land a 40 pounder at the Canal (a place with jagged rocks, snags and a powerful current) is even rarer.

Part 5 - Understanding the canal's tides & currents

The Cape Cod Canal has some of the strongest tides on all of Cape Cod. The strong current is the result of differences in water table levels between Cape Cod Bay and Buzzard’s Bay. If the water level is lower in Buzzard’s Bay, then the Canal’s current will move westward. If the water level is lower in Cape Cod Bay, then the Canal’s current will move eastward. Having a firm understanding of the tides will help you locate more stripers, fish areas with more efficiency and ultimately catch a lot more fish.

Part 6 - how to avoid losing gear to the canal's bottom

A lot of folks, myself included, have lost tons of gear to the Canal's bottom. In some areas the bottom of the Canal is a jumbled mess of rocks, marine vegetation and who knows what else. I've seen pictures of entire tug boats sinking in the Canal, so one can only imagine the strange things that are down there.

Part 7 - night fishing the dog days of summer

By late June and July things begin to settle down a bit. By all means you can encounter a big time surface feeding frenzy during the summer at the Canal. However the fantastic top water plugging action of May and June usually quiets down a bit. When this happens many anglers switch to fishing the Canal under the cover of darkness. Night fishing the Canal is not only productive (especially if its big bass you are after) but it's also a very cool experience.

Part 8 - the cows of late october

During the Fall large schools of striped bass use the Canal as conduit to the south. Just like in the spring, bass use the Canal as a shortcut of sorts - a shortcut that just happens to often times be chock full of bait and prey items. Each Fall is different. Some Falls produce incredible fishing while other Falls produce rather lack-luster action. I think the main variable influencing whether or not the Canal has a stellar Fall run is the amount of bait present in Cape Cod Bay, the Ditch itself and Buzzard's Bay.

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