The Cape Cod Canal

Your stuff works. It's proven!

I'm fairly new to the canal but used your jig and drop technique and man can I tell you, it payed off!

Alex

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Featured Post

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.


February 2, 2024

Springtime Fishing with Captain CullenFishing enthusiasts and angling aficionados, gather around as we dive into a comprehensive Zoom call crafted from a seasoned fisherman's insights.Our

Springtime Inshore Fishing Zoom Call with Captain Cullen of Cape Star Charters

October 19, 2023

Sam MullinThis edition of the podcast begins with a visit from Sam Mullin of the Goose Hummock Shop in Orleans, MA. Sam gives a very

October 19th Cape Cod Fishing Report

September 15, 2023

*Please login or start a membership to access the full version of this podcast.Ryan Collins MFCC Founder & Creator, Ryan Collins joins us off the top of

Friday September 15 Cape Cod Fishing Report

August 24, 2023

*This post originally appeared on My Fishing Cape  Cod in March of 2017. The canal sunset image above is courtesy of johndoblephotography.com.When I first started

My Canal Jigging Epiphany

August 17, 2023

The Cape Cod Canal can be an intimidating place to fish if you have never fished it before. There are odd currents, confusing tides, unforgiving

Things Experienced Cape Cod Canal Fisherman Do, To Catch Big Fish

August 1, 2023

This article was first published in August of 2015 For the shore bound angler on the Cape Cod Canal, one alternative to summer’s annual dog-day

Fluke Fishing in the Cape Cod Canal

July 17, 2023

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 11, 2023

Captain Segull’s Charts are designed for fisherman, and I have been using them as a reference ever since I was a little kid. The charts

Member-Only Discount Code for Captain Segull’s Sportfishing Charts

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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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