*This article was originally published during September of 2012. Today I've updated the article and have decided to re-publish. I hope you find this article helpful. Please let me know what you think!
Without a doubt nothing beats the excitement of watching a large striped bass crush a top-water plug at the Cape Cod Canal.
However when it comes to consistently catching large striped bass from the "Big Ditch," concentrating on working the bottom of the land cut can pay off in a big way.
This past Tuesday July 7th, I headed out fishing with four members from My Fishing Cape Cod and captain Cullen of Cape Star Charters.
It was a memorable trip with a great crew of US veterans! The group trip was paid for by anonymous donors from MFCC, who jumped at the opportunity to sponsor a trip for veterans.
Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite underwater images and underwater video footage from this memorable trip! 
*This report was originally published on July 31st, 2018. I've decided to re-publish this post, because sharks are now starting to be caught from shore throughout the Cape & Islands.
For years now I have heard about people catching sharks from the beaches of Cape Cod. In fact, Ryan Franklin and other members from My Fishing Cape Cod have been catching brown sharks from the surf for the past several years.
Nevertheless, shark fishing from the beach on Cape Cod was something I had never really tried. So when MFCC member John Malloy asked if I wanted to try shark fishing from shore, I jumped at the opportunity.
Last week I met John and his friend Tim at 8:00pm, just as the sun was starting to sink below the horizon. Our plan was to fish a secluded spot on the beach for the 12AM high tide, and hopefully hook into some hard pulling brown sharks.
Welcome to another edition of the My Fishing Cape Cod Chronicles podcast. I'm your host Kevin Collins. In this podcast you'll learn about Cape Cod bluefin tuna fishing, and get a full Cape Cod fishing report from Ryan of MFCC.
We start by interviewing captain Jay Cianciolo, who is a My Fishing Cape Cod member and captain at Laura Jay Charters (which is based out of the Sandwich Marina at the canal's east end).
If you’re idea of fluke fishing is the embodiment of playing tug-o-war with a living, angry manhole cover, then you may find that you have to go deep to find those big-shouldered bruisers.
Casual anglers are often bunched up on the flats competing for their share of “just–legal” shallow-water adolescents.
For those who desire a bigger challenge for a bigger fluke, I recommend patrolling the deeper water adjacent to those same flats, fishing in 40, 50, 60, even 80-feet of water or more.
Catching fish on a topwater lure is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting ways to catch a fish! This rings true for species across the globe.
Here on Cape Cod it's possible to catch tuna and other species on topwater lures. However, targeting big striped bass is definitely the most popular.
The following clip was filmed earlier in June, and captures the most heart-pounding moment of my 2020 season thus far. I hope after watching this video you'll have a clearer understanding of how stripers track and attack topwater lures.
Now that summer has arrived, bluefin tuna are starting to show in the waters surrounding the Cape & Islands.
Earlier in the season, the crew from the Goose Hummock Shop in Orleans created a series of seminar videos for fishing on Cape Cod.
That's why I figured today would be a good time to share captain Phil Howarth's seminar "Intro to Tuna Fishing", which is perfect for anyone who is interested in trying to catch their first tuna.
Click play below to check it out! 
So far this 2020 fishing season, I've gained a deep respect for the areas I fish. Underwater videos which capture "special moments" in nature, have really had an impact on me.
For example, life's good when you're a crab and you find a chunk of mackerel. But in the ocean, the tables can turn quickly - especially when striped bass arrive on scene!
The following clip captures an "underwater drama" between a crab and a school of stripers. I would imagine scenes like this one probably unfold daily in the waters surrounding Cape Cod & the Islands.
All animals need rest, and striped bass on Cape Cod are no different. In fact, I think stripers, tuna and other fish species probably spend a lot of time resting and relaxing-just like people!
This past Friday I filmed 20-30 inch stripers as they were "sleeping". Some of the bass were barely moving - you could even say they were "sitting" or "laying" on the bottom.
The fish were basically motionless, until I got too close and spooked them into motion. After a brief swim away from me, the schools of stripers would once again settle back down and "go back to sleep" on the bottom.
The My Fishing Cape Cod forum is bustling with activity so far this season! With each passing day we see around 100 new posts go live.
This year the forum has been a great mix of experienced anglers, as well as novice anglers. In addition I've seen a lot more women posting.
Today I'd like to highlight the top 5 most helpful members so far this June. Over the past few weeks, these members' posts inside the forum have received the most "Likes", as voted by fellow members.
Each of the members highlighted below will receive a $50 gift certificate to the Goose Hummock Shop in Orleans! The gift certificate can also be used at the Goose's online store - themightyfish.com.