Cape Cod Canal Fishing Tips, Tactics and Secrets

The Cape Cod Canal is one of the top striped bass fishing destinations along the East Coast of the United States. The Canal is one of the rare spots where shore bound striper fishermen have a legitimate chance at catching striped bass upwards of 50 pounds. All that's needed is some expertise and an accurate Cape Cod Canal fishing report.

In recent years the best Cape Cod Canal fishing has taken place during May and June. Many big bass are taken during this time of the season on topwater plugs, which is one of the most exciting ways to catch striped bass.

Plugging refers to top water fishing with wooden lures at the Canal. Plugging is usually most productive during early mornings during breaking tides.

Of course there are plenty of other ways to fish the Canal, and we'll cover some of these techniques in future articles.

Aside from topwater plugging, jigging the bottom is another viable alternative. The best jigging spots will be located in close proximity to deep holes, ledges, rips and ridges carved out by the powerful Cape Cod Canal current. These areas are oftentimes difficult to find, however once located the striper fishing can be fantastic.

Once spring rolls into summer the Cape Cod Canal fishing tends to slow down. However if big bait in the form of mackerel and pogies remain in the land cut, the striper fishing can continue to be strong throughout the summer season.

During the summer of 2010 tinker mackerel (young Atlantic mackerel) spent the entire spring and summer feeding in the Canal. The striped bass fishing, in turn, was much better than usual throughout July and August.

During 2010 it was not strange to find acres of bass feeding on the surface even during the middle of a hot August afternoon. Maybe we'll get lucky and this will repeat during the season of 2012.

Always be sure to remember that if an angler up current of your position hooks up with a fish, the rule of thumb is to reel in your line and get out of the angler's way. At the Canal there is a good chance that the angler's fish could be 20-50 pounds, so you definitely do not want to do anything to compromise his chances of landing the bass.

Therefore it's best to wait to cast until the fish is landed, or the angler is well out of your area.

Another thing to remember is how far your fishing rods stick out from your Canal bike. A lot of guys ride their bikes up and down the Canal (myself included!) which is great. Just be sure to remember how your fishing rod is positioned as your ride or you may snap off a tip on a tree, bush, or another angler's rode.

This fishing can be lights out when big schools of big bass gang up on big prey items like mackerel, herring and menhaden. In these circumstances the bass are very aggressive. Huge top water feeding frenzies and incredible surface action is the norm. Top water plugging is the most fun way to catch these impressive fish.

The best part is that this type of fishing is literally right around the corner. The months of May and June are two of the best months for top water striped bass fishing at the Canal.