Me!

Here's some obs' I have made this year while fishing along the banks of the canal, any of you die hard canal guys feel free to offer your wisdom by reply to this thread.

1st off, I am not new to the canal, I made quite a bit of money fishing there back in the day, especially at night fishing (yes I hate to admit it) live eels. I would have to rate live el fishing as probably the most productive method of taking large bass out of the canal over all others based on a season long fishing period.

I swore off the canal back in the early 90's due to two things, the onslaught of the chunking crowds and may ten year conversion to the cult of the long wand ( happily I regained my senses).

My very first striped bass I ever caught was taken while fishing with my brothers and Dad on the Scusset jetty for early (May) season Mackerel. It was caught on a small Bridgeport diamond jig ( which I still have and it's mounted on a piece of paneling and proudly sits among my lure collection) I was six years old and it was 1962.
The two biggest bass I ever caught in the canal both weighed 45 pounds even, one on a Polaris ( Yellow 3.5) at Pole 195 and one one a live eel at the old Mud Flats.

Up until this year I maybe fished the canal once mybe twice a year for a morning only. My dear friend Dave "Stifftip" LaPorte would call me all the time to tell me how good it was but it was mostly ( until the herring ban) on live or fresh dead bait. I wanted no part I was and am a plug only man now.

Now to the observations, has anyone else besides me noticed that when it gets too be hot and muggy and the wind is heavy southwest in mid summer the water in the canal can drop to abnormally low temps and fishing just dies ( the last set of breaking tides was like this)?

This year I have seen more mackerel, in residence as bait than I can ever remember. We used to see them into June then poof gone and then back again in late September. I have seen mackerel every time I have gone which has been every set of breaking tides since the fish showed in May. ( due to gas and the generally good fishing and not being as stupid as I look, I have concentrated in getting re-acquainted with the canal). Is this considered normal by the folks who have fished there regularly over the last, say, ten years?

And lastly, am I the only one fishing skins there these days?

I must say I really do enjoy the herring ban and hope they never rescind it.

Looking forward to your input, the Flapmiester.

pics are from this morning and yesterday morning.

A couple more, a tinker that just swam itself right onto the bank while being chased and Sauerkraut jigging, I really love to jig.

Nice post Steve.

sweet pics flap...and yes this year has been a HUGE mac year!! i have never seen this many macs packed in the canal in my entire life of fishing the canal, now do keep in mind i am only 16 and have only been fishing the ditch for 4 or 5 years so i do not really know what a great season is in the ditch....but if i didnt know any better i would say were having a pretty good season. ;)

Nice pictures, Flap. I haven't been fishing there long enough to comment on your questions, but I am impressed by the bait the canal holds. tinkers, sandeels and other baitfish, crabs of course, and you just gotta love them lobstahs; I know the stripers do. Pretty much anything they want, they can get.

this has been pretty much my best canal year ever - but with plugs.. not eels.. ive barely used eels at all this year.

as for the macks.. a mackeral bomber has been my second most productive plug... ive seen them ALOT.. my last 3-4 trips they have been everywhere...

Now to the observations, has anyone else besides me noticed that when it gets too be hot and muggy and the wind is heavy southwest in mid summer the water in the canal can drop to abnormally low temps and fishing just dies ( the last set of breaking tides was like this)?this could take a whole thread of it's own with all the conjecture and theories . Basically in my opinion, I think temp. has a lot to do with it and once that sun comes up, sometimes the fish just go poof

This year I have seen more mackerel, in residence as bait than I can ever remember. We used to see them into June then poof gone and then back again in late September. I have seen mackerel every time I have gone which has been every set of breaking tides since the fish showed in May. ( due to gas and the generally good fishing and not being as stupid as I look, I have concentrated in getting re-acquainted with the canal). Is this considered normal by the folks who have fished there regularly over the last, say, ten years?

I have not seen macs in the canal this consistently and reg. as they have been this year in the past 10 years, there has been some good years but I think it's great. wish I could be there more often

And lastly, am I the only one fishing skins there these days? absolutely not

I must say I really do enjoy the herring ban and hope they never rescind it.I agree

Looking forward to your input, the Flapmiester.

pics are from this morning and yesterday morning.

nice pics also
maybe I see you in 2 weeks there:faga:

Your ob's are correct about sw wind and water temp.
I also agree with your mack timing June and Sept
Normal what is normal fishing ? Back in 2004 I noticed more tinker mack's at crazy times. 2008 I can't believe
how many have been around as you have ob.
I still fish skins.I think a lot of people stopped using them when they thought eels were going on the list
Best plug year I have seen in canal in many.

sweet pics flap...and yes this year has been a HUGE mac year!! i have never seen this many macs packed in the canal in my entire life of fishing the canal, now do keep in mind i am only 16 and have only been fishing the ditch for 4 or 5 years so i do not really know what a great season is in the ditch....but if i didnt know any better i would say were having a pretty good season. ;)

LOL..Keep it up kid..

LOL..Keep it up kid..

:wiggle:

will do!

syevedurning some of the best canal fishing on herrin or plgs uuuuu were lost in long wand land .... looking dwn on all who wasnt of the fly.... you know it . but it was just another phase and another catching tool.. no big deal ...but chunking was great and fliping fresh dead for the hit was pisser ... its all about what you like . you was my early canal mentor but you strayed . i remember the 1st day fly fishing the canal with you.... but tossing you own plgs in the canal on braking fish is the worlds best ... were lucky to be so close to fish the good tides ... anyhow i,m glad to have u back . you were made to fish the canal . its cheap and great at times , both days and big ones at night .and you know all the spots .... i could go on but you get it .capt c c

I lOvE DigGin ThE jItcH...
wHaTS A pLuG??

Never seen mackerel so many and so late into the summer as this year at the canal.

Also seen them off the beach at the east end.

I find the Canal maddening. It has more moods than a woman, is twice as mysterious, loves to tease you, empty your wallet and extract more than a pound of flesh before it gives you any satisfaction. Probably why some poor guys get addicted to it, and only the best feel its love.

It has given me nothing but torment for all the years I have tried to fish it! This season however, we seem to have found a middle ground and I am slowly turning the learning curve......I have never done anything there and this year it has been producing for me!

One more observation:

I would have to rate the catching of a fish over fifty pounds in the canal, on a plug, on a running west or east tide, to be the ultimate in plug fishing, bar none, and those of you who have done it have my complete respect.

Likewise, anyone who has jigged up a fish over forty pounds in the canal on a running tide is in that same category.

Just very tough conditions, my hat is off to you guys.

A heavy S should blow the warm water off the top of CCBay.Causing a upwelling of colder water near the mouth on the east end..I have been jigging on the east end in low water and felt the cold water come it.I mean cold..Kinda crazy..
Not sure if this is bad.Just a set back till they get adjusted..
I have had good fishing this time of year up there.I have had tough fishing also..I have not had the time to come up this year.All this canal talk is making me quite despondent over it.Please stop..:fishslap:

Had the chance to fish the canal consistently in June as I was living in Bourne for about 6 weeks. It was quite the experience. I have fished the canal for about 12 of my 21 years and it has had its ups and downs. That time around the new moon in June was the best fishing I've ever experienced, especially if you could get away from the crowds. There are still macks in the canal and they have been strong for almost 3 months now, something that I have never seen before. I even saw large schools of macks at an UDL on the far west end, which I've never known to happen. For a while there was a number of pogies in the ditch too.

When I was living in Bourne I could make it to any spot for all the good tides and some of the not so good tides and catch quality stripers. If things stay like they are it could make for a very interesting fall, one that could match or better the spring/early summer that we experienced there. Nothing beats going large on a pencil in the canal.....Nothing!

Now to the observations, has anyone else besides me noticed that when it gets too be hot and muggy and the wind is heavy southwest in mid summer the water in the canal can drop to abnormally low temps and fishing just dies ( the last set of breaking tides was like this)?

Uh, Flap....the fishing didn't die. Its actually been good in the canal since May 15. Have there been a couple lulls? Yes, but I usually discover my "lulls" are another man's blitz, albeit in another part of the canal using different techniques.
As for bait versus artificial this year, the plug and jig guys have done extremely well on large fish of 30# size and up. Most of the regular eel guys I know have done below average. Most of my large 30# plus eel fish came late last year though, so I'm hoping to repeat last year's post labor day success. :wavey:

I must say I really do enjoy the herring ban and hope they never rescind it.

Me too. The rubber actually catches much better believe it or not. If they come up with an eel imitation that works like the real thing I'll give up eels too and start fishing with you and Numbskull.

For the record, I'm your average canal fisherman who puts in many days/nights for nil, but I manage to stumble onto fish occasionally. I'm pretty rigid with my approach to canal fishing, thus the numerous skunks and slow nights. Been doing a bit more jigging this year though.

Uh, Flap....the fishing didn't die. Its actually been good in the canal since May 15. Have there been a couple lulls? Yes, but I usually discover my "lulls" are another man's blitz, albeit in another part of the canal using different techniques.
As for bait versus artificial this year, the plug and jig guys have done extremely well on large fish of 30# size and up. Most of the regular eel guys I know have done below average. Most of my large 30# plus eel fish came late last year though, so I'm hoping to repeat last year's post labor day success. :wavey:



Me too. The rubber actually catches much better believe it or not. If they come up with an eel imitation that works like the real thing I'll give up eels too and start fishing with you and Numbskull.

For the record, I'm your average canal fisherman who puts in many days/nights for nil, but I manage to stumble onto fish occasionally. I'm pretty rigid with my approach to canal fishing, thus the numerous skunks and slow nights. Been doing a bit more jigging this year though.


The set two weeks ago (breaking set) was awful, the water was ice cold, I got one small fish on the reel back on a jig, the set before that, the July 4th breaking set, I got 18 fish in one morning on plugs and jigs fishing with Stiffy, had ten fish plus the morning before and morning after that day as well. This set so far I've landed 12 with the largest going just 20 pounds.

Some sets it's the east turn, some it's the dying west and slack, always amazed no matter how many times I experience how they just turn on then shut off like a light at certain tide stages.

Course, as Stan Gibbs used to tell me, you have to follow them and plan where to be in order to make the most of a tide as they go east to west. I find in my advanced years that I do okay with a 2 to 3 spot itinerary with no bike.

I believe the mackerel are keying on cool water and the herring fry that are still dumping out of the run. Also we had quite a few squid in the canal around July 4th, me and Stiffy had them in a herd in front of us in a backwash one morning and the jigging was correspondingly good and most of the fish were barfing fresh dead or still semi alive squid up as we landed them.

I am going to start more nightime eelskin jigging in these next few weeks. The biggest bass I ever took on an eelskin jig was 26 pounds, I hope to break that mark some night this fall, who knows but it's worth trying.

Can't wait for the fall run in there, maybe we can get Numbskull to join me and you and show him the light!

Some sets it's the east turn, some it's the dying west and slack, always amazed no matter how many times I experience how they just turn on then shut off like a light at certain tide stages. Very true. One of the regular guys I fish with has switched it up a bit and done quite well on "opposite" tides this year. I'm content to wait for opportunities as I evaluate the season as a whole in terms of success. It's the only way I can justify killing innocent wildlife,repeated skunkings, and loosing sleep whilst helping boost XOM's stock.

I do okay with a 2 to 3 spot itinerary with no bike. me too

Can't wait for the fall run in there, maybe we can get Numbskull to join me and you and show him the light! He's got to put an elver on the end of his line before I'll even speak to him in person. I will, however, continue to exchange insults with him via this web page...

Now to the observations, has anyone else besides me noticed that when it gets too be hot and muggy and the wind is heavy southwest in mid summer the water in the canal can drop to abnormally low temps and fishing just dies ( the last set of breaking tides was like this)?



why would fishing die if there is a temp. drop? dont these fish become more active with cooler water? :huh:

What I observed this weekend was just a lot of dead fish on the bike path.

With one exception, all of the jigging guys that I've met and fished with over the past few years throw pretty much everything back, but the topwater crowd always seems to try and keep their limit.

Every keeper sized fish I saw caught on sunday was kept.

I will answer 2 questions. Yes skins are used. The best fisherman I ever met and know,, D.C. are his initials, still fishes them all the time. He is in his 70's and has been doing it for many moons. He has lent me his molds when he goes south for the winter and I have enough made up for 2 lifetimes although I have not used one in a few years.
Second I think we have discussed the strong SW wind before. It is my theory that the fishing is not good when the SW blows over 15. I have documented this in my tide charts for 20 years and always ask others if they find the same conditions. I am talking about top water action and daybreak tides as that is what I usually fish. I am at the point if the wind is going to blow from the SW I stay in bed. I have been burned too many times. I don't live down the street.

What I observed this weekend was just a lot of dead fish on the bike path.

With one exception, all of the jigging guys that I've met and fished with over the past few years throw pretty much everything back, but the topwater crowd always seems to try and keep their limit.

Every keeper sized fish I saw caught on sunday was kept.

I haven't kept a fish yet this year and the guys I fished with haven't either so..... If it's legal and you eat them then go for it, I don't so I don't.

I am pretty sure that almost every fish I have caught this year is still swimming unless they got stupid and made the same mistake twice.

And Professor M. any spare eelskin jigs you might feel it in your heart to part with I take!!!!!!!!:tooth:

why would fishing die if there is a temp. drop? dont these fish become more active with cooler water? :huh:


Bass, thru documented research, have been found to responsive to temperature changes as little as an 1/8th of a degree.

Not unlike any other creature, including us humans, a rapid ten degree temp drop can affect behavior and make them, or us, look for more hospitable surroundings.

In a basses case it's more likely to affect thier metabolism being cold blooded creatures ( kind of like Numbskull), the slower thier metabolism is working the less active they are and food is digested slower which in turn means longer periods of not eating. Most times they just take off to find warmer water and the bait with it.

so your saying a steady temp. is best? because it keeps them more active?

....but what about the spring and fall runs? how does warmer water arriving/colder water arriving make them feed more if you said a change in temp. slows their metabolism. :conf:

Boat traffic this year is way down for obvious reasons.

Best surface fishing in years.

Coincidence? ;)

I will say that ever since I stopped fishing live herring, I've been into more and bigger fish. I 've taken a couple 40#ers in the canal on plugs since last spring. When herring were legal, I spent most of my time chasing those things through the woods. Now I just fish. Lots of bait in the canal this year. Lots of good fish too. btw, I fished side by side with my buddy throwing skin jigs and I was jigging with black Ronz, and i outfished him 5 to 1. man I love the ronz. I bought 100 black ronz tails this winter and made my own jigs. very effective.

I will say that ever since I stopped fishing live herring, I've been into more and bigger fish.

I agree. Wish the rubber stuff was around in the early 90's. Used to get 20,30,40 plus fish some days on herring with only a couple large mixed in. Now a good day might be 3,4,or 5 fish, but all good sized. Of course you still get some blitzes, but I feel there were bigger numbers of real large in the canal 10 plus years ago. Thing is though, I catch more of them now than back then without all the smalls to weed through.

I agree with every observation you've made here. The water temp especially during those tides were cool. I usually stand in the water without boots on during early evening and morning hours during the summer. One night, after fishing for three hours, I got out of the water, which I was in up to my knees and couldn't feel anything. Like many people here the canal is close and I have been doing my best to really learn how to fish it this year (see gas prices), and not just go to the canal to fish any old time. I have had some good mornings and some great mornings. I love plugging there, and learning new places to jig in the ditch. I would have been there this morning, but I cut quite a bit of cordwood yesterday, and my body screamed a loud no at 3:30 a.m. Now I am pissed because I can't cut wood in the rain. Too much of a chance on slipping on the log pile, but I could have fished. Cause the fish don't know its raining. I use to think the canal was extremely difficult to fish. Its not extremely difficult, but it is challenging. Those fogging morning, top-water, pencil popper smashes are exhilarating and worth the trip.

from way up there flap

you must have used binoculars to make those OB's :rotf3:

I havn't tried this myself but I saw it when the macks were in heavy, snag one on light tackle, live line it back in on the big stick, HOLD ON