After Monday morning's experience, I am temporarily hooked on the Canal. I went down last night for a while and had one run drifting whole herring at the run and up to the Cribbin.
My question to anyone who fishes the Canal regularly, is there a reason why I was the only one down there last night? Was it a bad tide/weather or is the Canal really just an early morning/daylight spot? Do the fish "sleep" at night or move out onto the beaches? There were a couple of people down the east end, but they too had nothing. Made one cast at Scussett and was nearly blinded by a flash of lightening, so called it a night after a half hearted effort. Any advice to fishing the Canal is much appreciated.

No expert here but I think you may have been there during the east running or incoming tide which is the lesser preferred tide due mostly in part to stronger running current during this tide. I myself don't know nearly as many spots to fish during that tide versus the west running. I also usually have better luck in the predawn and early mornings hours more than at night.

Your milage may vary...

It isn't that unusual to have a spot all to yourself on a weeknight in early June. But don't let that fool ya. If you stick to nights and learn how to fish a jig or eelskin rig, you'll outfish the dawn patrol by a huge margain. By July you'll be arriving at spots early to beat the crowds.

People prefer to fish the Cribbin on the last 2 hours of the west tide. You need to put some hours in and learn some east tide spots.