I'll be fishing the Canal early tomorrow (Friday). Do you think it's too early to use eels? If there are herring and mackerel around, would it be better to chunk?

Thanks,
Herringless

I don't know if I would use eels there during the day but I am not a Ditch expert. If I were to use something other than herring it would probably be plugs. Jigging is very popular and successful in the canal as well. Some people chunk bait but that can be difficult in that current if done at times other than slack...

Harrible has some great input in the reports section this morning that I'll quote here
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Those who enjoy plying the depths of the Ditch should be doing their thing right now. The last half-dozen outings have been great dawn fishing at a number of spots, both East and West ends. I have not seen breaking fish but would expect the next breaking tide to bring surface action.
I have been jigging with bucktails and plastics and have been landing plenty of fish, most are of 1999 "keeper" length, 28-29", with some 30" fish thrown in. I have not taken a large fish here for almost 2 weeks, but have only had an hour or two in the mornings to spare before other duty calls. But I have not been skunked either in the last couple of weeks; 6 or more fish before work has been the average. I took one day off to give herring "flying lessons" with J.Powers. (He is clearly the master of this craft...I managed one fish, he four)

I do have larger fish in mind for sure, and would not be surprised to see the occassional LARGE take the jig one morning....I have jigged 'em to 25# in the ditch in the morning in the past, so every cast is an adventure.

This is prime time, and will get better as June gets underway. This weekend will be crowded for sure, so I would seek out a more secluded spot..

Harry

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This man definitely puts alot of time down there so.... <img src="/Images/biggrin.gif"><!--e7-->

Herringless,

I was down the Ditch last evening. Little to no herring. Able to get 1/2 but warden said it will close very soon...like today if they have to. Rumors around the run said that yesterday afternoon, at about 2-230 ish, people were using swimmers, poppers, jigs and doing quite well. Fish blasting the surface pretty heftily. Many keepers caught.

Good luck!
Bob

John, thanks for the reply.

I'm planning on getting there around 4:00 AM, so maybe I'll use eels until sunrise, then plugs and jigs after. Red Top in Middleboro just started carrying eels for the season.

Herringless

Going that early could be good with eels, even through sunrise. I strongly encourage some plugs if you see them busting topwater. That is a fantastic site to see and an even better time to fish <img src="/Images/biggrin.gif"><!--e7-->!!!

Best-o-luck!!