Canal-Yesterday 6pm

[Sweetwater]

I know it pains many of us to see some of our favorite spots get crowded. But the more guys (and gals) that fish and love the sport is very good given all the political pressures from groups that would like to see so many areas closed or access curtailed be it canal, beaches, or threatened MPAs in bay and off the coast. We have to stick together on this.

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by Sweetwater

I know it pains many of us to see some of our favorite spots get crowded. But the more guys (and gals) that fish and love the sport is very good given all the political pressures from groups that would like to see so many areas closed or access curtailed be it canal, beaches, or threatened MPAs in bay and off the coast. We have to stick together on this.

How'd that work out on the Cape beaches?

[Rockport24]

Sounds like a great time Marsh!

I've never fished the canal mainly because you guys are always bitching about what a mad house it always is. Not worth the drive down to me when there are fish in my backyard, albeit, a lot smaller fish!

[BobT]

There are no fish in the Canal.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Sweetwater

I know it pains many of us to see some of our favorite spots get crowded. But the more guys (and gals) that fish and love the sport is very good given all the political pressures from groups that would like to see so many areas closed or access curtailed be it canal, beaches, or threatened MPAs in bay and off the coast. We have to stick together on this.

Well, I can tell you how that works out in these parts--not the way you paint it.

What happens is that the people who live in Canalfront property in the Town of Bourne, and pay the kind of taxes associated with waterfront property, get a wee bit tired of having yahoos disturbing their sleep with banging car doors and loud conversations round about dawn--which happens at around 4:30 this time of the year. They also get tired of finding litter on their lawns, and their driveways obstructed, and having to crawl between cars parked along both sides of their narrow streets. So they call their Selectmen, who then call the Chief of Police, and a new collection of No Parking signs go up, and a blitz of parking tickets ensue. Signs marking rights of way get taken down, and the police start putting up boulders barricading access to turn-outs and areas that guys have used to access the Canal for many years. They also start lobbying the Corps of Engineers to close gates between 8 PM and 8 AM--and if you notice, most of the Corps lots have gates that can be closed. Then, the insane fishing dies out, and the guys from 5 states who have been coming to the Canal every day because their own local fishing has been spotty stop coming, and the guys who live locally now have to live with restricted access the rest of the season. You do the damage, and we have to live with the aftermath.

Thanks a whole %$%$%$%$ing lot.

[MarshCappa]

Originally Posted by Mike P

Well, I can tell you how that works out in these parts--not the way you paint it.

What happens is that the people who live in Canalfront property in the Town of Bourne, and pay the kind of taxes associated with waterfront property, get a wee bit tired of having yahoos disturbing their sleep with banging car doors and loud conversations round about dawn--which happens at around 4:30 this time of the year. They also get tired of finding litter on their lawns, and their driveways obstructed, and having to crawl between cars parked along both sides of their narrow streets. So they call their Selectmen, who then call the Chief of Police, and a new collection of No Parking signs go up, and a blitz of parking tickets ensue. Signs marking rights of way get taken down, and the police start putting up boulders barricading access to turn-outs and areas that guys have used to access the Canal for many years. They also start lobbying the Corps of Engineers to close gates between 8 PM and 8 AM--and if you notice, most of the Corps lots have gates that can be closed. Then, the insane fishing dies out, and the guys from 5 states who have been coming to the Canal every day because their own local fishing has been spotty stop coming, and the guys who live locally now have to live with restricted access the rest of the season. You do the damage, and we have to live with the aftermath.

Thanks a whole %$%$%$%$ing lot.

That sucks. If it helps I wasn't in your neighborhood.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by MarshCappa

That sucks. If it helps I wasn't in your neighborhood.

Oh, I know you weren't--I'm not the kind of guy who can afford waterfront property

The problem is that a lot of the people seemed to chase yesterday's fish and crowded the residential areas outside of the bridges. It didn't help that many parked illegally and really obstructed traffic. People don't live right along the Canal, or next to a parking area, in the middle of the Ditch, and that area isn't as sensitive to residential complaints.

The other problem is that the turn-offs Capeside, along Sandwich Road, can overflow and cars park alongside a very busy major road, with a very narrow shoulder. The first time that someone gets clipped by a passing car who doesn't see him taking a rod off the roof in the half light of false dawn, that whole area will get posted No Parking.

People get carried away by news of big fish and stop giving a damn about other people.

Access to the Canal itself might be guaranteed, but parking access isn't. Two lots are gated now from 8 PM to 8 AM. I have a pretty good idea of which one will get shut down at night next, and it will make a lot of people very unhappy when it does---but slamming doors and rowdy guys waking up nearby residents at 4 AM, illegal parking outside of the lot, using neighboring businesses and apartments for fishing parking and other abuses will get 'er done.

I'm not addressing the guys from this site as I know most do care about access, but just venting and warning. I know the local mindset--like many other Cape towns, the people who pay the highest property taxes are the squeakiest wheels and they get the grease.

[JamesJet]

I am a fairly new fisherman at the canal and have only fished it for 3-4 years. Started off slow and have been on a +5 trips per year pace and am now around 25 a year. So I guess I am guilty of crowding the place in many people's minds since I am not local. I always am courteous and recognize what its like to share a fishery as I grew up on the Farmington river. A similar situation where people come from all over and there is easy access to many of the very good pools, in fact similar to the canal they have their own names and many stores stock the local "map."
I understand the mindset of locals that have a right to the fishery as I was once angered by waking up early heading to the river and finding 3 out of state cars parked in my favorite pull off - but its not going to change. The Canal is a great resource and a tremendous fishery, and with the seal population causing (insert whatever else you choose to blame) the drop off of beach fishing the outer cape, it is only going to get more crowded before it gets better. My suggestion is be happy about the dollars spent by traveling anglers, clearly post and raise the parking fines to ungodly amounts, and (although this may be ignorant not understanding politics or true geography of areas on and around the canal) have more pay to park areas similar to with large ($20?) fees charges and monitored 24/7 that locals can gain free access to via a beach sticker type situation. I would think the only land available for this would be cape side, but its just a wild thought. Nothing is free anymore and I would pay every time, hopefully in exchange for an enjoyable evening and that money being piled back into the resource.