Topwater Fishing for Stripers at the Cape Cod Canal
Stripers can be hooked in a multitude of techniques.
From fly fishing to jigging with wire, there is actually a strategy for anyone and for virtually every situation.
While you will not catch me complaining about a fish on the end of my line, I will confess that I find a number of tactics to be more enjoyable than others. For example I would prefer to target stripers at night with live eels, then jig 300 feet of wire in the midst of a summer heat wave. I’d imagine that you also have your preferred strategies for targeting striped bass. Which is of course A-OK.
Over the years I’ve come across countless fishermen with different types of opinions on what they think to be the most fun way to catch a large bass. I have had a couple of people say live bait, trolling etc; but the preferred technique, without a doubt, is casting top water plugs. Catching big bass on top is without a doubt the most exciting technique for most striper anglers.
Top water plugging is absolutely exhilarating and addictive. Witnessing a cow striper demolishing a topwater plug is an experience not soon forgotten. It gets the adrenaline pumping as you would expect.
The Canal is one such place where anglers consistently intercept big fish on the surface-no boat necessary. Long casts is all that is needed.
In recent years at the Canal, the best top-water fishing has taken place through the spring. The action begins sometime round the middle of May and sometimes lasts right into early summer. During the beginning of the season, significant schools of stripers travel north to Cape Cod and beyond. These big schools take the very long journey around the outter arm of the Cape, or choose the shortcut through the “Big Ditch”. For Cape Cod Canal fishermen, the more fish that choose the shortcut through the canal-the better.
Truth be told, it is normal for a major Canal feeding frenzy to happen a week after favorable fishing reports start filtering in from Buzzard’s Bay. In other words, if you happen to learn about good fishing occurring someplace in Buzzard’s Bay, then it could be worth your while to get to the Cape Cod Canal a couple of days afterwards-particularly if the tides are right.
A lot of folks will concur that the end of the west tide, slack, and start of the east are the best tides for top-water fishing purposes. This is low tide inside the land cut, and there’s considerably less water flowing through the Canal.
Having less water in the Canal is good for a few reasons. To begin with it is simpler and easier to locate a decent casting spot that includes plenty of open space ideal for casting. Setting your self on a rugged outcropping or mussel bed can help add ten or more feet to your cast. Landing stripers from these areas is often much simpler and more safe than landing stripers at other areas during different stages of the tide.
With a reduced amount of water in the Cape Cod Canal, the Canal is “skinnier.” The yardage over water from one side of the Canal to the other is considerably less in comparison to the distance at high tide. Consequently stripers feeding in the middle of the canal tend to be more easily reached at low water than at high water. This is the best stage of the tide for topwater fishing. [I:http://AerobedClassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/CaptainRyanJohnCollins5.jpg]
Less water in the Cape Cod Canal entails that there is a higher possibility of fish pushing bait to the Canal’s surface. There is literally less water for bait to swim to, which makes hunting easier for bass. The fishing in turn, becomes easier for the fishermen.
A number of Canal blitzes will last well into the day, but your best bet for top water action will develop early in the morning. The majority of “Big Ditch” sharpies will keep a keen eye on their tide tables, anxiously awaiting “breaking tides.” Breaking tides is the term used to express low water coinciding with sunrise. This is the best time for topwater fishing the Cape Cod Canal.
Deciding on a productive top water plug can be an overwhelming task for the canal novice. A lot of bait shops around the Cape Cod Canal are fully supplied with every last plug you can possibly imagine. At over $15 a plug the price of a Canal trip can add up pretty quick. Certain lures that have caught on in recent years at the Canal have cost as much as $35/piece.
The most important top water lure attributes to have in mind are cast-ability and action. My favored canal plug is a six inch wooden pencil popper. I find that pencil poppers cast nicely and solicit aggressive bass attacks when worked in a “walk-the-dog,” back and forth fashion across the water’s surface.
To achieve a little extra distance, contemplate adding weight to the tail end of the plug. . Keeping the tail segment of the plug packed with weight will significantly boost casting distance without eliminating the action of the pencil popper.
Plug color is not as significant as action or cast-ability. I think almost all plugs with elegant paint jobs are designed towards bringing in anglers rather than fish. Remember that striped bass will only notice the bottom half (belly) of the plug anyhow. Because of the silhouette cast from the plug, I’d be willing to guess that the majority of fish do not notice the fancy particulars of a plug’s paint job.
Captain Ryan Collins fishes for striped bass and Bluefin tuna off Cape Cod, MA. Visit his blog, myfishingcapecod.com for insider tips about tube and worm and giant tuna.
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