(gull noises)
(reel drag scream)
Chris
Woohoo!
Wow!
(river running noise)
(boat horn)
(airplane prop noise)
(Nugent Scream)
(Bird Call)
For decades, families and cars
and minivans
loaded down with
beach chairs and bicycles
have cheered upon crossing
the Cape Cod Canal.
Which marks the starting line
to a Cape Cod vacation.
However, for fisherman focused
on catching big striped bass.
The canal is not a crossing poit
but a destination in itself.
The Cape Cod Canal
is a fishery like none other.
It's strong currents and rocky
dropoffs
funnel huge schools of herring
Menahaden, mackerel, and
striped bass of all sizes
within casting distance
of shore bound anglers.
The same conditions that make
the canal
such an incredible fishery
also make it a challenging place
to fish. 
Big fish and strong tides
can test tackle.
And at times, crowds of
fisherman will test patience.
Canal fishing requires
specialized tackle
and techniques.
And canal crowds call to for
adherence to
unspoken rules of etiquette.
It can be an intimidating
place to fish
but fisherman who take the time
to learn the mysteries
are often rewarded with
big striped bass.
On a day with full moon tides
have drawn mackerel and stripers
in to the canal from
Cape Cod Bay
I met Chris Megan and Patrick 
O'Donnell of On The Water
on the Cape side of the Canal
for a mid summer striper bite.
♪powerful electronic music♪♪
(Chris)
Big thing of mackerel coming
your way guys.
Oh look I just turned them
Oh I just whacked one.
(Kevin)
I don't know how I'm
missing them.
-This is gonna be one.
(Chris laughs)
Look at them being
pushed up right there
on the corner 
nobody's in front of them.
-(Kevin)
A lot of bait is starting 
to go by now
that the current's moving.
I think I picked up 
a little kublah.
-You get a fish pickup 
that mackerel?
-Yeah.
I think we may stand to
get bigger fish on this side.
You know?
-Yeah!
-(Chris)
All of the fish I saw
this morning
coming from this area
were big fish.
-(Kevin)
It's one of the benefits of
using that
single circle hook
that you've got on there.
Cause it should be a quick easy
release for that smaller fish.
-The nice thing about
circle hooks is it is
buttoned right in the corner.
There we go!
It's starting to turn on
now definitely.
Smaller fish but
good to see life.
Try not to get you wet.
(Chris laughs as fish
splashes him)
-Just a beautiful fish
swimming off.
So it's just starting 
to turn on right now
but I can tell you with all of
the macks that are starting
to come through your gonna
have to see some bigger fish
in here.
-Boy, look at them blitzing
on the other side Chris.
-That's what I'm saying.
Jimmy's on them.
Look at them being pushed
up right there on the corner.
Nobody's in front of them.
You see it?
-Yeah, you'd want to be there.
-This is gonna be a slob.
I like to toss them out and 
let them swim for a little bit.
Give him a little bit of line.
Keep the bail open.
Especially if you've got 
a really fresh one.
He's gonna act as a little 
fish finder.
He's gonna try to
scoot out.
He's out there alone
right now, so.
Big, big fish just rolled
on the surface
right in front of the sailboat.
See them breaking out
in the middle?
-Oh they're breaking
out there now!
So we got big fish that
are starting to move in now
that are breaking.
They're within casting distance.
They're gonna be out front
right behind this sailboat.
Here we go Kev.
-Nice Chris.
-That was out in the
That might be a better fish
'cause it was out in the 
Yeah I see head shakes.
It's taking drag.
The fish in the last few days
just have been very good
down here.
With all the mackerel that's in 
the canal.
This morning was just epic.
Here come a lot more mackerel.
You can see the mackerel
passing right in front of me.
As close to shore as I can.
Cause they know if they venture
out a little ways.
It's over for them.
-The current's not running 
that fast right now.
So you don't get the same fight.
You're not fighting the current
as much as you usually are.
-That's it. Right now we're just
turning current.
-That's a nice bass.
-That's a nice fish.
It'd be a keeper.
This would be the one you'd want
to eat if you want to eat a fish
Oh buttoned right in the corner.
I think I have a feeling
if we stay here
these fish are gonna get
bigger and bigger.
-Nice Chris
-Thanks buddy!
Easy fella.
Yeah! It's a better fish
than you realize
look at the belly
on them.
So these things with the macks
that are in here right now
they're gorging.
-Yeah.
I think that's a fish
Yeah
Oh that's a nice fish
That's a two hander
Two hander to get him in
That is a beautiful fish
There we go
That's a nice one
To get these up in 
Maine like this
(Kevin VO)
The strong currents, rocky bott,
and crowded conditions
make the Cape Cod Canal an
intimidating place
for visiting fisherman.
So I met with dedicated 
striper surfcaster
Roy Leyva of Shimano.
To get his advice for angler's
looking to make their first cast
into the canal. 
Roy, one of the questions we get
all the time from people is,
"What do I need to go
fish the Cape Cod Canal?
I've heard about it.
I've heard there's big fish.
It's intimidating."
What are kind of the basics
of what someone needs
to start fishing the canal.
-Well ideally you want
two setups.
-Okay.
-And the reason why is,
you want distance.
Mainly when you're
throwing pencils or 
surface plugs,
actually with anything
because a lot of times
the fish are out of reach.
They're coming down the middle.
They're chasing bait.
-Usually they're on 
the other side.
-Yes, yes, yes
They always look like they're
on the other side.
Now the guy looking for.
Who can only afford one rod
and one rod only.
I would look at something
between
10.5 to maybe 12ft
and a medium to medium heavy
fast action.
And then you want a reel
that 1. is fast 
in line per crank so.
-(Kevin)
So pickup line quickly.
-Yeah pickup line, you want that
to be
really fast at least
40 inches per crank.
And why's that important 
on the canal?
-Well you've got a lot of rock.
You have an extreme
fast drop off on the edges
And if you're jigging or 
you know you're fighting a fish
and you've got to get him up.
Over that ledge real quick.
It's that fast pickup, it
just helps
because you can get it
right back in
without hanging up
into those rocks.
-What about a leader
and clip setup.
-I tie straight usually fg knot
is what I prefer.
I like long leaders.
I'm usually fishing anywhere
from 50 to 60lb leader.
-Okay, flurocarbon or?
Flurocarbon yes, yup.
And if bluefish show up
then I'll go to 80
just cause
-Right.
-It saves some lures.
-So you mentioned, good to have
two rods
one being more of a plugging rod
and the other one
would be a jigging rod.
What do you look for in 
a jigging rod?
-Um, definitely heavy.
Heavy and fast.
On a huge moon,
you're looking at
tides that can rip
as much as 9 knots.
-Right.
-That's a lot of current.
-And on top of how heavy
of a jig, I mean.
-I think at slack tide you
can get away with
like three and a half,
four ounces. 
But as that tide progresses
You know you're gonna need five
or six ounces on a normal tide.
I mean I've thrown as much
as 8 ounces in here.
Just to be able to bounce the
bottom twice before I can't
do it anymore.
-So what do you look for in
a rating on a rod.
To handle something like that?
-Something that's three to six 
definitely in the least.
-Okay.
-Um, and higher depending on if 
you want to go throw
six and eight ounce jigs.
-And do you need a more
powerful reel or anything
to match that heavier rod
for jigging?
-Yeah so we recommend starting
at Spheros, Saragosa
Twin Power and even Stella.
And I know Stella 
a lot of people.
You look at that price tag
and it's like, "Whoa". 
But you ride up and down these
bike trails
there is a lot of Stellas.
-There is a lot of them.
-There is two things,
the gear
has to be quality gear.
Two, you know, the
etiquette that comes with it.
That is something that 
can be intimidating
about fishing the canal
is you get down here
like we did this morning and
the bites been good 
so there is guys
every ten yards or so
and you don't want to
cross lines
you don't want to make 
anybody angry.
So how do you handle that?
What's the kind of 
canal etiquette
What are the unwritten rules?
-That's it. There's a lot of
emotion that comes with fishing.
-Right.
-And it goes both ways.
I mean the guy who's 
catching fish
doesn't want to be bothered
and the guy who's
not catching fish
definitely doesn't want
to be bothered.
and you get a lot of that, you ?
But I've always told people
You know, If you're gonna come
down and you're gonna fish
right next to me, 
at least say hello.
You know?
And 2. Ask questions.
Find out what I'm throwing,
what I'm doing.
I don't have to tell you all
the secrets.
But to know if I'm jigging
or if I'm
throwing a popper or if I'm
throwing a metal lip swimmer.
That all is relevant because
we're fishing current.
If you're jigging you've got
to wait for one guy to cast
and then the next guy and the
next cast.
And you all go in sync.
So if somebody's trying to
jig in the middle of
five guys throwing a plug.
It just doesn't work
because you've got
lines crossing at two 
different speeds.
most guys down here
are friendly.
-Yeah.
-I mean all of the old timers
I mean.
But a lot of us have put in
our time.
It's kind of hard.
When someone comes down and
wants to muscle through.
When none of us mind
anyone fishing.
Just as long as everybody
plays fair game.
And I think that's what it is.
I mean especially now
all the social media and stuff.
There's just so many 
people here.
-Right.
-On the banks and there is 
so many people
You know, everyone has to
learn somehow.
You start somewhere. 
No one comes here
and knows exactly what to do.
But that's a good start.
Just be courteous.
You know, be friendly.
Find out what's going on.
You know?
That's it!
Most guys will, will be
happy to share a tide with you.
♪upbeat acoustic trumpet♪♪
(Kevin VO)
When we could no longer stand
watching the bass blitzing
on the other side. 
We decided it was time to move.
-They got them pinned
right there man.
We hopped in the truck
and crossed the Bourne Bridge
to the mainland.
Hoping to intercept the fish
as they move east.
-(Chris)
Earlier we were getting some
fish on the Cape side.
But not as consistent
and across from us we saw
that there was mackerel
being pushed literally
up on the shore.
Steady action for about two hou.
So we fished the cape side
and picked up a few fish.
We were across from the
radar tower.
Decided to make the call
of coming across here.
That's what is nice about the
canal bikes.
It makes us very very mobile
so when you're riding along.
-There's one!
-Nice Kev!
As you're riding along
-I dropped him.
-You can cover a lot of ground.
-Almost pulled me off the rocks.
-Yeah, they're hitting hard.
- I wasn't ready for that.
-(Kevin)
Oh! Right there!
-There you go Kevin!
Oh it buttoned him in the tail.
It's funny, you can go all
along the canal
and you can have stretches where
there is nothing
then you can have stretches 
where it's
just on and this is clearly
a spot that's on.
Got some nice moving water
though and these fish
are hitting it
-Chris that's
-Really healthy.
That's a beautiful fish Chris.
That's a gorgeous fish.
Look at all the mackerel
coming in front of us right now
chasing bait.
-I'm gonna go ahead and walk
this guy right up
Not gonna put him
way up on the rocks.
It is treacherous on this.
This is where a nice set of
pliers comes in very handy.
Alright buddy you just
soaked me.
-You never get warning
with that.
It's always when you least
expect it.
Beautiful striped bass
guys, huh?
-Nice fish Chris!
-This guy is gonna take
right off.
-It's the middle of august
right now.
You can feel how cold
this water is
Cause it all came in from
Cape Cod Bay.
And that's why 
you've got mackerel
and you've got fish feeding.
Wheras the rest of Massachusetts
right now it's like
summer doldrums.
It's tough to get a striper
from shore anywhere else.
-Fishing Shimano.
I've got an IMX 11ft
medium heavy.
With a Saragosa 8000.
I'm a little bit heavier
on my line.
I've got 65
Just cause it was all I had in
my bag
when I broke one off
earlier this morning.
I had to
put on a topshot of 65.
And Kev's got the exact
same rod.
I think he's pretty much
with am IMX as well. 
But, I think he's got a 10 foot.
-There's a lot of days here
on the canal where
especially in the springtime 
and the fall where the fish are
coming to the surface out
toward the middle.
and you really need to cast far.
Cast long to reach them.
And that's when having a long
cast outfit
11ft rod really makes
a difference
today they're chasing mackerel
right up to the side.
So it really doesn't
You don't really have 
to cast far.
We're just lobbing baits out.
-I like landing next to Kev
and then trying to grab
one of his fish.
-So a lot of guys talk about
Canal etiquette.
And basically what you do is
you just
the most important thing is
you never
cast over the person who
-This guy's going for a swim
up top.
-This is a magical place.
(Chris laughs)
A lot of guys in 
the summertime will
they'll travel up to the mountas
of Maine or New Hampshire
for the beautiful splendor but
give me the canal any day
I mean.
You don't see things like this
anywhere else.
-Give me the freshwater coming
down from
the maritime academy
being pumped out on
the outflow
and just you know,
enjoy it.
It's not only discouraged,
it's actually illegal, but
Hey!
(Kevin laughs)
-I'm not sure he's actually
swimming, he's bathing.
Which I'm not sure.
-(Kevin)
It's true he might be
in the loophole. 
That was an on purpose
swim right?
-That was absolutely, he took
his shirt off and everything.
-So we got, some
canal etiquette.
You got three guys 
fishing in a row here
and you let the downstream guy
cast first.
He starts swinging
right to left.
I go second right to left and tn
third guy would go.
And then everybody gets to fish.
Nobody crosses.
-The other thing you do is
the guy usually up
up current 
starts bathing first
and then you let the soap
float down to the next guy.
He's gonna use the soap.
The key there is not to push
the bar of soap out too far
so it's easy grab.
Then once you're done with the
soap and the shampoo
-Now see I always thought you
the guy downstream bathes first.
So you don't get the filth from 
the guy upstream.
-But you can't get the soap to
him when he's upstream.
-Ah, I guess you've
got different strokes.
Looks like some shampoos
coming down.
It seems like some of the best
spots on the canal
when this mackerel
bite is going off
toward the center of the canal
you get these
kind of sharp bends.
-I agree with you.
-Cause when you get the strong 
current running east or west-
it will actually hit those bend 
and deflect.
You get more eddies.
You get a little more current.
It stirs the water up.
It seems to trap the
mackerel in this area.
And it also looks like
as far as the mackerel 
are concerned
they don't really want to
go into Buzzards Bay's water.
They like staying in the
colder water of Cape Cod Bay.
They'll work their way
on the west tide
all the way down to
Buzzards Bay.
They'll kind of make their
way down there.
As soon as the current turns.
They'll come back to the sweet 
spot is right where we are kinda
-There he is.
-There he is cap'
-Oh one just hit a mackerel
right in front of you Chris.
-Yeah.
-Look at that!
-I got to get right back
at that spot.
He took a swing at it but I
think he came up on it
and I had a little weed.
Kev's tight.
I'm gonna be tight in a second
because they are right here.
Gonna let that guy swing in
right to the sweet spot.
I can not stay clean.
-You know I took off 
every treble hook 
except the front one.
And maybe you miss 
a few more fish but
you don't get as many weeds.
-Boy right in front 
of us there. 
and that's the canal.
It goes in waves.
We're sitting here kind of
nothing for five minutes.
Then all of a sudden the
next thing you know
just breaks loose.
Mackerel being pushed right
out of the water
jumping all over the place.
fortunately I made a long cast
and they were really
right at my feet.
♪ gentle upbeat acoustic music♪♪
(Kevin VO)
By late morning, the increasing
boat traffice had scattered
the bait.
After debating a move to
another location.
We decided to stay put
and see if another wave of bait
and stripers
would come through on the 
east moving tide.
-Alright so Kev just cast
and he was gonna wait for
me to cast.
So, I'm in the penalty box
for a couple of minutes.
That's part of that etiquette we
we talkied about earlier.
-(Kevin)
I think work etiquette over ruls
canal etiquette.
-I think it does.
-The bass are just right behindm
Nice Chris!
Come on.
There he is!
Look at that.
(Kevin VO)
For catching stripers from
shore in the middle of summer.
There is no better place
than the Cape Cod Canal.
Put in some time.
Learn what you can from
the regulars.
And before you know it
you might become
a dedicated canal regular
yourself.
We want to bring you 
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