Red Top Sporting Goods

According to Ian from Red Top Sporting Goods there were numerous reports of striper action along the length of the canal, with the best action from mid-canal to the east end where a diversity of bait from mackerel, full size pogies, herring fry and possibly some bay anchovies. The fishing was very good from mid-week right into the weekend when an assortment of jigs, top waters and swimmers were all producing fish from slots to several fish in the 40-plus inch class. A few blues in the 4- to 8-pound class have made forays into the canal but the best action has been Cape Cod Bay up towards Boston, to Gloucester where commercial bass fisherman have pursued them. There has also been some very good action from Scorton to Billingsgate and the Race. Only a few reports of bonito in the canal but they came from the East end with a few smaller ones in the 8-inch class caught in the west end. These are not chub mackerel.

If you are expecting fish breaking the length of the canal all day long it has not been a good time for the past two weeks. AJ at Red Top Sporting Goods said despite those high expectations the experienced anglers who know the ditch usually manage to scratch a few fish as did a few in the west end this past week. This reporter personally knows two men who caught fish in the canal on their two trips this week and the week before and three of those fish were slots. The best action has been from boats, and it has not been good weather for boating yet the fleet off Scusset Beach and Manomet were fishing and bailing fish on live pogies. Others fishing around Scorton Creek at night and the boats that were able to get to Scorton Ledge caught stripers of various sizes. The blues are still scarce, but we hear of more hook ups this week around West Island to Marion and that could be a good sign with the southwest winds pushing fish down toward the west end of the canal. Freshwater fishing has kept a lot of people smiling, particularly those with children. The baited hook and bobber has gone on to create many a lifelong fisher.