As of September 24, 2024, the Cape Cod Canal is buzzing with activity, making it an exciting day for anglers. Here’s what you need to know to make the most of your fishing trip.

### Weather and Water Conditions
The morning starts with a mild temperature of around 62°F, with a gentle breeze of about 10 mph from the southwest. There is a slight chance of light precipitation, but it should not dampen your fishing spirits. The water level in the canal is at its usual ebb and flow, with the tide currently on the outgoing phase. Water temperature is around 60°F, and clarity is good, making it ideal for spotting fish.

### Best Fishing Spots
For today, focus on the west end of the Cape Cod Canal, where schools of mullet have been attracting a variety of fish. The inlets of Nantucket and Vineyard Sound are also hotspots, especially during the ebb tide. If you’re looking for striped bass, the harbors along the Cape side of Buzzards Bay are worth exploring, as these areas have seen a relentless bass bite recently.

### Bait and Tackle Recommendations
Striped bass are gorging on 3- to 6-inch mullet, so topwater plugs like Super Strike Little Neck Poppers, pencil poppers, and 5-inch walk-the-dog spooks are highly effective around slack tide. For subsurface fishing, small Danny plugs, Mag Darters, SP Minnows, and soft-plastic paddletails are catching well. For bluefish, which are abundant in the canal, use spoons and popping corks. Tautog fishing is improving, so be ready with green crabs, especially around rock piles like those near Cleveland’s Light.

### Fish Activity
Stripers are active in the estuaries and along beaches adjacent to inlets, feeding on a smorgasbord of baitfish including silversides, peanut bunker, and finger mullet. Bluefish are plentiful, with a mix of snapper blues and gator blues found in the canal and offshore. Tautog are starting to move in, particularly in the canal, where keeper-sized fish are being caught. Albies, though finicky, can be found moving in and out of Buzzards Bay and occasionally showing outside of Woods Hole.

### Local Tips and Events
Local angler Toby Nice suggests targeting albies early in the morning or late in the evening when they are less finicky. East End Eddie Doherty recommends fishing the canal during the early morning hours when the fish are most active. There are no major local events or fishing tournaments today, but the Vineyard Derby is ongoing, which might draw some attention away from the canal.

### Regulations and Restrictions
Ensure you are aware of the catch limits for striped bass, which typically include a minimum size limit of 28 inches and a daily bag limit of one fish per angler. Tautog have a minimum size limit of 16 inches and a daily bag limit that varies by season. Always check the latest regulations before your trip.

### Best Times for Fishing
The best times to fish today are during the ebb tide, especially around slack tide when stripers and bluefish are most active on the surface. Early morning and late evening are also prime times for targeting albies and tautog.

With the right bait, tackle, and timing, you’re set for a successful and enjoyable day of fishing in the Cape Cod Canal. Happy fishing