It’s a fishing day

Cape Cod Canal fishing conditions · Massachusetts

Tomorrow 4 pm to Monday 4 amStriped bass

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 59°, close to the 62° striped bass like best, and a solunar period lands on the window. Wind builds to 20 mph out of the west by tomorrow at 10:00 am.

Log a trip here
Right now: 95 for striped bass, goTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Striped bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 954 pm
  2. 91
  3. 91
  4. 837 pm
  5. 96
  6. 96
  7. 10010 pm
  8. 100
  9. 96Sun
  10. 961 am
  11. 93
  12. 93
  13. 854 am
  14. 85
  15. 92
  16. 887 am
  17. 73
  18. 73
  19. 7710 am
  20. 77
  21. 73
  22. 731 pm
  23. 88
  24. 88
  25. 1004 pm
  26. 96
  27. 96
  28. 967 pm
  29. 96
  30. 96
  31. 9610 pm
  32. 100
  33. 100Mon
  34. 961 am
  35. 96
  36. 96
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
59°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
8 mph

From the northwest

Light
Twilight

Sunset 4:29 pm

Sky
Patchy Fog

10% chance of rain

Air
60°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Massachusetts regulations for these waters.

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

100GoTomorrow 4 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

59°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Right in striped bass's ideal range. Striped bass prefers incoming tide. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

28" minimum · 31" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 1 fish at 28" to under 31", open all year. Non-offset circle hooks required when fishing with bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Massachusetts

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on striped bass

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

59°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Bluefish prefers incoming tide. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Below bluefish's active range (60–80°F). Holds 5–50 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No minimum size. 5 fish a day from shore or a private boat, 7 on for-hire vessels. Open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Massachusetts

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Jun–Oct, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on bluefish

The water

  • Water temperature59°F
  • Barometer29.64 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:29 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:22 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Major solunarTonight 9:30 pm–11:30 pm
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:30 am–6:30 am
  • Major solunarTomorrow 9:50 am–11:50 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Massachusetts MassWildlife has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The 7-mile shipping canal through Cape Cod — a fabled shore striped-bass fishery where big bass and bluefish stack in the rip-roaring tidal current to ambush mackerel and squid. Fished from the paved service roads and rock banks. Live tide and water temperature from the Sandwich NOAA station.

MA: striped bass 28–31" slot, 1/day (inline circle hooks with bait). The breaking-tide windows are everything here — time the current.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Sandy Neck Beach Park7 mi · MassachusettsBest tomorrow 4 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Nantucket40 mi · MassachusettsBest tomorrow 6 pm–12 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Cape Cod Canal?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Cape Cod Canal you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Cape Cod Canal?

Cape Cod Canal is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, Bluefish. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Cape Cod Canal?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Cape Cod Canal against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Cape Cod Canal have?

Cape Cod Canal has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. MA: striped bass 28–31" slot, 1/day (inline circle hooks with bait). The breaking-tide windows are everything here — time the current.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Cape Cod Canal?

state agency regulations apply at Cape Cod Canal. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Cape Cod Canal tidal water?

Yes. Cape Cod Canal sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.