The Cape Cod Canal is a popular spot for fishing for striped bass. I have heard that is because there are a lot of mackerel there. Is that true or are there a lot of other baitfish there also?
**Yes, mackerel (especially Atlantic/tinker mackerel) are a major and frequently cited baitfish that help make the Cape Cod Canal a strong striped bass fishery, but they are far from the only important forage—there are regularly other significant baitfish present as well.** (LINK)
The canal’s strong tidal currents funnel bait through a relatively narrow, rocky channel between Cape Cod Bay and Buzzards Bay. This concentrates prey and gives striped bass (and bluefish) repeated chances to ambush them against the banks and structure, which is a big reason the “Big Ditch” produces quality shore-caught stripers, especially during moving/breaking tides. (LINK)
### Key baitfish
– **Mackerel**: Commonly highlighted, particularly around the east end and when schools push into or through the canal (often spring/early season and at times in summer). Years with lingering tinker mackerel have produced notably strong bass fishing, and mackerel-pattern lures/plugs are staples. Live or chunk mackerel are also used effectively. (LINK)
– **River herring (alewives)**: Especially important in spring when they run through the canal toward the Bournedale herring run; bass stage and feed heavily on them. (LINK)
– **Menhaden (pogies/bunker)**: Often present seasonally and can trigger major feeding activity when schools move through. (LINK)
– **Other forage**: Squid (sometimes in thick waves), sand eels, juvenile/smaller baitfish (e.g., herring fry, spearing, whiting/butterfish in some reports), and occasionally others. Recent fishing reports frequently note mixed or shifting bait—mackerel and squid one period, herring or smaller fish another—and advise matching the hatch with lure size, profile, and color. (LINK)
In short, the reputation tied to mackerel is well-founded when they are abundant, but the canal’s appeal for stripers comes from the overall concentration of multiple bait species pushed by the current, which varies by season, tide, and year. Spring often features herring (plus early mackerel), while summer/fall can see more mackerel, squid, or mixed smaller bait. Checking current local reports is the best way to know what’s dominant on a given day.