Fishing the “breaking tide” is the Holy Grail for Cape Cod Canal fishermen, especially those who prefer to fish top-water baits. A breaking tide in the Cape Cod Canal is the rare occurrence on or around a full or new moon when dead low tide (slack current) happens at day-break. Fish tend to move closer to shore and toward the surface at low tide. Pair this with the feeding bell associated with sunrise and you have the perfect time to throw top water baits to stripers in the canal.
Top water soft baits are some of the most effective lures for fishing the breaking tide. However, the challenge is that outfits commonly associated with fishing the canal are heavy, which makes it difficult to throw lightweight top water soft baits. Here are a few baits and hooks we designed with this in mind:
Weighted Barbarian Hook: Even though this hook is weighted, it will still allow the bait to swim relatively close to the surface. The weight is extended under the center line of the soft bait, so it will swim with a deadly sub surface walk-the-dog action.
The two sizes appropriate for the canal are the 10/0 and the 12/0:
10/0 Hook Sized Perfectly for 9" and 10" Soft Baits
12/0 Hook Sized Perfectly for 12” and 14” Soft Baits.
For best lure action, we recommend tying direct to your fluorocarbon leader with a loop knot.
10” Hogy Original: Weighs a little over two ounces. We like this one when paired with our 8/0 Soft Circle hook with the XXL bait keeper.
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