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These will probably never see water again.

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bob_G

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46 mins ago, Angler #1 said:

Joe back in the day when fishing Castle Island we often caught eels of size and we fished for them for food. I recall one man teaching me how to hang the eels[Mr, Champagne] just as you describe to the side of the cabin where the wood stove was used during the winter on the pier . Then I was asked by a neighbor,[Mrs Barrett ] from Prince Edward Island to bring them home alive and she would cook them in the frying pan and then we would eat them. My mother did not  like them so she would not cook them, reminded her of a snake . Very simple process in skinning eels later for skin rigs and many times when the eels in the tank would die I was able to bring them home skin them and put in Kosher salt and freeze them , all sizes . I still have some in the freezer that are as good as the day they were put in . Peace and Prayers

I love eel. I think its the best of all the meats Ive ever had. I used to catch huge eels over in Wareham, up to something like 4 ft long. Sadly I did not know how good eel was then and never took them home. Even sadder, now I dont ever catch eels that big anymore, and when I do catch them, its more of a by product catch

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Smoked eel is amazing. But it's best smoked with the skin on, since that's where all the fat is. 

Unfortunately, our native eel fishery is pretty much depleted.  As a kid I used to see eels all the time swimming the shore while fishing the canal at night.  I can't recall the last time I saw one, it's been decades.

The Sultan of Sluggo

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22 hours ago, Angler #1 said:

 I also never only just fished jigs at the mean low or high water times, like many do now, I would increase the weight of the jig at times using 8 ounces in minus times situations when the water came back in force. 

You threw 8oz jigs in the canal? I've never heard of anyone throwing a 1/2lb jig in the canal. 

The Sultan of Sluggo

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8 hours ago, bob_G said:

You threw 8oz jigs in the canal? I've never heard of anyone throwing a 1/2lb jig in the canal. 

Even when I was younger 5oz bucktail with a pork rind trailer was all that I wanted to throw 5oz Crippled Herring were not too bad though. Trying to bounce the bottom when the tide is really screaming is not easy and if you hook up quickly your work trying to land a fish of any size is enough to wear you out for a while for sure.

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2 hours ago, K Foley said:

Even when I was younger 5oz bucktail with a pork rind trailer was all that I wanted to throw 5oz Crippled Herring were not too bad though. Trying to bounce the bottom when the tide is really screaming is not easy and if you hook up quickly your work trying to land a fish of any size is enough to wear you out for a while for sure.

Kevin back in another time if you wanted to fish the low minus returns one had the ability to cast heavier lead then what what most normally used. That meant you had to have a rod [3m to 5 m] blank that could handle the extra weight and a reel that could hold a fair amount of 40 mono [Penn had such a model for me the 980] and since we often used it on the beach with sand eels and 10oz at times it was no problem jigging 8 ounces. Was it comfortable hell no , but it was manageable. One such place I often would use 8 was at PIps when the currents went crazy after minus tides. I always carried a spare reel in case it was to blow up, which rarely was the case. WE liked the reel so much I eventually between my sons and I about 10 of them. I took a special skill lay the line on the spool, because it had a wider spool, but I could use for heavy plugs as well, which often became the case after the water came up and the current. I never ever stopped fishing because the  water was running to fast , which many did then and still do today, because the were not prepared . in my opinion. Peace and Prayers     

Life member M.B.B.A #509

Life member Izaak Walton Fishing Association

Life member Cape Cod Canal

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23 mins ago, Angler #1 said:

Kevin back in another time if you wanted to fish the low minus returns one had the ability to cast heavier lead then what what most normally used. That meant you had to have a rod [3m to 5 m] blank that could handle the extra weight and a reel that could hold a fair amount of 40 mono [Penn had such a model for me the 980] and since we often used it on the beach with sand eels and 10oz at times it was no problem jigging 8 ounces. Was it comfortable hell no , but it was manageable. One such place I often would use 8 was at PIps when the currents went crazy after minus tides. I always carried a spare reel in case it was to blow up, which rarely was the case. WE liked the reel so much I eventually between my sons and I about 10 of them. I took a special skill lay the line on the spool, because it had a wider spool, but I could use for heavy plugs as well, which often became the case after the water came up and the current. I never ever stopped fishing because the  water was running to fast , which many did then and still do today, because the were not prepared . in my opinion. Peace and Prayers     

Not questioning what YOU did just MY opinion on jigging. Using that kind of weight casting is like an umbrella rig trolling have no use for either one to catch fish would rather not. Even if they work!

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12 hours ago, K Foley said:

Not questioning what YOU did just MY opinion on jigging. Using that kind of weight casting is like an umbrella rig trolling have no use for either one to catch fish would rather not. Even if they work!

Kevin as a matter of course the majority of the times the size of the jigs would be in the 4 to 6 ounce range and back then we often physically prepared ourselves with a local body building course to increase the shoulder and back muscles along with the legs . Having the leather rod holder also made a difference other then when we made a cast. Those days are gone forever now , no more to like or not. I try to stay around the 3 to 4 ounce mark now from the bulkheads, for macks. One of the last times with 6oz was the day you helped me of the water with two nice fish. That was a memorial life changing experience when one puts the whole days fishing excitement in perspective.   Peace and Prayers

Life member M.B.B.A #509

Life member Izaak Walton Fishing Association

Life member Cape Cod Canal

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18 mins ago, Joe G said:

……….and if ya want to dead stick, eight and bait will hold bottom until well into the turn.  ;)

Joe one of our favorite ways of pulling a big fish out of a hole with  a crunchie head . Canal Al one of many with that name often would wait for just the right time in the change, chum up the hole and put a whole head on a an 8 ounce weight and was able to be a winner in many contest at the time often weighing in a fish over 50 pounds in the events held. I can still see the spots where it was always done on both sides of the big ditch Peace and Prayers

Life member M.B.B.A #509

Life member Izaak Walton Fishing Association

Life member Cape Cod Canal

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41 mins ago, Angler #1 said:

.... Canal Al one of many with that name often would wait for just the right time in the change, chum up the hole and put a whole head on a an 8 ounce weight and was able to be a winner in many contest at the time often weighing in a fish over 50 pounds in the events held. ...

 

Yep, Canal Al was one of the high hooks for sure.  Eight and CCC bait always produced large for him.  One such spot was near the steps.  Huge hole.  

 

He would set up there at a certain stage of the water, head on the bottom and just wait.  That hole always held large fish....probably still does.  I often passed him biking back to BSP.   Had some nice chats.

 

Quite the character.  Later, had something to do with cookie making/distribution if I recall.          

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1 hour ago, Joe G said:

……….and if ya want to dead stick, eight and bait will hold bottom until well into the turn.  ;)

Joe to see the old phrase of {eight and bait} brings back many a memory for some of us old time fishers that were never afraid to try something different to be successful and it was a proven method for those who subscribed to . You also learned how the bottom was structured and when and when not to fish during the east or west current changes. I was given an opportunity on more than one occasion to fish with some one[Beagle Dick] at his favorite 8 and bait spot near an old culvert on the Cape Side . Very seldom did we have any company , but we did lose a lot of weights. once we hooked up with the fish. No problem getting the fish in once the weight broke off from the line it was attached to, nothing but a nice on going tug of war back and forth, until she was resting inside the cement culvert, where no one walking could see the catches being made. So many during those time frames did not have the skills to fish in that manner, for what ever reason  and they lost an opportunity to enjoy what was in front of them as a life time experience of fishing the Cape Cod Canal. Peace and Prayers

Life member M.B.B.A #509

Life member Izaak Walton Fishing Association

Life member Cape Cod Canal

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43 mins ago, Joe G said:

 

Yep, Canal Al was one of the high hooks for sure.  Eight and CCC bait always produced large for him.  One such spot was near the steps.  Huge hole.  

 

He would set up there at a certain stage of the water, head on the bottom and just wait.  That hole always held large fish....probably still does.  I often passed him biking back to BSP.   Had some nice chats.

 

Quite the character.  Later, had something to do with cookie making/distribution if I recall.          

Wasn't he the guy the ACOE shut down for guiding on the canal?  He had those goofy sandwich signs made out of two 4x8 sheets of plywood, advertising his services and phone number.   I wish I took photos of them.   I recall hearing of some guys who drove around and egged his signs while he was on the canal guiding his sports.  The good ol days of canal justice. :laugh:

The Sultan of Sluggo

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37 mins ago, Joe G said:

 

Yep, Canal Al was one of the high hooks for sure.  Eight and CCC bait always produced large for him.  One such spot was near the steps.  Huge hole.  

 

He would set up there at a certain stage of the water, head on the bottom and just wait.  That hole always held large fish....probably still does.  I often passed him biking back to BSP.   Had some nice chats.

 

Quite the character.  Later, had something to do with cookie making/distribution if I recall.          

Joe so many memories from the past that are waiting to be revealed here, but for what ever reason they seem to get lost along the way by those who could never challenge the fish gods like we all once did . I know also that one such place was not far from where you once camped , if it was not eight and bait it was eight ounce jig heads being allowed to swim under the Bourne bridge at a slower rate of travel then by using less weight in order to remain on the bottom or as close as possible when the full moon tides were working the canal . Yes Joe If we had the where for all and the physicality we once had I also believe we could pull a fish of size from the same location. Recall the time when all those were chasing breaking fish up and down where the silent sea gull once sat and after they left going right down and droing the jig in the hole , more than once and taking fish of size we put on your bike so that could pick them up back at the campground. Good days from another time, memories from the past guiding us along today to never forget the past, for that is where the history presents itself for the future  Peace and Prayers

Life member M.B.B.A #509

Life member Izaak Walton Fishing Association

Life member Cape Cod Canal

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3 hours ago, Joe G said:

 

Yep, Canal Al was one of the high hooks for sure.  Eight and CCC bait always produced large for him.  One such spot was near the steps.  Huge hole.  

 

He would set up there at a certain stage of the water, head on the bottom and just wait.  That hole always held large fish....probably still does.  I often passed him biking back to BSP.   Had some nice chats.

 

Quite the character.  Later, had something to do with cookie making/distribution if I recall.          

Hi Joe,

Was Canal Al and Al Canal one and the same? Frank and I were jigging the Cribbin one morning when we heard a pile of noise behind us. Seems "Al" got too close to the edge from the service road and his bike cart and live well tipped over. He was lucky he did not go far. We both stopped fishing and went up and helped him get everything back upright and on the road. He said he was OK and did not need our help so we went back jigging. I asked Frank if he had ever seen the guy and he said that's Al Canal. Only portable live well with pump that i ever saw at the ditch. In backs of trucks yes but not pulled by a bike.

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2 hours ago, bob_G said:

Wasn't he the guy the ACOE shut down for guiding on the canal?  He had those goofy sandwich signs made out of two 4x8 sheets of plywood, advertising his services and phone number.   I wish I took photos of them.   I recall hearing of some guys who drove around and egged his signs while he was on the canal guiding his sports.  The good ol days of canal justice. :laugh:

 

Yes, that's him, Bob....the goofy sandwich sign guy.  I recall the huge signs being yellow in color with red lettering and numbering.  IMO....flashy, loud and tasteless.

 

Al camped at BSP for a while and ran into trouble with the Bourne Rec. Authority because he displayed the garish signage on his site.  Unsure, but I think he was asked to leave.

 

I also heard about the egging.  Not sure, but I always suspected it might have been one of his competitors, Roy and his boys from over by you at Four Corners.

 

  

Edited by Joe G
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