Barnstable Harbor Entrance Channel #441

Barnstable Harbor is spot #3 down the line from the East End of the Canal in Cape Cod Bay. Barnstable Harbor’s trademark feature is that it offers something for everyone in terms of fishing styles ranging from fly fishing to wire line jigging.

Inside the “harbor” is where most of the light tackle fishing happens. You’ll notice lots of creeks, spillways, and flats. On the outgoing tide, this bait will flush out and bass and blue “in the know” will stage along edges and other convenient ambush points to intercept bait. Out front, holds great fishing including a good source for mackerel to use as live bait for stripers. The channel has faster moving water and can be vertically jigged, trolled, live baited and cast and during peak season you’ll see it all happening at once!

Here’s a few tips to get you started:

1. There are many opportunities for sight casting. Follow the rising tide into the harbor, toward the shore of the south side Sandy Neck/interior marshes. Watch for birds working on bait and rising fish. Work the rips and edges with small soft plastics, small swimming plugs, jigs, or small surface lures. As the tide drops, concentrate on the channel. Near the bottom of the tide, work the grass patches a mile or more offshore and to the east of the main channel outside of the harbor.
2. Troll the main channel from Beach Point out to the end of the marked channel. Heavy boat traffic here at times; stay to either side of the channel.

• Approx. Lat & Long:  41°45’ N, 70°16.2’ W
• Best Tide:  Either but avoid last hour of outgoing into the first hour of incoming.
• Hazards:  Rapidly dropping tide exposes bars and shallows; grounding possible.