The seasons are all open for fluke, black sea bass and scup and early indications point to a banner year for our local groundfish. Scup fishing has been better than average with a lot of dinner-plate sized specimens regularly being boated. The daily catch limit remains 30 but the minimum size is now nine inches. Black sea fishing continues its years-long trend of going from good to great. Sea bass can be found pretty much everywhere with the biggest fish found over the wrecks off the Vineyard in Nantucket Sound and Cleveland Ledge in Buzzards Bay. (Tip: We have a limited supply of our custom sea bass rigs available at the store.) Fluke season opened May 23 so it's too early to offer reports.

It's not the easiest place to fish but the Cape Cod Canal almost always holds striped bass and at times some very large bass. Plugging is the go to method for working the canal with Sebile Magic Swimmers and Stick Shads, Savage Sand Eels, Al Gag's Whip-It Tails and Daiwa SP Minnows among the current favorites in stock. We also carry the venerable Gibbs Polaris and Pencil Poppers, Crippled Herrings and lead-head Bucktail jigs -- all traditional favorites in the canal. (Note: We also have a limited supply of the discontinued Uncle Josh pork rinds.)

Shellfishing's a year-round endeavor but the warmer weather really brings out the diggers. If you've never tried it or need to replace or upgrade your equipment, we offer a complete line of eight different quahog basket rakes, 10-quart baskets and inner tube floats, guages and the knives to open the clams. (Reminder: We sell the gear but you get your license at town hall.)