WETHERSFIELD COVE ON THE CONNECTICUT RIVER, CT

There is year-round fishing to be had at this local hot spot. In the winter months, it attracts hordes of ice fishermen as just about every fish found in the river can be taken through the ice here. In addition to the standard ice fishing targets like panfish, bass and pike, I know of anglers taking Atlantic salmon and striped bass here in the winter on the same day! I am not aware of another location where one can do that. But this week I am talking about the summer options here, specifically after dark for catfish at the mouth of the cove where it dumps into the Connecticut River.

One of my favorite summer pastimes is to target catfish on the Connecticut River. It’s an easy way to kick back, hang with friends and maybe even land a few fish. The mouth of the cove is a great spot for catfish and many other species can be taken here over the course of a night. You can expect to land eels, bass, carp, perch, sucker, striped bass and even the occasional mudpuppy in addition to catfish here.

Rigging up is simple; any medium-action, five- to seven-foot spinning or conventional rod and reel will do. You can go fancy with bait-feeding spinning gear or pick up an El-Cheapo combo from your local tackle shop; they both will serve you equally well. I opt for light saltwater spinning gear as that just happens to be what I usually have on hand. On the terminal end, you’ll want a hook appropriately sized to your bait and some sort of weight to hold on the bottom. You can use split-shot, egg sinkers, three-way swivels, sliding fishfinders or whatever you want. Again, this is pretty basic so just use whatever you happen to have available that will hold bottom.

When I used to target catfish far more often than I do today, I never set out for a night on the water without a quart of chicken livers and a few dozen large night crawlers on hand. They both worked very well and I have taken many different fish on them both. Fresh live or cut fish will work, as will commercially available stink baits designed for catfish. I prefer natural offerings as they tend to produce a wider variety of catches. With a worm on the end of your line, you have a very good chance at catching any one of the 100 or so different fish known to inhabit the river. You can also try a dough ball for carp as they are known to prowl this area. Save those large eels you catch along the way for skinning or rigging to be used in the surf for striped bass. Be sure to stop by Connecticut Outfitters right in Wethersfield (their ad is in the report section) and say hi to Gary, Blaine and the crew. They have all your bait and rigging needs and can certainly lend you a few tips about fishing the cove.

Accessing the cove is simple. From I-95, take exit 26 towards Old Wethersfield, left onto Great Meadow Road, left onto Marsh Street and right onto Main Street. There is a large parking lot at the end of Main Street, you will see the boat launch. Park at the north end of the lot and follow the paved road which goes along the channel entrance to the north. You can fish anywhere along the channel, under the bridges and on out to the main river. I generally set up just outside the I-91 bridge. Bring a chair, flashlight, some bug spray and your camera as you never know what you’ll pull from the river!