CTFishTalk.com: Hamburg Cove 6-9 - Connecticut River Reports ( CT River Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

SAP284 · Joined: 07 Jun 2011 Posts: 655 Location: Central, CT

I went to Hamburg Cove today and fished from 7:45a-1pm. Launched at the Baldwin Bridge and drove upwards to get to the cove. The temperature was fluctuating and there was so many frequent blotches of rain throughout the day, but the temperature was supposedly in the higher 60's/upper 70's. I haven't fished there is such a long time and I didn't realize how many pickerel are in that cove! I finished the day with 6 Pickerel all ranging from 19" to 22", 1 Crappie that was 12", and a smallie that was 10". The found some nice spots there and some guys that were fishing a tourny were generous enough to tell me about a bunch of spots that were hot. I have a family cookout today so my family asked for me to bring some fish. Although they are boney fish, I kept 5 of the 6 (threw the smallest back) pickerel to make tonight, along with the crappie. I now understand why there is no size limit or creel limit for pickerel in the river lol. They were all hitting crankbaits in 4-6 ft of water.

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Steve

rxpxtx · Joined: 06 May 2012 Posts: 259

Nice day Steve!! I think pickerel are quite tasty. I find them easier to manage when cooked whole. It flakes off the bone easily. I'll have to get back over to the cove. I got skunked last trip, but it was blowing like snot with an outgoing tide and really hard to fish there in a canoe in those conditions. How'd you end up making out at that ramp in Essex?
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Dave..... I can be a pain in the bass.

SAP284 · Joined: 07 Jun 2011 Posts: 655 Location: Central, CT

Thanks! You know I actually tried once to get a hold of someone at the Town but was unsuccessful so I said screw it lol. It actually wasn't a far boat ride, just a lot of "no wake" zones. Today's wind conditions were very cooperative surprisingly. We are going to fry the Pickerels, so it should come off easy just like Pike Very Happy

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Steve

Michael · Joined: 28 Jan 2012 Posts: 3823 Location: Bridgeport

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

Is the cove still choked with floating weeds and horny carp?
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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

MikeOkay · Joined: 04 May 2012 Posts: 76 Location: Naugatuck

I was getting tons of pickeral today at a buddy's private lake and they're a lot of fun to catch. Most anoying thing was when i would almost get them to land and they'd take a huge chomp right through my 6lb line.

SAP284 · Joined: 07 Jun 2011 Posts: 655 Location: Central, CT

Omg Phil tons of horny Carp LOL! Some of the spots I go to on the river have carp that like to flop around but at first I was wondering what the hell was in the water because it wasn't just a flop - it was constant splashing and fins hanging outside the water like jaws.

But yeah there was a handful of weed beds and floating weeds. I worked my way around the edges and seemed to try and stay out with my crankbaits. I was using a 3-5' Strike King which kept me from grabbing too much. Plus I had 50lb braid on so when I knew that I was coming up to weeds, I would rip it through quickly.

The pickerel seemed extra aggressive. The guys that I saw out there said they were getting them on every cast with buzzbaits and brush hogs.
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Steve

CT_BASSman · Joined: 23 May 2011 Posts: 349

I have never tried eating pickerel simply due to the fact that they're very bony fish. How do you cook them and how do they taste?

SAP284 · Joined: 07 Jun 2011 Posts: 655 Location: Central, CT

You can filet them around the Y bones, it's actually not too hard. We just gutted them, cut off the fins, scales, and the seasoned em with garlic, salt, pepper. We them fried them all. They came out delicious and being that they were fried the meat came off easily with a fork. I eat so many types and it's hard to really explain taste but very similar to pike and walleye in my opinion..mild.
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Steve

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

Maybe that's why Canadians often refer to what we call "walleye" as "pickerel". I've seen that on restaurant menus in Canada. I've eaten only one chain pickerel and thought that it was delicious, too. Mine was filleted, sprinkled with salt, black pepper and Wondra flour, and pan fried in butter. Damn, now I'm hungry! Very Happy

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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

Michael · Joined: 28 Jan 2012 Posts: 3823 Location: Bridgeport

I used to belong to an international Rapala website. I'd put up reports where I caught pickerel and people from the Midwest, Central Plains, and Canada would think I was talking about walleye.

SmOoTh OpErAtOr !!! · Joined: 03 May 2012 Posts: 108

Nice day man! You did better then my uncle and I! Definitely saw you on the water didn't know if it was you or not saw you by camp Clair ! Green grizzly tracker!! Well my uncle and I were out there from 1am till 4pm didn't do as good as you tho but most of the day we targeted stripers got skunked in that front went down to hamburg cove. got 3 fish 2 pickerels and one catfish still don't know how my uncle got that cat fish to grab a swim bait but oh well! It's been a while since I took a fish home about 4 years but was thinking about it tho! one of those pickerels was 3.5 lbs! After your post ima definitely be taking home the next pickerel I get !
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my autopilot aims for ..............SANDBARS!!!!!!!

SAP284 · Joined: 07 Jun 2011 Posts: 655 Location: Central, CT

Very possible! I was out there with a buddy of mine. Silver bass tracker with a 90HP Johnson on the back. At least you didn't get skunked for the day!
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Steve

anointed130 · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:28 pm Post subject:

I caught some pickeral a few years ago at quabbin res in MA, I cleaned them in lemon juice and seasoned and placed them on a grill wrapped in foil, it was some of the best fish i have had. Suprising how those slimy things can taste so good.
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"Come after Me, and i will make you to become fishers of men"

Can i be a fisher of fish too?

~Tony~

hila2006 · Joined: 22 Jul 2011 Posts: 582 Location: Ellington

Pickerel are very good eating. First time I tried them was shore fishing with my dad when I was a teanager. We cooked them on an open fire lakeside, just some aluminum foil,salt and pepper. One of the best fresh water fish I've eaten. Funny you mention the Walleye/pickerel thing. My grandfather was french canadian and called Walleye, Walleye Pike. They were pike to him where he came from. They're actually in the perch family right?