Maryland Ponds...where to go.

[Dave]

Are there any Marylanders here that could point me toward ponds around the state that might produce fish through the fall and into winter? The majority of my fishing lately has been concentrating on salt water species around the Choptank River and at Point Lookout. I hate to say it but I have been relying on Loch Raven too long and could use some new areas to try out.  Thanks for any leads.

[John Sheehan]

Jim Gronaw is the man you want to see! Friendly guy and a wealth of multi species fishing knowledge .I advise you to friend him here at this great site !

[Jim Gronaw]

Hey Dave, here are a few for starters...

EASTERN SHORE...

Wye Mills Lake...near Wye Mills...a lot of good sized bluegill and some crappie here, the occassional biggger, 4 lb class bass. Has a ramp

Tuckahoe Lake...in Tuckahoe St Park, just west of Ridgley. Bass, gills and crappie. A population of red ears in the lake as well. Pickerel to boot. Unimproved ramp. Spillway hot in the spring...gets crowded then.

Lake Bonnie...Privately owned off of Rt 313 near Goldsboro, 27 acres..Bass, gills, crappie and pickerel. Used to be sensational...haven't fished it in years, but might be worth a look.

In Delaware...Concord Lake and spillway, near Ridgeville. Bass, gills, crappie. I mostly fished here in April...can host an excellent shad run with whites and hickories, big crappies.

Records Pond, Seaford...big crappies in spilway, red ears and gills in the lake. They have shocked 14 inch red ears here in recent surveys.

Trap Pond St Park...gills, red ears bass and pickerel...great scenery, cypress trees. Purdy.

CENTRAL MARYLAND...

Piney Run Park...closed to boats after Nov 1, but big crappie off the piers during mild winters. Stripers and big cats on lve and cut baits from the shore, check regulations, fees and opening times. I have caught more big fish here than any other public lake in Maryland.

Cunningham Falls Lake...nice little 43 acre lake with abundant crappie/bluegill populations. Fall trout stocking, trophy bass possibilities.

Liberty Lake...crappies around the bridges and trophy striper and smallmouth options on big live baits. Check for boating regs. Huge lake, huge fish...have to put time in on this one for success. You can fish off of Nicedemus Bridge.

Rocky Gap St Park...further west near Flintstone , Md, quality lake for panfish, some trophy largemouth opps and stocked trophy rainbow and brown trout  to 10 pounds.

Codorus St Park, Hanover, PA...yes, in PA, but fishes good through the winter for crappies, bass, bluegills and carp. Yup, I like to carp fish here..lots of 15 to low 20 pound class fish.

Dave...I have heard many good things about Loch Raven...cold water pickerel, 3 to 4 pound bass and slab crappies, and that it fishes good in the winter. But I understand the desire for 'new water' when a place gets old. Friend me here and we'll shoot some PM's and trade phone numbers. I live in Taneytown and fish numerous private and small public lakes along the Mason Dixon Line.

hope this helps...       Jim

[Dave]

Thanks Jim! I appreciate the tips and the invite.

[Chris Roberts]

Dave I live in Sykesville and prefer to stay near my home grounds.  For me that's been mainly Piney Run.  That being said, I do have a couple of small ponds in Columbia that I frequent a lot.

[Jim Gronaw]

Chris...I used to fish Centennial Lake years ago and smashed big, 9 inch class gills and 13 inch crappies in the late 1980's and 90's.  Have you fished it recently?

[Chris Roberts]

I prefer Wilde lake over centennial.  But centennial is still decent. They have tons of skinny bass which makes me think there has to be big bg in there

[Dave]

I hit Piney Run for a little bit Saturday morning and pulled up a couple of decent yellow perch and some small to medium bluegill. Has anyone tried Avalon Pond at Patapsco Vally State Park? I believe the age restriction was lifted this season and is now open to everyone.

[Chris Roberts]

I honestly prefer to just fish the river.  I've had decent luck during the summer months in the river.  I haven't fished it in the fall though.