[AaronDen]

Has anyone ever caught a Pickerel from the pond or spillway below or heard of one being caught here? Wye Lake is my home lake, I am not a bass fisherman but would love to catch more pickerel. All of the other millponds over here are known for good pickerel fishing. I see nothing different about Wye Lake than these other ponds. So why no pickerel here? You could not keep them out of the other Eastern Shore ponds if you tried, and many a bass fisherman (ask them at Loch Raven) would like to not have them around so what makes Wye Lake different? Crazy driving all over to fish when I have a pond in the back yard.

 

[Tommy Robinson]

I have caught some nice pickerel in the pond. They are in both but the other mill ponds are better on the shore for Pickerel. Smithville, Tuckahoe, Mud Mill, Urieville, and Schumaker are some of the better for size. Unicorn has a ton of them too but average is much smaller.

 

[andypat]

I have fished in Wye Mills Lake hundreds of times and have never caught a pickerel there. That is strange. I never thought about it. Also ice fished on that lake. Aaron, you can stock it in the winter. Catch some pickerel in the good pickerel lakes and bring them back to Wye Lake. They are easy to keep alive in the winter. I stocked a pond in Stevensville years ago with winter bass,crappie, pickerel, and bluegill. It worked. The kids and some people were catching some good fish in that lake. Wonder if that pond is still there.

 

[bigjim5589]

I've caught pickerel in Wye Mills lake, & from the spillway, but not many of them. Like Tommy said some of the other ponds are better. However, I used to fish those ponds with a buddy who lived in Easton, particularly in the colder months & we fished from a boat most of the time, so that may have been why you don't see many of them from the spillway. You really need some type of watercraft to fish the ponds the most effectively. I used to live across the bridge in Arnold, and fished a lot on the shore. Most being further down & in the rivers. But, when I didn't have a lot of time, or didn't want to drive too far, I would stop at Wye Mills. I only occasionally caught bass in there when I fished from the spillway. When I fished from my Gheenoe, I found more bass & pickerel.

The bass guys don't like the Pic's because they cut their lines & they lose lures. The tournament guys really don't like them, because every one they catch is time wasted & not a bass they can take to weigh -in.

I liked targeting them with a fly rod in the colder months, because they would bite when most other fish were too lethargic.

 

[bigjim5589]

Andy, that's not good advice, because it's illegal without the proper permits from the DNR.

 

[andypat]

Andy, that's not good advice, because it's illegal without the proper permits from the DNR.

Yes I thought about that and posted it on his post. They let me put fish in a pond years ago, but I think your right. Not a good Idea. I bet he could sneak a few in. Just Kidding!

 

[CYT]

I think it's great advice Andy gives, as long as it is native species to that area you are doing the stocking.

Why not?? DNR don't know everything.

 

[bigjim5589]

CYT, I agree, Andy seems like a great guy! I would be honored to fish with him. In a private pond is one thing, but stocking fish in a state or county owned pond, without permits could result in serious legal problems if a person gets caught. When I was a kid, I kept fish I caught in a bucket & stocked them in a pond near my grandmothers house in Pasadena. Sunfish, bass & bullhead catfish. That pond is now gone because of development. That pond was on private property & in a different era.

However now, with all the invasive species & poaching, no way I would do it. Too much legal risk. The NRP guys & gals I've met over the years all seemed to be reasonable people, but there are laws in MD about transporting & stocking wildlife of any kind from one place to another and they do their jobs very well. IMO, it's not worth the possible fines if getting caught. Besides, it's also possible to be spreading disease, and could damage the fish population already there, which would be worse. The DNR doesn't know everything, but folks should obey the laws & let them do their jobs.

 

[AaronDen]

I guess my question is why are they not in Wye Lake like the other mill ponds. I doubt the state put any effort into stocking them in the other mill ponds, they tend to flourish on their own, so why not flourish at Wye Lake?

 

[andypat]

Good question for the DNR. If you can get an answer out of them. Aaron ask them. They have a office right there at the lake.