Going back nearly 50 years I can always remember the anticipation of several “early season” trips to Maryland’s Eastern Shore to fish the many and varied mill ponds that dot the flat landscape of the Delmarva. Small, tannin-stained and often overlooked, these small bodies of water yielded an abundance of bass, crappies, bluegills, pickerel and more. In the streams below the mill dams there were often, if you timed it right, migrating runs of blueback[...]

Some of the mill ponds date back as far as the 18th century. Dams were built to capture water from creeks and small rivers. The water was then used to power gristmills, saw mills, and textile mills. All but one of the mills are now gone, but their retention ponds are still here for our recreational use; and they are loaded with fish. The ponds hold a variety of species, largemouth bass, chain pickerel, crappie[...]

Gear Although ultra-light rods from five to six feet have been the panfishing standard for many years, an increasing number of panfishers are opting for the longer rods that tape seven to ten feet for longer casts and better leverage when hoisting slabs out of brush or away from man-made wooden structures. Crappies can hunker down tight to them during the cold. We use B&M crappie poles from eight to ten feet and Wally Marshall[...]

Alright, let’s set the stage…its cold, and you haven’t fished for several weeks because of the chill. However, the meteorologist is calling for a warm spell that just might be your best excuse this winter to get out on the water. If the recent chill hasn’t put an ice covering on Maryland waters, then you have a pretty good shot at catching some wintertime crappies throughout the state. Here’s a game plan for success and[...]