Lancaster PA - Public Bass Ponds

[Schaefer406]

Good morning y'all,

I live in Lancaster City and I am looking to take my little cousin out FFing for his first time ever. He's had a rough time recently so I am hoping this will help boost his confidence. I am going to first take him to hit some smaller trout streams I know of in the county (rain on Thursday should bump flows a good bit!), but I really want to get him on some largemouth or smallies. He doesn't have waders. Are there any good public bass ponds in the county in which we could comfortably bank fish? Just remember his casting is going to be horrible so preferably somewhere with some open space. Thanks!

 

[mt_flyfisher]

Good morning y'all,

I live in Lancaster City and I am looking to take my little cousin out FFing for his first time ever. He's had a rough time recently so I am hoping this will help boost his confidence. I am going to first take him to hit some smaller trout streams I know of in the county (rain on Thursday should bump flows a good bit!), but I really want to get him on some largemouth or smallies. He doesn't have waders. Are there any good public bass ponds in the county in which we could comfortably bank fish? Just remember his casting is going to be horrible so preferably somewhere with some open space. Thanks!

I live in New Holland and we have a small public pond on the north edge of town on Spruce Street called Nolt’s Pond. It has some bass, small bluegills or sunfish and a few large catfish. There are often a few locals fishing there when I drive by it, and I’ve taken several of my grandchildren fishing there in the past. I wouldn’t place any bets on getting into some of the bigger fish that are in it, but young kids always can have just as much fun catching small sunfish. It’s open most of the way around the pond and a good place to practice casting.

p.s. There is also a small private fee fishing spring fed pond just south of New Holland that is stocked with trout. I haven’t checked it out recently to see when it‘s open, and it may be closed for the season now, but that might also be an option to consider (but it’s best if you have a fat wallet).

 

[KGStine]

I've taken my grandkids when they were about 10 or so, to the Conestoga at Perlman Park. They fished with worms and bobbers and caught quite a few smallmouth bass (6 - 12"). We wet waded in sneakers and swim suits. I also fly fish this section from just upstream of the Rt 23 bridge downstream to just up stream of Eden Road. Might be little cool for wet wading now.
Good luck!

 

[JeffP]

So funny I was just thinking of posting this. I've had an itch to fish ponds and I can't think of many with access. We used to fish the Sunfish Pond at the Middle Creek Museum but that is no longer there. A couple Ponds in the wildlife area are open periodically. The Mill Dam on Hammer Creek has no posting signs there and it looked promising earlier this year. There are a lot of sportsman's clubs ponds in the country. We used to fish a pond on Sunnyside Road near Hopeland that was really good but it may be posted now. Part of the Cocalico is dammed just south of Denver. Definitely saw fish in there.

 

[Schaefer406]

I've taken my grandkids when they were about 10 or so, to the Conestoga at Perlman Park. They fished with worms and bobbers and caught quite a few smallmouth bass (6 - 12"). We wet waded in sneakers and swim suits. I also fly fish this section from just upstream of the Rt 23 bridge downstream to just up stream of Eden Road. Might be little cool for wet wading now.
Good luck!

I've never fished this section of the Conestoga, but definitely sounds worthwhile. Thanks!

 

[Schaefer406]

I live in New Holland and we have a small public pond on the north edge of town on Spruce Street called Nolt’s Pond. It has some bass, small bluegills or sunfish and a few large catfish. There are often a few locals fishing there when I drive by it, and I’ve taken several of my grandchildren fishing there in the past. I wouldn’t place any bets on getting into some of the bigger fish that are in it, but young kids always can have just as much fun catching small sunfish. It’s open most of the way around the pond and a good place to practice casting.

p.s. There is also a small private fee fishing spring fed pond just south of New Holland that is stocked with trout. I haven’t checked it out recently to see when it‘s open, and it may be closed for the season now, but that might also be an option to consider (but it’s best if you have a fat wallet).

Thanks, I may end up using this pond just to teach him to cast!

 

[Schaefer406]

So funny I was just thinking of posting this. I've had an itch to fish ponds and I can't think of many with access. We used to fish the Sunfish Pond at the Middle Creek Museum but that is no longer there. A couple Ponds in the wildlife area are open periodically. The Mill Dam on Hammer Creek has no posting signs there and it looked promising earlier this year. There are a lot of sportsman's clubs ponds in the country. We used to fish a pond on Sunnyside Road near Hopeland that was really good but it may be posted now. Part of the Cocalico is dammed just south of Denver. Definitely saw fish in there.

It's weird that Lancaster has hardly any public ponds. I would definitely fish for some largemouth if we had some more spots. My old neighborhood pond was loaded with huge bass but you weren't supposed to fish it (which I didn't listen to obviously)