Fishing Lums Pond in Delaware

Lums Pond is the big water among Delaware’s public fishing ponds. DNREC describes its public ponds as ranging from 5 to 189 acres, and Lums sits at the top of that range at about 189 acres. That size gives anglers room to spread out, room to fish from a boat, and a bass and panfish population that DNREC has measured on several surveys. This guide covers what those surveys show, the rules that apply, how access works, and how to approach the pond for bass and panfish.

What DNREC’s surveys show

DNREC samples its public ponds by electrofishing and reports the results as fish caught per hour of sampling. The state publishes the data on the Delaware Open Data Portal, and Lums Pond has two surveys on record. These are snapshots of a particular day and set of conditions, not counts of how many fish are in the pond today, so read them as a rough picture of what lives there.

Survey year	Largemouth bass	Bass in the 15-inch class	Bluegill	Black crappie	Yellow perch
2010	100	40	328	15	not recorded
2015	44	12	287	41	31

Bluegill dominated the counts in both years, with largemouth bass next, and crappie and yellow perch both turned up in 2015. The 2015 record also notes that hybrid striped bass were stocked in 2013 and 2014. The state’s freshwater rules set a 15-inch minimum and a daily limit of two for hybrid striped bass, as shown in the rules summary above, but we have not confirmed whether stocking is continuing. If you catch one, check the current rule.

The drop in bass per hour between 2010 and 2015 should not be over-read. Electrofishing results swing with water temperature, vegetation, time of day and the stretch of shoreline sampled. What the data do show consistently is a pond with a deep bench of panfish and a population of bass that includes larger fish in the 15-inch class.

Rules at a glance

The summary above lists the limits and pond rules we confirmed, with the date we checked each one. For Lums Pond the ones that come up most are the largemouth bass minimum of 12 inches and daily limit of six, the panfish limit of 50 a day with no more than 25 of one species, and the no-wake rule for boats on all of Delaware’s public freshwater ponds.

Ponds also share a few ground rules. Swimming is illegal in the ponds and lakes, traps, pots and gill nets may not be used, and anglers fishing lawfully can reach the ponds around the clock. No more than two rods may be in use at a time and each rod may carry no more than three hooks or lures. The Delaware rules and license guide covers the license requirements, and anglers under 16 and Delaware residents 65 and older are exempt from the license as described there.

Access and boating

The Delaware Fishing Guide lists Lums Pond with a boat ramp, a fishing pier and shoreline access. It is one of the Division of Parks and Recreation’s access areas, and the guide notes that a seasonal or daily fee may be required at those areas. DNREC’s survey notes also record a shallow ramp, which can be a challenge for larger trailered boats, so a small boat, kayak or canoe is a safer match. We could not read the park’s own pages, so we have no confirmed information on park hours, rentals or parking. Obey the no-wake rule everywhere on the water.

Fishing for bass

Largemouth bass are the main draw, and the survey numbers back that up. A medium-heavy casting or spinning rod around 6 feet 6 inches to 7 feet 3 inches is a common choice for bass fishing in ponds, because a fast tip sets a single hook on a jig or soft plastic and the backbone helps move a fish away from cover. That is general guidance, not a requirement.

In a pond this size, start by finding cover and edges: fallen trees, weed lines, docks, points and drop-offs. Soft plastics, jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits cover most situations. Work slowly through cover in cooler water and speed up when fish are active. Early morning and evening are usually the most productive, and bass often move shallow in spring.

Because the 15-inch class made up a meaningful share of the bass sampled, releasing the largest fish helps keep those numbers up. The state’s minimum is 12 inches, but nothing stops you from putting back a fish you could legally keep.

Fishing for panfish

Bluegill were the most abundant fish in both surveys, so panfish are the easiest way to put a bend in a rod, particularly with children. A light spinning outfit with 4 to 6 pound line, a small hook and a worm or small jig under a float is a classic setup. Crappie and yellow perch showed up in the 2015 survey too. Small minnows and tiny jigs are common choices for those fish, and the panfish limit covers all of them together.

Seasons and timing

Spring brings fish shallow and is a good time to fish the edges. Summer pushes fish toward deeper structure and shade, and early and late hours are best. Fall can bring active feeding before the water cools. Winter fishing is slower and calls for smaller baits and slower presentations. These patterns are typical for Mid-Atlantic ponds and are not specific to a documented Lums Pond season.

Safety

Pond banks can be slick, and cold water is dangerous even when the weather is mild. Wear a life jacket in a boat or kayak, keep an eye on the wind on a large pond and watch for other boats at the ramp. Pack out what you bring.

Eating the fish

Lums Pond is not named in DNREC’s fish consumption advisory table, so the statewide default applies: no more than one 8-ounce meal per week of any fish caught in Delaware waters, or 52 meals per year. The rules summary above shows the exact wording and the date we checked it.

For more ponds, see the Delaware ponds and lakes guide, and for fishing with children see the kid-friendly fishing guide.