Fishing Millsboro Pond, Hearns Pond and Haven Lake

Millsboro Pond, Hearns Pond and Haven Lake are three public ponds that DNREC surveys on a regular cycle, and they make a useful trio to compare because they differ in size and in what the surveys found. Millsboro is the biggest at about 101 acres, Haven Lake is about 82.5 acres and Hearns is about 53 acres. This guide puts the three side by side, explains what the survey numbers do and do not say, and covers the rules, access and tackle for fishing them.

The three ponds at a glance

Pond	Size	Surveys on record
Millsboro Pond	about 101 acres	2011 and 2016
Haven Lake	about 82.5 acres	2011 and 2016
Hearns Pond	about 53.4 acres	2008 and 2013

Acreage comes from DNREC’s pond survey data. DNREC’s survey notes for Millsboro Pond record limited parking, so plan to arrive early on a busy day and expect to share the space.

What the surveys found

DNREC reports electrofishing catches as fish per hour of sampling. They are snapshots, and they vary with water temperature, weather and the stretch of shoreline sampled, so treat them as a rough comparison.

Pond and year	Largemouth bass	Bass in the 15-inch class	Bluegill	Black crappie	Yellow perch	Redear sunfish
Millsboro 2011	94	5	104	5	43	29
Millsboro 2016	39	5	134	14	38	14
Hearns 2008	86	18	870	30	4	11
Hearns 2013	72	10	322	20	not recorded	163
Haven Lake 2011	46	8	112	11	16	not recorded
Haven Lake 2016	35	11	85	13	14	not recorded

A few patterns stand out. Hearns Pond had by far the most bluegill in 2008, and in 2013 it recorded a very high number of redear sunfish, also called shellcrackers. Millsboro Pond had the most yellow perch of the three. Haven Lake produced fewer fish per hour overall, but a relatively large share of its bass were in the 15-inch class in 2016. None of this tells you what you will catch on a given morning, but it does suggest where to start: panfish on Hearns, perch on Millsboro and bass on Haven Lake.

Rules that apply

The summary above lists the limits and pond rules we confirmed, with sources and the date we checked each. Largemouth bass must be at least 12 inches with a daily limit of six. The panfish limit is 50 a day, with no more than 25 of one species, and there is no size limit. The rule names bluegill, pumpkinseed, crappie and white and yellow perch. It does not name redear sunfish, which are common in Hearns Pond, so check the Delaware Fishing Guide for the redear rule.

Boats must stay at no-wake speed on all of Delaware’s public freshwater ponds. Swimming is illegal, traps and gill nets are not allowed, and you may use no more than two rods with three hooks or lures per rod. If you are 16 or older you need a fishing license unless you are exempt, and the rules and license guide explains who is.

Access

The Delaware Fishing Guide lists a boat ramp with an ADA courtesy dock and shoreline access at Millsboro Pond, Hearns Pond and Haven Lake, and it lists no fishing pier at any of the three. Courtesy docks are for launching, and fishing from them is not allowed. Shoreline access depends on your mobility, and the guide recommends visiting a site first. We could not confirm accessible parking from DNREC’s public pages. If you need accessible access, check with DNREC or the Delaware Ponds Map that DNREC links from its ponds page before you travel. DNREC says its ponds are open to lawful anglers around the clock, and ramp fees or permits may apply where there is a boat ramp.

Fishing for panfish

Three ponds with large bluegill counts make this a good panfish trip. Use light spinning gear in the 5 to 6 foot 6 inch range with 4 to 6 pound line, a small hook and a worm or small piece of bait under a float, or a tiny jig. Redear sunfish, which showed up strongly in Hearns Pond, tend to feed near the bottom and take baits such as worms fished on or just off the bottom. Crappie and perch are often found around cover and in slightly deeper water, and small minnows or small jigs are common choices for them. These are general suggestions rather than documented patterns for these ponds.

Fishing for bass

All three ponds hold largemouth bass. A medium spinning or casting rod with 8 to 12 pound line handles most pond bass lures, and soft plastics, small crankbaits and spinnerbaits work in most conditions. Work the shoreline cover, points and any weed edges. Because only a small share of the bass sampled were in the 15-inch class, putting the bigger fish back is a good way to keep that class healthy.

Seasons and timing

Spring and fall are generally the most comfortable times to fish and bring fish into the shallows. Summer fishing is best early and late. These are typical Mid-Atlantic pond patterns and not site-specific findings.

Safety and etiquette

Banks can be muddy and slippery. Supervise children at the water’s edge. If you use a boat, keep to no-wake speed and give other anglers room. Pack out your line and trash.

Eating the fish

These ponds are not named in DNREC’s fish consumption advisory table, so the default of 52 meals per year applies, as shown above. The rules snapshot has the exact wording and the date we checked it. See also the ponds and lakes guide and the kid-friendly fishing guide.