Wagamons Pond Fishing in Milton

Wagamons Pond in Milton is a 41-acre public pond that DNREC has surveyed twice, and its 2010 survey recorded 113 bass per hour, the highest of any survey for the ponds covered in these guides. This guide covers what the surveys show, how the pond has changed between surveys, the rules and access, and how to fish a small, weedy bass pond.

What DNREC’s surveys show

DNREC samples its public ponds by electrofishing and reports catch per hour. Wagamons Pond has two surveys on record. The data are snapshots, and they swing with water temperature, vegetation and the stretch of shoreline sampled, so treat them as a rough picture rather than a count.

Survey year	Largemouth bass	Bass in the 15-inch class	Bluegill	Black crappie	Yellow perch	Redear sunfish
2010	113	32	94	2	4	109
2015	44	12	77	not recorded	not recorded	17

The 2010 numbers are striking: 113 bass per hour, including 32 in the 15-inch class, together with a large number of redear sunfish. By 2015 the counts were lower across the board. A fall in electrofishing catches between two surveys five years apart can reflect many things, including how the pond was sampled, so it is not proof of a decline.

Rules

The summary above lists the limits we confirmed, with 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. No more than two rods may be in use, and each may carry no more than three hooks or lures. Boats must be run at no-wake speed on all Delaware public freshwater ponds, and swimming is illegal. You need a fishing license if you are 16 or older unless you are exempt, as explained in the rules and license guide.

Access and boating

DNREC reports that its ponds are open to lawful anglers around the clock, and public boat ramps and state-owned shoreline are open year round. The Delaware Fishing Guide lists Wagamons Pond with a boat ramp with an ADA courtesy dock and shoreline access, and no fishing pier. Courtesy docks are for launching, and fishing from them is not allowed. Check DNREC or the Delaware Ponds Map before you launch, and ask whether ramp fees or permits apply.

Fishing for bass

A pond this size rewards a methodical approach. Start by sorting the water: the shoreline cover, points, any docks and the edges of weed beds. A medium-heavy rod around 6 feet 6 inches to 7 feet 3 inches with a fast tip is a common choice for bass in cover, because it sets a hook on a soft plastic or jig and has the strength to pull a fish out of vegetation. Braided line in the 20 to 40 pound range or heavy fluorocarbon is typical where weeds are thick. These are general suggestions and not requirements.

Where vegetation is heavy, weedless presentations are a reasonable choice. A soft plastic on a weedless hook, a weedless frog and a spinnerbait all slide through weeds better than exposed hooks. In open water or along clean edges, small crankbaits and jigs work well. Fish slowly in cool water and speed up as fish become active.

Because the 15-inch class made up a meaningful share of the 2010 and 2015 samples, putting back the largest bass is a good habit, even where the rules would let you keep them.

Fishing for panfish

Bluegill and redear sunfish are the easy fish here. Light spinning gear with 4 to 6 pound line, a small hook and a worm under a float catches both. Redear sunfish usually feed nearer the bottom, so a bait on or just off the bottom is a common approach. The panfish rule above names bluegill, pumpkinseed, crappie and white and yellow perch. It does not name redear sunfish, so check the Delaware Fishing Guide for the redear rule.

Seasons and timing

Early morning and evening are best in warm weather, and spring and fall are generally the most comfortable seasons to fish and the times when fish use the shallows. These are typical Mid-Atlantic pond patterns, not specific findings for Wagamons Pond.

Safety and etiquette

Banks can be slick and weedy, and a small pond gets crowded on a good day. Give other anglers room, keep to no-wake speed and take your trash with you. Supervise children near the water.

Eating the fish

Wagamons Pond is not named in DNREC’s fish consumption advisory table, so the default of 52 meals a year applies, as shown above. If you plan to keep fish, check the rules summary for the date we confirmed it. For more waters, see the Delaware ponds and lakes guide.