Mid-March Mix

Type: Tidal
Region: Central
Location: Bell Grove Ponds

I live within walking distance from the Patapsco River and "Belle Grove Ponds" I really have not fished these ponds as much as I should but with the early warm weather and the normal spring routines starting - flowers bloom, birds chirping and fish on the move� I decided to take my 3 yr old daughter and her new "Hanna Montana" fishin' pole down to the ponds, the tide was the lowest I've ever seen it there before. After a few tries i finally figured her little push-button rod out it's amazing how hard they are to cast, I swore I did it better as a kid. Well I let my kid hold it and as soon as I did the bobber went down and I told her to reel it in. She managed to land this little yellow perch about 7 inches or so. Its was her first time fishing and on the very first cast she caught the only fish. She calls it a yellow one - lol, she will be 4 in October. The next day my son wanted to go, he caught a few small channel cats.

I've seen a few nice fish caught Carp, Channel Cats, Yellow Perch, Crappie, Bass, Pickerel , and Bluegills. Went from barely a few angler's 2 weeks ago to lines of them on the shoreline and seen several boat's. You can lauch at southwest area park and drive up river to the pond inlets. Watch depth at low tide. I've been out on my little 11.5 ft two man boat a few times years ago and it's very nice area to launch. The Crappie are hanging in the brush now and with a stiff long pole you can pull a nice stringer out of a hole in a little time. Good news - I seen a nice size white perch pulled out as the tide was coming in. They are next and still some small holdover yellow's. Crappie are definitely moving into pre-spawn mode.

Good luck to all! Never doubt your local waterways they can hold many species of good fish. Almost every kind of fish found in the bay will move up in these ponds in the summer.

My kids enjoy the things I've heard from my Uncles and Grandfather. I used to hear about the Yellow perch being so thick you could walk across there backs in the Magothy. I was glad to hear of the programs you have in place to protect them before and now. To all good luck out there with the warm weather ahead of us its shaping up to be a nice year of fishing. Take a kid if you can! Thanks!