Bluegill Paradise at Meadowbrook Park

Type: Nontidal
Region: Southern
Location: Meadowbrook Park, Long Gate Playground

On Friday 9/29, the wife and I saddled up our kids and went to Long Gate Playground. I made sure to take a rod with me in case I had a chance to escape. Walking west of the playground, about 1/4-1/2 mile, I ended up at a small pond along the path. The water was around 3-4 ft deep and muddy. I decided to fish the shallower section (1-2' deep) where I could see fish below the surface. I only caught or saw bluegill, but it's possible something else might be in the deeper section. This would be a great spot to take a child just learning to fish. The bluegill instantly bit my size 12 squirmy wormy when it hit the water, so kids would have a great chance of catching a fish while learning to cast. I used an 8' 4wt fly rod, but there are lots of places to snag while casting, so I'd recommend using a spincast or spinner rod. The bank doesn't look muddy or unstable, but if you shift your weight, there's a good chance you'll go sliding into the water. Most of the fish are small, but I caught a 4" bluegill and saw a couple that were around 5-6". The pond has some good structure on the west end to cast near, and you might even see some box turtles.