Depot Pond, Upper Marlboro ?

[Slackdaddy]

Has anyone fished depot pond in Upper Marlboro??
It is the pond behind Home Depot and United rental.

Slack

[imagine29028]

limited access...sketchy area/surroundings

[Slackdaddy]

Sounds like my kinda place
It is directly behind the PG Sheriffs office,, cant be to sketchy.
Parking on the road behind the Rental/concrete place, it's 10" from the water, down about a 4' bank.
I was curious of how "Legal" it was ? I checked it out and there is NO "No parking" or "No trespassing" signs

limited access...sketchy area/surroundings

[bunnielab]

I have fished there a few times. Access is very limited unless you want to walk long the train tracks. I was there two months ago, and it was the thickest cover I have seen in MD. I only had a M spinning rod with me, so I didn't stay long but did some scouting. Made a few casts to the less thick areas, and had a blow up so big it sounded like someone threw a brick into the water. There is access on the far side as well, over there I met another guy fishing with a frog rod. He said the ponds had some huge bass and snakeheads, but you really had to work for them. He got a hit when I was standing there that bent the hell out of his heavy rod, but it came off after a few seconds.

I would never make a trip just to go there, but if I am passing by I will stop and make a few casts. I am curious to see what is is like in the fall when the cover thins out.

As for the legality, I have had dozens of sheriff's department cars pass me when I was fishing and they never even slowed down.

[Slackdaddy]

Thanks for chiming in.
Did you kayak fish it ?? bank fishing would be very difficult.
Not sure about the limited access? The road behind the concrete plant/United rental is 15' from the water,,
Sake Heads? Large Bass? Loading the kayaks now

Slack

I have fished there a few times. Access is very limited unless you want to walk long the train tracks. I was there two months ago, and it was the thickest cover I have seen in MD. I only had a M spinning rod with me, so I didn't stay long but did some scouting. Made a few casts to the less thick areas, and had a blow up so big it sounded like someone threw a brick into the water. There is access on the far side as well, over there I met another guy fishing with a frog rod. He said the ponds had some huge bass and snakeheads, but you really had to work for them. He got a hit when I was standing there that bent the hell out of his heavy rod, but it came off after a few seconds.

I would never make a trip just to go there, but if I am passing by I will stop and make a few casts. I am curious to see what is is like in the fall when the cover thins out.

As for the legality, I have had dozens of sheriff's department cars pass me when I was fishing and they never even slowed down.

[bunnielab]

The bank is close there, but steep and very overgrown with thick brush.

It looked like hell to paddle through the last time I was there, but I encourage you to give it a shot! It is perfect looking habitat I am sure gets zero pressure other than the banks. I am admittedly pretty lazy when it comes to launching from unimproved spots and likely miss some great fishing because of it.

[eyedaddy]

I have fished it several times over the years both from shore, car top and canoe. The last time about 3 years ago was by canoe and it is tough to paddle through however it is worth the pain at times. Bass, Bluegills and Crappy that I know of and Beaver. You must be very careful if you go by Canoe or Kayak as there is nobody to help you if you turtle. Bottom is very soft, first time I fished it in the early 70's I used waders and thought I had bought the farm I was stuck so deep, but kept a cool head and I'm still here! Back in the early to mid 60's an Air Force SGT. is rumored to have caught a State Record Bass and took it home and ate it from there. Give it a try and just be safe!

[Capt C-Hawk]

State record was in fact caught there in the early 60's. The air force sgt broke that record 3 weeks later in the pond on base at andrews. That was before MD started checking for Florida strain LMB. (I'm just saying)
There's also an access point at the end of the drive past the rec center.

[Slackdaddy]

DSCN7328.jpgDSCN7321.jpgDSCN7331.jpg
So me and the boy went this morning fished from 6:45 - 10:00AM.
Zero, zilch, nothing.
We fished the pond behind the homedepot/concrete plant, NOT the pond on the other side of the track by the Rec center.
Launch was easy for 2 people,, it would have been very hard for one person.
The water was covered with some green "growth", it was like independent round "peddles" from very small to 1/4", they did not stick together and our weedless top water parted them without picking any up.
The pond had an occasional "septic" smell. It was 2-4' deep in the few places I checked.
I was running a weedless hard frog, and a weedless soft paddle foot frog, I had no hits, no blow ups, nothing. I did see 2 turtles surface.
My boy had 2 blowups/hits, but did not hook em.

I was expecting more,, not sure I will try it again.

[bunnielab]

That's too bad, that place seems so promising. I had a similarly frustrating day at Cash lake last month, A spot I know holes decent fish, but five hours only got me two small bass and a single crappie.

[icanoe]

That's duckweed.

[eyedaddy]

These condition are typical for summertime here, I would wait and give it another try as fall cools down the water temps and some of the top clutter dies off. I drove past Melwood Pond yesterday on the way to teaching a Basic Pistol Class at Maryland Small Arms and the pond was covered in duckweed also. Cool weather will take care of this mess. Don't give up on these ponds, for now just find some open water give it a try.

eyedaddy

[Slackdaddy]

The Duckweed did not hamper us at all, the lures we used just parted it and did not gather any at all.
We brought our weedless "A" game We VERY quietly coasted about 50' from the lilly pads, casted about 10-15' into them, let the lure sit 30 seconds, then worked it through the pads.
We were on the water at 6:45.
If looks VERY "fishy" possibly there is no "depth" in these ponds.

Slack