| Approximate Boundary: 39.05622,-76.985033 to 39.056095,-76.983145
This five-acre pond sits in the middle of the 95 acre Martin Luther King Junior Park. The park is packed with features that include a swim center, ball fields, picnic shelters, tennis, volleyball and basketball courts. In addition, it is the southern terminal point for the Paint Branch stream trail that runs through the adjacent Paint Branch Stream Valley Park. A walk of only a few hundred yards to the east puts you on this additional fishable water. The Paint Branch catch and release section, featuring brown trout, is approximately 1.5 miles upstream at the crossing of Fairland Road. As a side note, brown trout were stocked in the Paint Branch in 1929 and became self-sustaining. Like all wildlife in the heart of a heavily urbanized area, their survival is under pressure from surrounding development. Thankfully, the DNR is monitoring this closely and hopes to protect the spawning habitat that the trout need to persist.
I apologize for getting you excited, but the pond does not feature a self-sustaining population of brown trout. The only browns swimming in this water are those that the DNR stocked. The pond is mere feet from the parking area and stretches from east to west with an open shoreline, speckled with small bushes at the water's edge, along the northern bank. There are a few small groves of trees along the southern bank that limit access, but not to the extent to impact the fishing. The best end of the lake to fish is the eastern and along the retaining wall since that is where the bottom drops off quickly from the shoreline. Elsewhere in the lake, the bottom undergoes a gradual transition from dry land to the "deep" water in the center of the pond. During the stocking season, there is not an unreasonable amount of shoreline vegetation to clog your cast. Regardless of the shoreline structure, movement around the perimeter of the lake is easy on the 4 foot wide asphalt trail.
Getting There: From I-495, take Exit 28 north to merge onto MD 650 N/New Hampshire Ave toward White Oak. Turn right onto Jackson Road and follow it for a little over 0.5 miles to enter the Park. Continue straight (do not turn) until you see the pond on the left.
Access Point: 39.055487,-76.984754
Secrets Revealed? No. This is a very public location that is documented in the Maryland DNR stocking plan.
Tell a friend about this article by clicking on this link
Purchase Switchfisher's books using the links to Amazon below for:
- Wade Fishing the Rappahannock River of Virginia (more info)
- Wade Fishing the Rapidan River of Virginia (more info)
- Wade and Shoreline Fishing the Potomac River for Smallmouth Bass
(more info)
- Trout and Smallmouth Fishing on the North Branch of the Potomac
(more info)
|
View MD Howard, Montgomery & Prince George's CO Trout Management Areas in a larger map
Remember to refer to my rating explanations - these are based on what I look for - so RED for Physical Fitness translates to easy physically - you do not need to be in shape to fish this section. I prefer terrain that is tough to get into and out of.
|
