Lums Pond is a lake in Delaware, near New Castle County.
Lums Pond is Delaware's largest freshwater pond, covering 189.3 acres and reaching about 10 feet at its deepest point. Its 840.86 acre-feet of storage and broad, shallow shape create much more fishable water than most Delaware millponds.
The pond was created when St. Georges Creek was dammed for milling in the early 1700s. It later became the centerpiece of Lums Pond State Park. The old impoundment history matters to anglers because a shallow basin, creek influence, shoreline wood and scattered vegetation give fish several kinds of cover without true deep-water structure.
Largemouth bass and crappie use wood, vegetation edges and the first drop away from shore. Hybrid striped bass are a special open-water target here, and DNREC identifies Lums Pond as their Delaware freshwater range. Gizzard shad are an important forage fish, so small shad-colored crankbaits, paddletails and slab spoons are useful when hybrids are chasing bait.
For largemouth bass at Lums Pond, cast a compact spinnerbait or shallow crankbait to cover, then slow down with a Texas-rigged worm or small jig. Black crappie at Lums Pond respond to a 1/32- or 1/16-ounce jig and live minnows beside brush, shaded wood or the deepest water available. Bluegill in Lums Pond can be caught with a piece of worm, cricket or tiny jig under a small float, especially where shade meets vegetation.
Spring at Lums Pond puts the best shallow-water opportunity around warming banks, new vegetation and protected spawning areas. On Lums Pond, I would begin with a spinnerbait, jerkbait or small crankbait, then use a soft plastic when a specific piece of cover produces a bite.
Summer fishing on Lums Pond is controlled by oxygen, shade and the deepest useful water the pond offers. Early and late at Lums Pond, a topwater or frog can work over shallow cover. Under bright sun at Lums Pond, slow down beside vegetation, wood or the old channel rather than casting blindly across the flat.
During fall, baitfish movement gives Lums Pond anglers another chance to use crankbaits, spinnerbaits and small swimbaits. A cold front over Lums Pond can slow that bite, so keep a jig or worm ready. In winter, Lums Pond's most stable water and any remaining green vegetation deserve the first casts.
A medium-power spinning rod with 8-pound line handles the smaller jigs, worms and crappie baits used at Lums Pond. For Lums Pond's heavier cover, a medium-heavy baitcasting rod with 12- to 15-pound line is better for spinnerbaits, frogs and plastics. Those two setups cover most Lums Pond situations without turning a pond trip into a tackle-hauling exercise.
Work one shoreline carefully and let the first bite decide whether to stay shallow or move toward the middle. That simple comparison is especially useful on Lums Pond. Lums also has a serious invasive-fish story. DNREC removed 31 flathead catfish during 2022 electrofishing work, including a 37-inch, 26-pound fish. Anglers should not release flatheads caught here and should follow current DNREC reporting and disposal guidance.
It is an old impoundment on St. Georges Creek and covers about 189 acres, making it the state's largest freshwater pond.
DNREC specifically lists Lums Pond in the Delaware range of hybrid striped bass. Look for open-water bait and fish low-light periods with shad-pattern lures.
Flathead catfish are invasive in Delaware. Do not release one; use the current DNREC instructions for killing and reporting the fish.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.