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Hearns Pond is a public lake in Sussex County, Delaware, managed by Delaware DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife. It is public water managed for fishing by Delaware DEEP. Public access confirmed via DE access-matched water.
One of Delaware's historic colonial-era millponds — dammed centuries ago for grist- or sawmill power, now a DNREC-managed largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie fishery. Almost all of Delaware's public still-water fishing is a millpond like this one; the state has essentially no natural lakes.
Hearns Pond covers about 61 acres in the Sussex County (Southern Delaware) region. Anglers here mostly fish for largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, black crappie; chain pickerel, yellow perch are also on record. The nearest other mapped waters on PiscaMaps are Williams Pond and Nanticoke River.
Species from PiscaMaps water-type profiles, Delaware DNREC trout-stocking records and hand research.
Night fishing: No statewide night-fishing closure in Delaware on freshwater ponds or streams.
Boats: Delaware's bigger millponds (Silver Lake, Lums Pond, Killens Pond, Trap Pond, Records Pond) take a car-top or small trailered boat via a DNREC ramp; most smaller ponds and all trout streams are bank/wading access only.
Bank & bivvy camping: Camp at the Delaware state parks around several of these ponds (Killens Pond, Trap Pond, Lums Pond all have their own campgrounds); DNREC fishing-access points elsewhere are day-use only.
Tackle: Statewide bass and panfish limits are generous; the small Piedmont trout-stream program follows its own posted limit and season. Check the current DNREC fishing guide for this specific water.
Boat ramps: 1 mapped — Boat ramp.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors.
Anyone 16 to 64 needs a Delaware fishing licence — the resident annual is about $8.50, the non-resident annual about $22, with a 7-day non-resident licence (~$16) also sold. A separate free Delaware Bay/tidal endorsement is required for some anadromous species. Residents 65 and older and Delaware residents fishing on their own tidal shoreline need no licence. Buy from DNREC at dnrec.delaware.gov. A Delaware fishing licence covers this water — it has a DNREC fishing-access point.
Every water carries species, bank & boat access, current regulations and live water conditions — and members get Swim Mapper, Catch Logger and Trip Planner. It's the only US map with a dedicated carp-water layer.
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