Wye Mills Lake

Wye Mills Lake, a 50-acre mill pond beside MD 662 just south of US 50, is one of the larger lakes on the Eastern Shore. DNR manages it for largemouth and bluegill and says it's best known for quality bass, with a real chance at a trophy, backed by very good panfishing; DNR's weekly reports also single it out for crappie. The lower lake is full of downed trees and undercut banks, and DNR has sunk Christmas-tree habitat and fish attractors for anglers.

When to fish

• Early spring: crappie school on deep structure before moving shallow; April brings pre-spawn bass and panfish into the shallows.
• Summer: bass around the wood; snakeheads in the spillway below the dam. Watch for algae advisories in hot weather.
• Late fall: crappie hold tight to deep structure again.

Where to fish

• The lower two-thirds of the lake: steeper banks, sharp drop-offs, downed trees and undercut roots.
• The concrete dam breast: shore fishing over DNR's fish attractors.
• The shallow upper third, with gradual drop-offs.
• The spillway below the dam: snakeheads, and the start of the tidal Wye East River.

How to fish it

• Bass: with so much natural forage, the bass can be finicky. Try spinnerbaits, stick worms and weightless swimbaits along the wood in spring.
• Crappie: small minnows or marabou jigs under a slip bobber over deep structure.
• Panfish: tiny jigs tipped with grass shrimp or a piece of worm.
• Snakeheads: frogs and poppers over vegetation, weedless swimbaits, spinnerbaits or buzzbaits. DNR encourages anglers to keep every snakehead they catch.

Getting there

The ramp and small parking lot are at the south end, off MD 662 (Wye Mills Road) south of US 50; no permit is needed. There's no horsepower limit, but boats can't go faster than 6 knots, and DNR prefers electric motors. In 2024 toxic algae mats at the ramp and a bloom led to a no-contact advisory on the lake, so check for advisories in summer and keep dogs out of the water. You need a Maryland nontidal fishing license on the lake and a Chesapeake Bay and Coastal Sport Fishing License below the dam.