Dwight Lydell Park

[Alboy79]

Theres a little park in Comstock Park, about 1/4 mile from my house. My kid likes to go down there and ride her scooter and bike. It just so happens that it used to be a fish hatchery for the DNR back in the 30s-40s

From the parks website:
"This property originally served as a fish hatchery for the State of Michigan, with trains loading tanks of fish for distribution throughout the state. In 1949, the property was deeded to Kent County by the State of Michigan for use as a county park."

Now days there are three ponds left. You can see the little bitty blue gills and rock bass swimming the shallows if you walk by. In one pond resides 4, fairly large, goldfish. It's a nice place to go kill some time while the kid has her fun.
When I was her age I can remember my dad taking me there to fish these ponds. So the last couple times we've gone I've brought the fishing poles to see what happens.

To date I've caught blue gill, rock bass, bull head, pike, and crappie here.

Tonight, my wife and I were walking along the fence(all the lakes are fenced off between thigh and waist high) casting the rods when we noticed a shadow in the middle... We found structure in the Deep end.

One after another the crappie starting hitting. We spent two hours reeling in crappie. Other people from the park were coming over to watch us catch these fish. It was a riot.
Of course being small ponds, the fish weren't huge. Most were 6-8", with one reaching 10" probably.
Watching my kid and wife getting excited made up for them not being huge. We probably caught and released close to our limit.

I snapped a few pics for fun.

[wicklundrh]

Very cool. Nice job. Bet you see a few people fishing there now

[Alboy79]

I've seen dads with little kids there picking off the dinks with their Barbie poles, and I've seen a young couple practicing their fly rod casting. But that was the first time I witnessed anyone getting after them like that.
It was fun. We will go again.

[Just Steve]

I bet they had fun regardless of size, were you using jigs only?

[Alboy79]

Jigs and bobbers. We tip them with crappie nibbles.

[yankee doodler]

That does sound like a riot. Betcha everyone had a hoot!

[jm0502]

I was there last night. Grabbed the pole that was in my truck with a K & E worm, first cast, 30 inch pike, second cast 18 inch pike.

I was really surprised. Didnt expect to catch anything.

[Alboy79]

My daughter and I were there last night as well. Around 630ish. She out fished me 5 to 3, but claimed 2 of mine didn't count because I caught them on her pole.

[Alboy79]

Which pond did you fish?

[wicklundrh]

Welcome aboard JM!