Lee Baysden Pond Fishing near Richlands, North Carolina

• Overview

  Lee Baysden Pond is set in Duplin County, North Carolina. Tidal water begins 14 miles from here. It covers about 15 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Ground here is low by North Carolina standards. The nearest town is Richlands, 8.3 miles away. Wilmington sits 44 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lee Baysden Pond

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Fish documented in Duplin County include sawcheek darter, bluegill and redfin pickerel. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Anyone new to Lee Baysden Pond should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 79°F on average, January about 43°F. Fishing runs all year, with summer the awkward season. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Lee Baysden Pond fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Lake Catherine sits 6 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Lee Baysden Pond in what we hold.