The Severn River is a major tidal estuary flowing into the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It is a popular spot for boating and fishing and is home to a large variety of plant, animal, and marine life. In this article we’ll cover some of the best Severn River fishing hotspots you’ll find in this amazing body of water.
Some interesting features of the Severn River include tidal marshes, which provide important habitat for a variety of species, and the area’s rich history including the Battle of the Severn in the Revolutionary War. Today, the Severn River is a popular destination for recreational activities and is an important part of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.
Anglers who live nearby or who are visiting the area will be happy to know there are some great fishing spots on the Severn Estuary and you can catch a wide variety of fish species. This 14-mile stretch of tidal estuary in Anne Arundel County, Maryland provides plenty of fishing opportunities for both new and experienced anglers.
Fishing piers make it easy for everyone to catch something if you have the right bait. This guide highlights five popular Severn River fishing hotspots to make your next fishing expedition a breeze. Let’s learn more about the area and see where these great fishing hotspots are.
Is The River Severn Good For Fishing?
If you’re near the area and you have some time on your hands (and a proper fishing license or registration) the Severn River fishing is quite good and you can catch many kinds of fish. The main target here is rockfish, also called striped bass. These are good eating and quite common here.
Where can I fish on the Severn River?
Even though most of its shoreline is privately owned, there are several fishing spots that anglers can visit for their fishing escapades at the Severn River. Choose from among these hotspots to increase the chances of having a great day fishing.
Ideally, get a boat or kayak and go out on the water to find spots you cannot reach from shore. A boat opens up fishing opportunities considerably!
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1. Tucker Street
Boaters of all types can launch at Weem’s Creek from the Tucker Street boat ramp (GPS 38.993018619825044, -76.50490955679895) but parking is very limited. Weem’s Creek offers you plenty of different fish species depending on the tackle you’re using. During summer the docks are full of white perch, croaker, and spotfish. Using small bait on a jighead or a worm or a nightcrawler should put you on fish pretty quickly in most conditions.
Tucker Street and Weem’s has become a hotspot for pickerel and local kayakers have been honing in on the species by floating with the current while fishing live minnows under a bobber. You’ll find them close to structure, so stick close to the shore and docks and you should have no trouble finding them.
They’re jumpy and toothy and a net is recommended. They are easy to hook but not all that easy to land because they may spit the hook when you get them close to the boat and they panic.
Bring a child out there to try it, it’s a great way to introduce them to fishing because you’re going to get bites and pickerel are not hard fish to hook into. You’ll also catch other species with that same rig, so you shouldn’t go without catching anything.
Oh, and don’t bother trying to eat pickerel, they don’t taste bad but they are extremely boney and probably not worth it when there are other much better-eating fish to catch in the Severn River fishing area.
Fishing for rockfish? Try a spinnerbait in chartreuse, pink, or other bright colors, especially in unclear water as it seems to be most times at this creek. Though not the perfect spot for catching rockfish, it does give up the occasional keeper fish.
2. Jonas Green Park
The full name of this park is Jonas and Anne Catharine Green Park. It overlooks the water at its deepest point in the bay. Driving over the Naval Academy Bridge allows you to access the part of the bridge (pier) that juts out into the water. The GPS coordinates are 38.995475350054896, -76.48404483019269.
In the past this was an ideal place to fish all night long because it never closed. Now it’s closed from sunset to sunrise. There is a trend of this across the nation, closing fishing spots late at night. It’s a tragedy if you ask me!
Variable open hours here make it a bit of a nightmare for planning visits. At the moment they are open until at least 5 pm. during the slow season and 8 pm. during the busy season. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, they are open until 10 pm. during the busy season. Busy season is from 4/1 to 12/30. Slow season is from 1/1 to 3/31.
There are only 59 parking spots plus 2 handicapped spots. The pier is 225 feet long (over water) and it can get crowded on weekends but weekdays are pleasant.
What Fish Can You Catch at Jonas Green Park?
Some of the best variety of species in the Severn River can be caught here at Jonas Green Park. Target striped bass (rockfish), spotted bass, muskellunge (musky), yellow perch, white perch, croaker, spot fish, blue crab, and American eel.
Fishing from structure here (the pier is free) or from shore (not free) is an excellent way to fish the deeper water farther than you can cast a line to a lake or a river. You’re right over the deep spot here and the variety of fish is a godsend.
You can even catch catfish and bluefish here. For catfish, grab your favorite baitcaster and use anything dead on the bottom and let it sit still or drift with the current with some lightweight lead to keep it on or near the bottom.
For blues, cut bait floated near the top of the water column if the water is warm enough or dropped down a bit if the deeper spots are warmer will have you on fish in no time.
High-low rigs are popular in the Severn Estuary. Put a sinker at the bottom and two swivels with a 1-2 foot hooked line on them. Place one about 6 inches from the sinker and the other one 18-24″ up the line. In this way, you target two areas of the water column. Buy pre-made rigs to make it much easier.
Bait hooks with bloodworms, razor clams, cut bait, or minnows. Check the shore to see if there are any bait fish or shrimp you can catch with a cast net. Check local laws beforehand, they can change often.
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Anglers who are looking for big rockfish can use a rig that uses two to four feet of fluorocarbon leader and a small hook baited with a soft-shell crab or a crawfish. Having a scoop net ready to land the fish is preferable as too many will slip the hook at the boat.
Occasionally you can get rockfish to bite on topwater using floating plugs like 3-5″ Rapala lures or a local favorite, the Mirrolure She Dog.
Use lightweight spinning gear for smaller fish. A small bait such as a Rat-L-Trap, beetlespin, or cuttlefish grub can get a lot of strikes at this spot. If you have a kayak or stand up paddleboard, you can launch it by hand here.
Fishing with larger lures, such as live minnows and crankbait can be productive around the park in the right conditions. Remember, fish won’t bite on topwater lures unless the water is warm enough for them to be in the upper layers of the water column.
3. Acton’s Cove Waterfront Park
If you’re looking for a fishing spot along the Severn River where you can get in and get out quickly, this might be your spot.
Do you want to introduce your younger family members to fishing? Do you need to get downtown quickly after you’ve finished fishing? If you only have an hour or two to fish, Acton’s Cove is the place to go. You can find it just a couple of blocks down from the State House (GPS 38.9754328989579, -76.49377203653265).
This picturesque park allows anglers for fishing during daylight hours. Floating docks allow you to launch and tie up small boats for trips to nearby waters and even farther away.
Spinning lures, small floating lures, or worms fished on a bobber can catch small fish. There are lots of weeds in the area so you may get snagged often. Keep it in mind and use weedless lures when possible.
For perch, small paddle-tail grubs using a lightweight 1/16th oz. jig is a great choice and keeps you busy. Worms or other live or dead bait on a single-hook rig fished with a bobber and split shot to keep it under the surface can also produce fish in this spot.
All kinds of bait work here, it just depends on how you rig it. Fishing with worms, bloodworms, razor clams, and even minnows will bring in the fish. You might even have an audience as plenty of bystanders wander by to see what people are catching.
This is also a fantastic place to take kids to learn the hobby and inspire dreams!
4. Truxton Park/Spa Creek
Truxton Park is located at Spa Creek’s mouth (GPS 38.968475 -76.498539), one of the best access points on the southern parts of Severn River. You can launch fishing boats here for just $8. Kayaks are free.
The park has a dock, restrooms, and a small beach. From the parking area, it’s only a short walk or bike to the bay.
Fish caught here include white perch, pickerel, croaker, and spot. If it’s warm you can hook into some rockfish. This spot has it all and gives you access to the upper Severn River area too if you have a boat.
The park is ideal for kayakers and other boaters. You can fish from the shore, but there are a lot of waves and it can get frustrating because you imagine the waves are interfering with your fishing. That can be true, but rest assured that the fish are used to it. This is a busy area.
5. Smith’s Marina
There are many options when it comes to fishing the Severn River, but most of them involve boating and just how far you want to go in the boat to reach your prime fishing spot.
Some of the deepest water is found around Jonas Green Park, so Smith’s Marina is one place you can launch your boat ($10) in shallow water upstream from there and reach it after a drift or blast down there. It’s about 6 miles away.
Smith’s Marina in Crownsville (GPS 39.042720547499776, -76.57575040275518) provides a boat launch that puts you directly into the waters of Round Bay if you’re willing to pay a reasonable fee of $10.
Anglers can wade through the water to find rockfish or hunt for schooling birds in search of baitfish. You can also head up the river to lakes where the water is mostly freshwater and the fish species are plenty. You can fish for sunfish, largemouth bass, and yellow perch.
What Fish Are Found In The River Severn?
Fish species found in the Severn Estuary and further west to Bridgewater Bay are diverse. You can find more than 100 fish species living and feeding in the Estuary. You’ll even see a mix of marine species that come into the estuary accidentally by swimming upstream from the Atlantic Ocean in search of food.
The water here is mostly salty but is mixed with freshwater (brackish) the further northwest you go.
Common fish in the Severn River ecosystem include those that we’ve talked about above. The most sought-after fish is the rockfish (striped bass). These fish are absolutely delicious and they get big enough to feed a small family if you’re lucky enough to get one over 10 lb.
Most are 3-15 lb. with big ones going around 70 lb.! Firm, lean, and with a mild flavor that most people love, target rockfish when you can and see what you’ve been missing.
Rare fish species not often observed in the Estuary include the silver bream, blue carp, and anchovies.
Wrapping Up
With the five Severn River Fishing hotspots above you’ll have a great time finding the one that fits you best. Fish are easy to catch in the bay and you can use a variety of bait and lures. You can catch fish by accident, there are so many ways to catch fish here!
Fish top or bottom and with live bait, dead, cut bait, or artificial lures and spinners – up to you!
Kayak fishing on the bay is especially productive and fun. Get a tandem kayak or an extra single yak for someone in your family and increase the fun. Kayaks allow you to increase your fishing spots exponentially.
The Severn River fishing area is constantly under threat from local rivers running into it causing algae blooms and other problems causing low oxygen in the bay. There is a grass-roots organization doing all it can to bring the entire estuary back to a healthy state.
Sure, you can fish here and have a lot of fun but it could be a much healthier ecosystem than it is currently. Imagine how much better it could be. If you have the means, do what you can to help!
If you are in the area, grab your fishing rod and head to one of the fishing hotspots outlined above!
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