St Marys River Fishing Guides
A short tidal Potomac tributary in St. Mary's County, running from the head of tide at Great Mills past Historic St. Mary's City into a broad brackish lower river.
Guides on the St Marys River
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About the St Marys River
The St Marys is a compact tidal river, short enough to fish end to end in a day but varied enough that the top and the bottom are effectively two fisheries. At Great Mills the water is fresh and narrow, barely a stream where the gauge sits, with wooded banks and a slow push of current. Downstream it widens steadily past Historic St. Mary’s City, salinity climbs, and by the time it reaches the Potomac it is a broad brackish river with open water, points and oyster bottom. That gradient from fresh to brackish inside a few miles is what makes the river interesting and what determines where you fish in any given month.
In the fresh upper water and in nearby St. Mary’s Lake the fishing is largemouth bass, chain pickerel, bluegill and yellow perch, with channel catfish in the deeper holes. Moving down, white perch become the most dependable fish in the river and are the one species almost always worth targeting. Striped bass work the lower river on the tide, blue catfish have pushed in from the Potomac and now show up regularly, and American eel and blue crab round out the tidal picture. Spring brings yellow and white perch into the upper reaches to spawn, which is the most reliable fishing of the year.
Tide matters more than flow here. The gauge at Great Mills tells you about freshwater input after rain, but the moving water that turns fish on is tidal, and most local guides plan around the stage rather than the calendar. Access is a mix of county landings, the state park at the lake and the public water around St. Mary’s City, and small boats, kayaks and light tackle suit the river better than anything large.
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Access
Great Mills - the gauge location at the head of tide, with a road crossing and limited parking.
St. Mary's Lake - the impoundment upstream in St. Mary's River State Park, with a ramp and shoreline access.
St. Mary's River State Park - the state park holding the lake and surrounding public land.
Historic St. Mary's City - public waterfront on the middle river, with parking and shore access.
St. Mary's College - the college waterfront, with a dock and small-boat launch.
Carthagena Creek - a tidal side creek on the lower river worth working on the tide.
St. George Island - the lower river and Potomac mouth, with a ramp and open brackish water.
Seasons
Spring: the best of the year, with yellow and white perch running up to the fresher water to spawn.
Summer: warm and productive on the tide, with white perch, catfish and striped bass in the lower river.
Fall: striped bass and perch feed hard as the water cools and the river fishes consistently.
Winter: slow and cold, with pickerel in the upper water and the deeper tidal holes the best bet.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the St Marys River?
As of Nov 2, 7:15 am, the USGS gauge St Marys River at Great Mills, MD reads 5 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the St Marys River?
Anglers target American Eel, Blue Catfish, Blue Crab, Bluegill, Chain Pickerel, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, White Perch, Yellow Perch on the St Marys River in Maryland.
Where can you access the St Marys River?
Great Mills - the gauge location at the head of tide, with a road crossing and limited parking. St. Mary's Lake - the impoundment upstream in St. Mary's River State Park, with a ramp and shoreline access. St. Mary's River State Park - the state park holding the lake and surrounding public land. Historic St. Mary's City - public waterfront on the middle river, with parking and shore access. St. Mary's College - the college waterfront, with a dock and small-boat launch. Carthagena Creek - a tidal side creek on the lower river worth working on the tide. St. George Island - the lower river and Pot...
When is the best time to fish the St Marys River?
Spring: the best of the year, with yellow and white perch running up to the fresher water to spawn. Summer: warm and productive on the tide, with white perch, catfish and striped bass in the lower river. Fall: striped bass and perch feed hard as the water cools and the river fishes consistently. Winter: slow and cold, with pickerel in the upper water and the deeper tidal holes the best bet.
Where are the fishing regulations for the St Marys River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Maryland agency site: https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/regulations/index.aspx