Severn Run Recon

[Fishinfool]

I fondly recall fishing for yellows at the Severn Run in the sixties and seventies. Back then the stream was black with fish, and it was legal to fish there during the spawn. My how times have changed!

I was encouraged by a recent google search that had someone fishing for trout actually catching y.p. during the March spawn in 2006. I was in that area today, and decided to see if there was any spawning activity. I walked downstream a few hundred yards from the one parking spot off of Dicus Mill until I got to a clearing and was cut off from proceeding (no waders with me). There was no sign of any spawning activity whatsoever. I was hoping to at least see something (the males will leave their semen strewn on branches etc.)

This area is completely closed for y.p. fishing, and has been for years. My interest was strictly reconnaissance,for possible targeting of the y.p. later in the season downriver. Perhaps it's still early. I see the report in this Forum from Allen's Fresh yesterday was dead too, but maybe that area's also dead for yellows.

I keep hoping. Here are a couple of pics. The stream itself looked okay, considering all the snow we've had this year. It's not crystal clear, but it's not muddy either. It really should have more gravel, especially for potential spawning of both yellows, and brookies.

Severn Run II.jpgSevern Run I.jpg

[Raptor]

It may be a bit early. I was at Tuckahoe today and the perch run was just starting yesterday and today i.e. all small males and a bit of a slow bite.

T.

[Fishinfool]

Thanks Raptor. I guess the spawn is set to water temp, and we're not there yet. If I can, I'll ride back there again in a week or so.

This is 1,700 acres of Maryland State property, and is completely undeveloped as a park. Maybe that's a good thing, as long as you can park somewhere. The bird life there is excellent, but I'd like yellow perch back too.

[jhoss]

Its really quite sad what has happenend to the perch fishery. Does anyone know if there are any efforts to re-introduce them or build stocks back up? I feel bad having kept the few that I did back in february on account of their low numbers overall. Of course you seem to only get females when you keep them over 9 inches. Maybe a max size should be introduced as well to keep some of the larger female breeders in circulation.

I fished lake Erie this fall and the perch there were so plentiful we caught 150 fish in about an hour. Every drop you had one (or two) on there as soon as it hit the bottom. Sad to think they were as plentiful in the bay not that long ago...

[Jaspratt]

As far as i know, they do stock hatchlings to the upper parts of the creeks/rivers, they cant really stock full sized perch because they want them to return to the creeks to spawn. the perch develope a memory of that location within days or weeks of when they first hatch. I think the big problem with our perch is the water quality and poacher with nets

[dsiekman]

I used to fish the Severn mainly for perch before I discovered fishing for rock. I've caught maybe a dozen YP compared to the hundreds if not thousands of WP over the last few years. For whatever reason, they just don't seem to be there. It's kind of like finding the pretty girl at the bar...with the lights on.

[J.A. Veil]

I used to fish the Severn mainly for perch before I discovered fishing for rock. I've caught maybe a dozen YP compared to the hundreds if not thousands of WP over the last few years. For whatever reason, they just don't seem to be there. It's kind of like finding the pretty girl at the bar...with the lights on.

I agree with Doug. Last year I caught more than a thousand white perch in the Severn and about 3 yellow perch. I am fishing in the section of the river near the two bridges. Yellows just are not there in any predictable numbers anymore. They may be in the headwaters in spring, but DNR does not allow fishing in those areas during late March and all of April.

[Fishinfool]

Re-stocking is an interesting idea. Maybe a way to prime the pump?

DNR has basically identified the increase in the amount of impervious surfaces in the watershed as the primary enemy of the indigenous yellow perch in the Severn River. This increases non-point run-off, the most difficult to control, into the spawning habitat. Specifically, it is stated in the publications that the increase in salinity levels due to road run-off, which reduces the spring fed flow of fresh clean water due to the effects sediment, and well as road salts used during winter months that run into the watershed.

Frankly, I am not so sure about these findings (but what do I know). There is very little road run-off into the headwaters of the Severn River, so I guess it's the reduction in the fresh water springs that feed into the Severn Run due to the choking effects of storm water run-off.

This is the purpose of the storm water management fees that have been assessed; to provide a dedicated source of revenue with which the run-off problem can be addressed to both E.P.A. and State standards (whatever they are).

In general, it's a complicated problem, and exacerbated specifically by the fact that yellow perch always spawn in the river where they were hatched, and typically do not leave that tributary in their lifetimes. Here are the most recent sources of the research done by DNR:

http://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fhep/?p=Severn

http://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fh...ual_Report.pdf

http://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fh...us_Surface.pdf

[Fishinfool]

I revisited the Severn Run again Sunday 3/23/ and hiked downstream within shouting distance of the Rt 3 bridge. The stream looked good; clear and fast running in spots but still no sign of any y perch spawning activity there. I may give it one more shot later in the week, as I hear the water temp has still not reached the requisite 46 degree trigger. Later, I chatted up one of the guys working at Angler's and he says the spawn was small, came early and is already over at Tuckahoe. Maybe, maybe not for the good 'ol Severn Run.

Again, fishing for y perch in the Seven Run has been closed since 1989, and remains closed.

[MDsteve]

Its sad that nothing has been done to curb the runoff of road salt, sediment, and population growth. Its also a shame and sad that there isn't any more recent YP management from say during the past 10 years. Posting the stuff from 1960's is ancient history and corny in my book.

[Fishinfool]

Its sad that nothing has been done to curb the runoff of road salt, sediment, and population growth. Its also a shame and sad that there isn't any more recent YP management from say during the past 10 years. Posting the stuff from 1960's is ancient history and corny in my book.

Sad yes, but I am not sure what you mean by "corny", or referring to the posted links as "ancient history"? The first link a couple of comments back was a gateway link to studies done as recently as 2012. Here it is again, in case you want to see it, and actually read it this time instead of just looking at the photos from 1962. http://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fhep/?p=Severn

And before you pass judgement, yellow perch may very well be the canary in the coal mine for other important fisheries such as crabs, rockfish, white perch, etc. It's important to know some history to understand where we may be headed. If you'd rather keep your head in the sand, that's your business.

Maybe the fisheries management folks on the state and federal level can bring the yellow perch back, as they did with the rockfish in the late 70's, or maybe they can't. Maybe the state stormwater management fees can help, or maybe they won't.

The fact is, it's a complex problem and some things are being done; maybe not enough but at least some things.

[Striper_MIKE]

Yeah, I wasn't too fond of the "corny" and "ancient history" comments myself. I, for one, appreciate the information as is the case with most posts. Freedom of speech? Sure, why not? But isn't it just easier to keep stuff like that to one's self? Just sayin' ...

[dsiekman]

I revisited the Severn Run again Sunday 3/23/ and hiked downstream within shouting distance of the Rt 3 bridge. The stream looked good; clear and fast running in spots but still no sign of any y perch spawning activity there. I may give it one more shot later in the week, as I hear the water temp has still not reached the requisite 46 degree trigger. Later, I chatted up one of the guys working at Angler's and he says the spawn was small, came early and is already over at Tuckahoe. Maybe, maybe not for the good 'ol Severn Run.

Again, fishing for y perch in the Seven Run has been closed since 1989, and remains closed.

Let's hope the water warms up soon so we can get out there and do some in-depth recon! All of the snow this year, along with the cold temps, has me worried about what fishing will be like.

[Fishinfool]

I may be corrected on this but the perch and rock don't really hit near the shoreline and around piers in the rivers until the water temps hit about 65 - 70 degrees. We are probably running 3 - 4 weeks behind last year on that measure.

Once we get going, maybe the long cold winter will have some cleansing affects, such as getting rid of some types of bacteria and algae that contribute to lower levels of dissolved oxygen in the waters. We shall see. I am about as antsy to get a line out as anyone!

[J.A. Veil]

During the past few springs, I started looking for white perch in the Severn shoreline shallows near the end of April. I did not find any until the first or second week of May.