Riverfront Park, Moss Point Fishing

Riverfront Park is where Moss Point, the River City, meets the Escatawpa. A boardwalk over the water and a busy launch make it the town's front door to two of the coast's great fishing rivers.

• A downtown boardwalk over the Escatawpa River
• A city boat launch on the riverfront
• Brackish water: trout and redfish in dry spells, catfish and bass after rain
• Shops, cafes and bait within reach

Riverfront Park lies along the Escatawpa River in downtown Moss Point, off Main Street and McInnis Avenue near City Hall. The City of Moss Point runs it.

• Getting there: follow Main Street into downtown Moss Point and head for the river
• The boardwalk reaches out over the water; the boat launch sits on the same riverfront
• Parking: downtown and riverfront lots
• Fees: none listed by the city
• Events: the River Jamboree, Cruisin' the River City and Smokin' the Sip are held here, so expect crowds on festival days

Salinity swings decide the catch on the lower Escatawpa.

• Spring (Mar-May): high flows usually keep the river fresh; catfish, bass and bream are the likely catch
• Summer (Jun-Aug): as flows drop, trout and redfish move up from the Pascagoula; catfish all season
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best saltwater window, with trout, redfish, flounder and black drum
• Winter (Dec-Feb): black drum and trout in the deeper river bends after cold fronts

Medium-light spinning tackle with 10 to 15 lb line is a good all-round choice.

• Speckled trout: live shrimp under a popping cork along the boardwalk pilings
• Redfish: shrimp or cut mullet on a Carolina rig near the marsh edges
• Black drum and catfish: crab, shrimp or cut bait on the bottom with a 2/0 to 3/0 circle hook
• Flounder: a live minnow bumped slowly along the bottom in fall
• When the river is fresh, worms and crickets for bream, soft plastics for bass

The river has a small, mostly once-a-day tide, and rainfall upstream often matters more than the tide.

• Dry weeks in late summer and fall bring salty water and saltwater fish to downtown
• Heavy rain turns the river fresh and dark; switch to freshwater fish or try another day
• A falling tide carries bait downstream past the boardwalk
• North winds after winter fronts lower the river and gather fish in deeper holes
• Mornings and evenings are best in summer heat

The riverfront is an easy, public place to fish.

• The boardwalk is level and close to parking
• Keep lines clear of boats using the launch
• River current can be strong when flows are high; do not wade
• Alligators live along the rivers; keep pets and children back from the bank
• Leave at the first thunder

Downtown Moss Point puts most needs within reach.

• A boardwalk over the river
• A city boat launch
• A veterans memorial and green space
• Wiggles Bait & Bar on the marina sells bait, food and drinks
• Cafes on Main Street, including the diner counter in the historic Burnham's drugstore, and an ice cream parlor by the river
• Restrooms in the park are not confirmed

• Pick up bait at Wiggles on the way in, as the city's visitor guide suggests
• Fish the riverfront after a dry spell in fall for the best shot at trout and redfish
• Check the city calendar; festival days fill the park
• Try the Audubon Center's kayak launch upriver to explore the Pascagoula's marshes
• Grab lunch on Main Street between tides

The City of Moss Point manages Riverfront Park.

• Follow the city's posted park rules
• A Mississippi saltwater fishing license is required south of US 90 unless you are exempt; between US 90 and I-10 either a saltwater or a freshwater license will do. Anglers under 16 are exempt
• Freshwater species follow the state wildlife department's rules; saltwater limits are from MDMR (dmr.ms.gov)
• Check current MDMR rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything