Popular Choices For Great Fishing In Mississippi
Guide to fishing in the Magnolia State
Mississippi is a fishing paradise that offers a wide variety of fish species to target, making it a favorite destination for anglers of all skill levels. The state boasts abundant warm water fisheries, cold water fisheries, as well as numerous ponds, lakes, and rivers that provide excellent fishing opportunities. The purpose of this page is to share basic information about the best fishing lakes in the state, plus the species found in each lake.
In the warm water fisheries of Mississippi, anglers can target popular species such as largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, bluegill, and sunfish. These fish thrive in the warm, fertile waters of the state's lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers. Anglers can enjoy the thrill of hooking into trophy-sized largemouth bass, filling their coolers with tasty crappie, or battling with hard-fighting catfish. The warm water fisheries of Mississippi provide ample opportunities for anglers to pursue their favorite species and create lasting fishing memories.
Mississippi is also home to several cold water fisheries, particularly in the northern part of the state. These fisheries offer anglers the chance to target species such as trout, smallmouth bass, and walleye. Cold water fisheries typically have cooler water temperatures, providing suitable habitats for these species. Anglers can enjoy the challenge of fly fishing for trout in pristine mountain streams or casting for smallmouth bass in scenic rivers. The cold water fisheries of Mississippi provide a unique angling experience and attract fishing enthusiasts looking for a different kind of adventure.
Apart from lakes and rivers, Mississippi is dotted with ponds that offer excellent fishing opportunities. These ponds are often stocked with a variety of fish species, including bass, catfish, bluegill, and crappie. Anglers can enjoy fishing in a peaceful and secluded environment, often without the crowds found in larger bodies of water. Ponds provide a great opportunity for beginners and youth anglers to learn the basics of fishing and develop their skills.
From the vast waters of the Mississippi River to the tranquil ponds scattered throughout the state, Mississippi offers diverse fishing experiences for all anglers. Whether you prefer the excitement of warm water fisheries, the challenges of cold water fisheries, or the tranquility of pond fishing, Mississippi has it all. With its variety of species and fishing environments, Mississippi is a true angler's paradise.
The state of Mississippi offers excellent bass fishing, crappie fishing, catfish, stripers and more in lakes, ponds, streams and rivers. Listed here are the major fishing lakes in Mississippi. Here, you can fish for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, redear sunfish, spotted sunfish, warmouth, white bass, yellow bass, stripers, alligator gar, bowfin, chain pickerel, longnose gar, paddlefish, sauger, saugeye and spotted gar in local lakes, rivers, ponds and/or streams.
Major Mississippi Lakes & Species
Lake & Fish Chart
This chart shows the major angling destinations, cross referencing these waters with the major species to be found in each of the lakes or impoundments.
For a detailed list of primary fish species in MS, plus state fish records, see the list below.
Fishing lake sizes and locations in the state.
Aberdeen Lake is a 4,100-acre lake in the northeast section of the state at Aberdeen.
Arkabutla Lake is an 33,000-acre lake in the northwest corner of the state, 2 miles northwest of Coldwater.
Barnett Reservoir is a 33,000-acre lake in the central part of the state, at Ridgeland.
Bay Springs Lake is a 6,600-acre lake in the northeast corner of the state, 5 miles west of Dennis.
Columbus Lake is an 8,900-acre lake in eastern Mississippi, at Columbus.
Enid Lake is a 28,000-acre reservoir in the north-central part of the state, at Enid.
Grenada Reservoir is a 64,000-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, at Grenada.
Lake Beulah is a 1,030-acre lake on the western border of the state, at Beulah.
Lake Bogue Homa is a 882 acre lake in the southeast section of the state, 8 miles east of Laurel.
Lake Washington is a 5,000-acre lake near the western border of the state, at Hampton.
Lake Whittington is a 2,300-acre lake along the western Mississippi border, at Bolivar.
Moon Lake is a 1,900-acre lake in the northwest corner of the state, at Lula.
Okatibbee Lake is a 4,100-acre lake in the southeast part of the state, 3 miles northeast of Collinsville.
Pickwick Lake is a 43,000-acre lake in the northwest cornet of the state, at Waterloo.
Sardis Lake is a 58,000-acre lake in the northwest corner of the state, 5 miles northwest of Oxford.
Tunica Lake is a 2,500-acre lake in the northwest corner of the state, at Austin.
Fish Species & State Records in Mississippi
Bass
Largemouth bass
World record: 22 lbs 4 oz
State Record: 18.15 lbs
Smallmouth bass
World record: 11 lbs 15 oz
State Record: 7 lbs 15 oz
Spotted bass
World record: 9 lbs 8 oz
State Record: 8 lbs 2 oz
Catfish
Channel catfish
World record: 58 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 51 lbs 12 oz
Flathead catfish
World record: 123 lbs 9 oz
State Record: 77.7 lbs
Blue catfish
World record: 143 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 95 lbs 0 oz
Crappie
Black crappie
World record: 6 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 4 lbs 4 oz
White crappie
World record: 5 lbs 3 oz
State Record: 5 lbs 3 oz
Walleye
Walleye
World record: 25 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 9.66 lbs
Sauger
World record: 17 lbs 7 oz
State Record: 2.52 lbs
Saugeye
World record: 15 lbs 6 oz
State Record: 4.66 lbs
Trout
Rainbow trout
World record: 42 lbs 2 oz
State Record: 5.03 lbs
Panfish
Bluegill
World record: 4 lbs 12 oz
State Record: 3.45 lbs
Green sunfish
World record: 2.2 lbs
State Record: 1.26 lbs
Hybrid sunfish
World record: N/A
State Record: 1.23 lbs
Longear sunfish
World record: 1.75 lbs
State Record: 0.39 lbs
Redear sunfish
World record: 5.4 lbs
State Record: 3.33 lbs
Spotted sunfish
World record: N/A
State Record: 0 lbs 2.3 oz
Warmouth
World record: 2.4 lbs
State Record: 1 lbs 8 oz
White Bass
World record: 6.8 lbs
State Record: 5 lbs 6 oz
Yellow bass
World record: 2 lbs 15 oz
State Record: 2.24 lbs
Yellow perch
World record: 4 lbs 3 oz
State Record: 1.46 lbs
Striped bass
Stripers
Inland world record: 64 lbs 8 oz
State Record: 39.6 lbs
Hybrid Stripers (Wipers)
Hybrid Stripers
World record: 27 lbs 5 oz
State Record: 17.77 lbs
Other species
Alligator gar
World record: 279 lbs
State Record: 215 lbs 0 oz
Bowfin
World record: 21 lbs 8 oz
State Record: 18 lbs 14 oz
Chain pickerel
World record: 9 lbs 6 oz
State Record: 6 lbs 4 oz
Longnose gar
World record: 50 lbs 5 oz
State Record: 48.08 lbs
Paddlefish
World record: 144 lbs
State Record: 65 lbs 0 oz
Spotted gar
World record: 9 lbs 12 oz
State Record: 8.1 lbs
Click the images and links above for species details.
Catch Mississippi bass in lakes and ponds throughout the state. There are plenty of other species residing in MS waters to fulfill most any anglers' wish list.
Visit AA-Boats-Boating.com to find information about fishing boats in Mississippi and other boating information.
State of MS Fishing Information
For additional information about fishing in Mississippi visit the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks website. Click here to acquire a Mississippi fishing license.
Fish for big bass
Excellent largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass fishing opportunities are available to anglers.
Fishing in all states
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