Popular Panfish Fishing Options In Mississippi

Guide to fishing for bream and sunfish in MS lakes and ponds.

By AA-Fishing Staff Writers

The purpose of this page is to share basic information about panfish fishing and identify popular sunfish fishing waters in the state.

Bluegill Fishing Basics Video

The core principles shown in this video will work for most sunfish, perch and other panfish.

Mississippi is a fantastic destination for panfish fishing, offering abundant populations of sunfish species that are perfect for youth fishing adventures. One of the most popular panfish species is the bluegill. Bluegill are known for their voracious appetite and are found in many lakes, ponds, and rivers throughout Mississippi. They are easy to catch and provide young anglers with a thrilling experience.

Redear sunfish, also known as shellcrackers, are another sought-after panfish species in Mississippi. They are known for their love of snails and can reach impressive sizes. Redear sunfish provide exciting fights and make for delicious table fare.

Green sunfish are smaller in size but are plentiful and can be found in various bodies of water in Mississippi. They are known for their aggressive nature and can provide non-stop action for young anglers.

White bass, although not technically a sunfish species, are often included in panfish fishing pursuits due to their schooling behavior and willingness to bite. They are known for their spirited fights and can be found in larger rivers and reservoirs throughout the state.

Yellow perch, are another panfish species that can be found in certain areas of Mississippi. They are popular targets for youth fishing and provide a great opportunity for young anglers to hone their angling skills.

Panfish fishing in Mississippi offers youth anglers the chance to catch a variety of species, enjoy the thrill of the chase, and develop a lifelong passion for fishing. With the abundance of panfish species in Mississippi's lakes, ponds, and rivers, young anglers are sure to have an exciting and rewarding fishing experience.

Throughout the state of Mississippi you can find waters with populations of sunfish, including bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, redear sunfish, spotted sunfish, warmouth, white bass and yellow bass.

Panfish, Perch & Bream Fishing Lakes

Find fishing water in Mississippi and you probably will probably find one or more species of panfish. Private ponds, rivers and major lakes like Aberdeen Lake, Arkabutla Lake, Ross Barnett Reservoir, Bay Springs Lake, Bogue Homa Lake, Columbus Lake, Enid Lake, Grenada Reservoir, Lake Beulah, Lake Washington, Lake Whittington, Moon Lake, Okatibbee Lake, Pickwick Lake, Sardis Lake and Tunica Lake all have healthy schools of panfish.

Some of the better bream lakes include Lake Lamar Bruce, Trace State Park Lake, Flower Lake, Lakeview\Horn Lake, Tunica Cutoff, Beulah Lake, Lake Washington, Lake Ross Barnett, Lake Mike Connor, Lake Mary Crawford, Lake Jeff Davis, Pascagoula River Oxbow Lakes, Black Creek and Lake Perry.

Top Producing Panfish Lures & Bait

Check out the top producing lures and bait for bluegill, redear sunfish, rock bass and warmouth, as well as other smaller sunfish. Click here for the best lures for white bass, yellow bass, white perch and yellow perch.

Click the images and links above for species details.

Mississippi State Record Sunfish

The state record bluegill was caught from a farm pond.

The state record green sunfish came from Waltmans Lake.

The state record hybrid sunfish came from a private pond.

The state record longear sunfish came from Black Creek.

The state record redear sunfish came out of Tippah County Lake.

The state record spotted sunfish was caught in Thompson Creek.

The state record warmouth came out of Black Creek.

The state record white bass came from Grenada Reservoir Spillway.

The state record yellow bass was served up by Pickwick Lake.

The state record yellow perch was caught from Mill Creek, Pickwick.

Panfish are prolific spawners and repopulate the waters as fast as they are harvested. A common problem with panfish fishing is that the waters are under-fished causing panfish to overpopulate. As a result they tend to stay small in size due to lack of food source.

The term "panfish" comprises many species, each called by a variety of names. The bluegill tops the list and is the most common.

One or more species of sunfish populate virtually all warm water streams, ponds and lakes throughout Mississippi, and around the world for that matter. They can survive in waters that provide their natural food source of minnows, insects, crustaceans and worms. Their competitive nature amongst themselves, for food, makes them relatively easy to catch.

Sunfish information in other states.