But don’t rush the process. Be picky, and don’t stop until you find a fishing location that checks all of your boxes. The type of spot that you can take your friends or family to year after year. Maybe you want a remote location, or perhaps you’re looking for the most convenient access. Whatever your angling heart desires, Mississippi has a place for you. To help speed up your search, we’ve sourced a few of the top locations. Read on to learn the 10 best fishing spots in Mississippi this summer.
1. Pickwick Lake
Take your pick at Pickwick Lake! There’s black bass, catfish, crappie, and paddlefish here. There isn’t any creel limit for catfish under 34 inches, either. So fish the day away. Black bass has a creel limit of 10, crappie is 30, and paddlefish is 0. So, no matter the length, you have to release the paddlefish. However, you can keep any bass over 15 inches or crappie over 9 inches. Regulars suggest fishing at sunrise and sunset.
2. Okhissa Lake
Next on our list of the best fishing spots in Mississippi this summer an explorer’s treat. When you arrive at Lake Okhissa, you’ll feel immersed in nature. This is one of those takes your breath away kinds of areas. Along with the sights, the fishing is excellent too! Black bass, crappie, bream, and catfish are abundant here. Bream include redear sunfish and bluegill. Crappie includes white and black species too. There isn’t any length-to-release limit on bream or catfish. However, the bass has to be between 18-22 inches to keep it. You are allowed one bass over 22 inches each day, though. Overall, this is where you’ll come to make regular catches and soak in the sun.
3. Grenada Lake
Search the shallow waters of Grenada Lake to find bass galore! Spinnerbaits work great for reeling in sizable bass day or night. For the most bites, try fishing Grenada right as the sun sets. The sunset is gorgeous, and the fish are active! You’ll also find crappie, bream, catfish, and white bass along with bass.
4. The Mississippi Gulf Coast
Would you like some lemon with that trophy? Trophy-sized fish are everywhere along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The fishing populations are abundant, and the sizes are even bigger! The warm summer waters are brackish, creating a home for 200 fish species. Red snapper, Atlantic catfish, bluefish, cobia, groupers, sea catfishes, tripletail, ladyfish, and of course, the famous tarpon. Bring a cooler, spend the day fishing from a pier or shore, or hop on a boat.
5. Natchez State Park
Escape the sun! Night fishing is allowed at Natchez state park. You can fish thirty minutes before sunrise and thirty minutes after sunset. You must fish from boats in compliance with the state and coast guard guidelines. Or you can fish from the shore. At nighttime, you have to use idle speeds, and only trolling motors are allowed. Did you want to try something a little different? Then bring a bow and arrow! You can night fish for gar, bowfin, buffalo, and carp with a bow and arrow. You’ll need to use a pole or rod and reel for other fish.
6. Calling Panther Lake
When looking for largemouth bass in Calling Panther Lake, try water depths of 4-8 feet—–You’ll get regular bites. The fish will be especially active if you use lures that rise or sink. Move these types of lures slowly to keep them in the strike area for the most time. If you’re looking for bream, there’s plenty here. Try finding them around structure. All you’ll need is worms to catch a lot of bream. You’ll also find catfish and crappie. The catfish are usually hanging out at the end of the wooden piers. Try using the liver as bait; cats can’t resist it.
7. Neshoba County Lake
If you’re looking for bass, Neshoba Lake isn’t the best spot. Lately, anglers have trouble making regular catches for smallmouth, spotted, and black bass. But Neshoba still belongs on our list of the best fishing spots in Mississippi this summer. Why? Because this 138-acre gem is also abundant in bream, crappie, and catfish. Lately, the crappie has been moving out towards deeper waters. Minnows will work perfectly as bait.
8. Enid Lake
Anglers enjoy the variety of fishing environments that Lake Enid presents. Here you’ll be able to catch crappie, bream, catfish, white bass, and bass. The catfish respond well to stink baits and worms. You can also try fishing with natural baits on the line. For the white bass, try fishing the sandy points of the lake and arrive early. Early in the morning, or just after sunset, is when you’ll get the most bass activity. The best part is there aren’t any number or size limits for white bass.
9. Ross Barnett Reservoir
The summer heat attracts bass enthusiasts from all over to McComb, Mississippi for a visit to Ross Barnett Reservoir. The active bass seek out the deep, cool waters. Searching for them around cover, like thick vegetation, can prove quite successful! For instance, right by Highway 43, there are some great spots for pad fishing. You can also try finding a thick bass cover by Gilligan’s island. This spot also offers some of the best crappie fishing statewide. Check the upper reservoir by the Low Head dam to find black crappie.
10. Mississippi River
Last on our list of the best fishing spots in Mississippi we have the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River water levels and dam management projects help promote fish activity in the summertime. Home to more than 119 fish species, you can spend days here and never get bored. Crappies, bluegill, northern pike, channel catfish, smallmouth bass, sauger, walleye, and largemouth bass are here. The walleye get pretty big too! You can also catch riverine species like bigmouth buffalo, shorthead redhorse, blue suckers, and more. There are even ancient fish here, like shovel nose sturgeons, lake sturgeons, and paddlefish. If you’re a new angler, the great Mississippi River might seem intimidating. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be successful! The river indeed presents a variety of challenges. Running sloughs, backwater lakes, and tailwaters; there’s a little bit of everything. However, since it’s such a popular fishing spot, river guides are always available. Plus, there are a lot of fun mammals to spot along the river. You owe it to yourself to get out there and give it a try. Fun fact; the Mississippi River has more fish species than Wisconsin’s inland lakes.
