Alert
The lake water level has risen about 6 ft since last Tuesday's report.
Fishing Report
Enid Lake - 4/16/2024 2:35:17 PM| Species | Detail | |
| Bass | Bass are mostly pre-spawn, feeding up, and should be in or searching for spawning areas (backs of coves, flats with flooded vegetation over firmer bottoms such as packed sand, 4-wheeler trails, or gravel roads). Fish faster moving baits (buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, vibrating jigs) as search baits, but keep another rod rigged with a soft plastic bait or floating topwater to follow up a missed strike. | |
| Crappie | Fish jigs and/or minnows 1.5 - 6 ft deep near any cover, whether boating, wading, or fishing along creek banks. Pre- and post-spawn fish have been holding deeper in the mouths of major creek coves and/or in cover near potential spawning areas. There are a lot of "short fish"; use bigger baits and/or fish deeper to target larger crappie. Replace treble hooks with single hooks and/or pinch down the barbs to make releasing short fish faster and less damaging; it does no good to release dead fish. | |
| Bream | Fish redworms or other natural baits near any cover (timber, brush tops, stake beds, riprap, etc.). | |
| Catfish | The catfish bite was on last week during the rise with nightcrawlers working best. Fish worms or stinkbaits in the river and creeks as long as there is rainfall runoff. Otherwise, fish various natural baits over main lake flats. | |
| White Bass | The spawning run should be happening. Fish sandbars in creeks or the river. Cast jigs or small crankbaits over hard-bottomed, sandy main lake points. There are no size or number limits on white bass. | |
Fish started biting this past weekend when the water rise started to settle down. Expect cooler weather by this weekend. Crappie guarding nests will stay on them with the water rising, but fish looking for nesting sites will move shallower.
Always check the links in the "Water Level" section for the lake level and if it's rising or falling. A big rain can change conditions quickly. Adjust to conditions like the fish do. Except for catfish, fishing is usually better on a slow fall than a fast rise. Water falling, fish deeper; water rising, fish shallower.
Crappie spawning starts when average daily water temperature at “fish depth” is about 58, peaks at about 65, and ends at about 75 F. Timing and duration of the spawn depends on temperature and water level trends, weather fronts, and moon phases. Fish will spawn shallower in rising water, deeper in falling water. Bigger females usually spawn first. Males of any size can be caught throughout the spawn. Males will stay on the nest until eggs hatch and fry swim up (4 - 7 days) even if the water rises or falls (unless the nest gets too shallow). Males of both Black and White Crappie get darker during the spawn; females do not change color. Historically, crappie spawn on the flood control reservoirs from the last week of March until about the first week of May, but it may shift earlier, later, or be split into two or more peaks due to weather and water fluctuations.
Special Fishing RegulationsSpecies |
||
| Species | Type | Length To Release |
| Crappie (combined black and white) | Minimum Length Limit | 12 inches and under |
Creel Limits (per person, per day) |
||
| Type | Amount | Additional Information |
| Crappie (combined black and white) | 15 | There is a 40 crappie per boat limit for boats with 3 or more anglers. |
Anglers may use no more than 4 poles per person and no more than 2 hooks or lures per pole.
Spillway
The spillway had both gates closed (0 cfs) Tuesday due to rainfall amounts. Expect the gates to open slightly this week unless there is more rainfall. Best luck in the spillway is when some water is being released, but not too much. When flow resumes, fish for crappie with jigs and/or minnows near the rocks. Catfishing is best in eddies on various natural baits. White Bass should be moving up into the spillway; fish small crankbaits, jigs, or tailspinners in faster current; below the "waterfall" is a good spot. Fish for Largemouth or Spotted Bass along the rocks with spinnerbaits, crankbaits, or swimbaits.
Spillway gate openings, flow rates, and water levels can be obtained at (662)563-4571 or check at Vicksburg District Daily River Bulletin OR Yazoo River Basin Reservoirs (click on 24-hour change for picture explanation of gate flow, spillway flow, etc.).
All fish captured and kept with dip or landing nets, cast nets, boat mounted scoops, wire baskets, minnow seines, and minnow traps in the spillway areas bordered by rip rap must be immediately placed on ice or in a dry container. Game fish caught with these gears must be released. This regulation was enacted to reduce the potential of spreading harmful Asian carps to the reservoir or other waters.
The 12-inch crappie length limit does not apply to the reservoir spillway, but the spillway has a 15-crappie creel limit.
Water Level
Water level 250.05 ft, rising 0.1 ft/day, 3.6 ft over the rule curve Tuesday. The water level is supposed to rise from 235 ft March 1 to summer pool (250 ft) by May 1. Expect rapid water level rises and drawdowns as rain events happen and the Corps tries to achieve and maintain rule curve. For water level information, call (662)563-4571 or check at Vicksburg District Daily River Bulletin for a table OR Yocona River @ Enid Dam, MS for a graph OR Yazoo River Basin Reservoirs for both (click on 24-hour change for picture explanation of gate flow, spillway flow, etc.). Be sure to check the date on the table; it is usually updated midday.
Additional Information
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Fisheries Biologists use various sampling methods to assess the fish populations in the State’s waters. Sampling results for selected water bodies are summarized in Reel Facts Sheets.
