Fishing & Boating

Alligator Gar Stocked in Bee Lake
Tuesday December 13, 2011
JACKSON - Recent flooding of the Mississippi River has allowed Asian carp access to many state waters. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks has stocked alligator gar into Bee Lake

Alabama Rig Illegal to Fish in Some Mississippi Lakes
Friday January 06, 2012
JACKSON - The newest, hottest lure in bass fishing, the Alabama Rig, has generated much discussion regarding whether it is legal use in Mississippi waters.

MDWFP and MDEQ Release Fish to Repopulate Lower Pearl River
Monday December 19, 2011
JACKSON – Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) staff from the Meridian Fish Hatchery, accompanied by staff from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), released about 3,000 harvestable-sized channel catfish

NMFH Jig Tying Program to be held on March 3, 2012
Thursday February 23, 2012
The North Mississippi Fish Hatchery Visitor Education Center (NMFH VEC) adjacent to Enid Lake will host a jig tying program on Saturday, March 3rd at 2:00 pm. Crappie anglers have a chance to join local, jig-tying expert Gwin Jackson and see the jigs’ creation from hook to final product. Participants will have theopportunity to speak with Mr. Jackson at this program before hitting the lakes and the crappie this spring.

2012 Spring Lake Level Forecast for North Mississippi Flood Control Reservoirs
Monday February 27, 2012
JACKSON – Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) fisheries biologists are optimistic about fishing in 2012 on north Mississippi’s Corps of Engineers’ flood control reservoirs (FCRs). Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid, and Grenada Lakes are some of the best crappie waters in the country. Boosting local economies, these lakes support about 1.5 million hours of fishing yearly.

2012 Spring Crappie Fishing Forecast for North Mississippi Flood Control Reservoirs
Tuesday February 28, 2012
JACKSON – Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) fisheries biologists are optimistic about fishing in 2012 on north Mississippi’s Corps of Engineers’ flood control reservoirs (FCRs). Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid, and Grenada Lakes are some of the best crappie waters in the country, boosting local economies as they support about 1.5 million hours of fishing yearly.

2012 Fishing Forecast for Southwest Mississippi Lakes
Wednesday February 29, 2012
2012 Fishing Forecast for Southwest Mississippi Lakes

2012 Spring Bass Fishing Forecast for North Mississippi Flood Control Reservoirs
Monday March 05, 2012
JACKSON – Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) fisheries biologists are optimistic about fishing in 2012 on north Mississippi’s Corps of Engineers’ flood control reservoirs (FCRs). Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid, and Grenada Lakes are some of the best bass waters in the state. Angling in these lakes helps boost local economies as they support about 1.5 million hours of fishing yearly.

License Required to Harvest Freshwater Crawfish and Freshwater Shrimp from Public Waters
Wednesday March 07, 2012
JACKSON - The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) adopted new regulations regarding the harvest of freshwater crawfish and freshwater shrimp from public waters. A fishing license is required to take crawfish and freshwater shrimp for personal use. A commercial fishing license is required to sell, resell or export crawfish taken from public waters. Crawfish and shrimp traps placed in public water shall be marked with a waterproof tag printed with the fisherman’s full name and the MDWFP customer number found on the license document.

2012 Fishing Forecast for Northeast Mississippi Lakes
Thursday March 15, 2012
JACKSON - Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) fisheries biologists are excited about the prospects of angler success in the upcoming fishing season in Northeast Mississippi. Fall 2011 population sampling on Lake Monroe, Elvis Presley Lake, Tippah County Lake, and Lake Lowndes State Park showed high catch rates of small bass. “Due to the large population of smaller bass, creel limits in these lakes have been increased to 30 fish per day. We want to encourage folks to harvest those smaller fish” said MDWFP Fisheries Biologist Tyler Stubbs. “These lakes also have quality crappie and bream populations, especially in Lake Monroe” continued Stubbs. Anglers targeting catfish should head to Oktibbeha County Lake or Elvis Presley Lake as both lakes boast healthy populations of quality-sized catfish.

Outdoor Imagination Art Exhibit
Monday March 26, 2012
JACKSON – The North Mississippi Fish Hatchery Visitor Education Center (VEC) at Enid Lake will host the annual “Outdoor Imagination Art Exhibit” on Saturday, March 31st. "Outdoor Imagination" is a unique art show featuring the work of young artists from the Imagination Station of Water Valley as they capture the outdoors in their own creative way. This art exhibit will begin at 12:00 noon on March 31st and remain at the Center until May. Numerous pieces created by the youngsters including drawings, paintings, sculpture, collage, and paintings are included in the show.

“Catch and Win” Fishing Rodeo
Monday March 26, 2012
JACKSON - The 4th Annual “Catch and Win” fishing rodeo sponsored by Meridian area McDonald’s Restaurants, television stations CBS24, NBC30, and Fox30, Meridian Community College, Meridian Coca Cola Bottling, and Pure Fishing Inc, begins March 26th and ends May 28th. Anglers fishing Neshoba County Lake, Kemper County Lake, Okatibbee Lake, Upper Bonita Lake, Lake Tom Bailey, and Clarkco State Park should inspect their catch carefully and look for fish with a white tag on their back. Three hundred fish were tagged and released in these lakes by Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Fisheries personnel.

Proposed Changes for Freshwater Commercial Fishing Regulations
Monday March 26, 2012
JACKSON – Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) has announced changes in freshwater commercial fishing regulations are being considered and public comments are being accepted on these proposed changes.

2012 Pond Management Workshops
Monday March 26, 2012
JACKSON – Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) Fisheries Bureau and the Mississippi State University Extension Service will host 12 pond management workshops across Mississippi in 2012. Theworkshops are designed to provide pond owners and future pond owners with information regarding the management of their small lakes. “Our fisheries biologists receive hundreds of calls each year from pond owners who have questions ranging from growing bigger fish to controlling aquatic vegetation”, said MDWFP Fisheries Bureau Assistant Director Larry Pugh. “The workshops will allow biologists and pond owners across the State to interact and provide participants with management strategies.”

Crappie Fishing Heating up in Delta Oxbows
Tuesday March 27, 2012
JACKSON – Above average temperatures the past few weeks have led to great crappie fishing in many Mississippi Delta lakes. “Crappie move into shallow water to spawn based on water temperatures, and many oxbows are warming up quickly,” said Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) fisheries biologist Nathan Aycock. “This is triggering fish to move towards their shallow water spawning ground, and lots of big crappie are being caught in water one to three feet deep.”

Florida Largemouth Bass Stockings at Columbus and Aberdeen Lakes
Friday March 30, 2012
JACKSON – On Wednesday, March 28th, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) stocked approximately 200,000 Florida-strain largemouth bass fingerlings into Columbus and Aberdeen Lakes on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. The fish were reared at MDWFP’s Turcotte FishHatchery near Canton. “Florida-strain largemouth bass typically grow faster and potentially grow larger than native bass,” stated MDWFP Fisheries Biologist Tyler Stubbs. According to Stubbs, the goal of the Florida-strain bass stockings is to help increase the number oftrophy-sized (> 5 pounds) bass in these two lakes. A 14-inch minimum length limit is in effect on these two lakes to help increase the number of fish that reach larger sizes.

MDWFP & MSU to Host Pond Management Workshop in Pike County
Wednesday April 04, 2012
JACKSON – The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) Fisheries Bureau and the Mississippi State University Extension Service are hosting apond management workshop in Pike County. The workshop will be held at the MDWFP South Region office in Magnolia on Tuesday April 17, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. An hour-long presentation will include topics on pond design, fish stocking, harvest, vegetation control, liming, and fertilizing. A question-and-answer period will follow. Those interested in attending the workshop are asked toregister by calling the MDWFP South Region office at (601)783-2911.

Florida Largemouth Bass Stockings at Ross Barnett Reservoir
Wednesday April 04, 2012
JACKSON – On Tuesday, March 27th, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) stocked 150,000 Florida-strain largemouth bass fingerlings into Ross Barnett Reservoir. Thefish were reared at MDWFP’s Turcotte Fish Hatchery near Canton. According to MDWFP Fisheries Biologist, Larry Bull, the goal of the Florida-strain bass stockings is to help increase the number of trophy-sized (> 5 pounds) bass in the Reservoir. Bull also stated, “The Department has stocked over 600,000 Florida bass in the Ross Barnett since 2008.”

Kids Fish Identification Program
Monday April 09, 2012
JACKSON –The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Park’s Visitor Education Center (VEC) adjacent to Enid Lake will host a Kid’s Fish Identification Program on Saturday, April 14th at 2:00 p.m. Young anglers can learn how to identify the many different species of fish found in Enid Lake and other lakes and ponds across the state. Josh Howell will present this program. A Conservation Associate Fisheries Biologist from the MDWFP Fisheries Bureau, Howell works in the northwest area of Mississippi including the four reservoirs operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

MDWFP & MSU to Host Pond Management Workshop in Lafayette County
Wednesday April 11, 2012
JACKSON – The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) Fisheries Bureau and the Mississippi State University Extension Service are hosting apond management workshop in Lafayette County. The workshop will be held at the Lafayette County Extension Office in Oxford on Saturday April 14, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. An hour-long presentation will include topics on pond design, fish stocking, harvest, vegetation control, liming, and fertilizing. A question-and-answer period will follow. Those interested in attending the workshop are asked toregister by calling the Extension office at (662) 234-8701.

Wolf Lake Receives Florida-strain Largemouth Bass
Monday April 16, 2012
JACKSON –The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) stocked 25,000 Florida-strain largemouth bass into Wolf Lake on Thursday, April 12th. The fingerlings were reared at the MDWFP Turcotte Fish Hatchery near Canton. Wolf Lake and adjoining Broad Lake comprise a 1,000-acre oxbow located near Yazoo City that was significantly impacted by the 2011 Mississippi River flood. “The bass population at Wolf Lake has improved over the last few years and we want to see that continue,” said MDWFP fisheries biologist Jerry Brown. There is a 12-inch minimum length limit for largemouth bass at Wolf and Broad Lakes and a daily creel limit of five fish per angler.

Florida Largemouth Bass Stocked at Eagle Lake
Monday April 16, 2012
JACKSON – On Wednesday, April 11th, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) stocked approximately 161,000 Florida-strain largemouth bass fingerlings into Eagle Lake. The fish were reared at MDWFP’s Turcotte Fish Hatchery near Canton. “We’ve been stocking largemouth bass into Eagle Lake for several years and it has been very successful,” stated MDWFP Fisheries Biologist Jerry Brown.

Bream Fishing Heating up in Northeast Mississippi
Monday April 16, 2012
JACKSON – With consistent weather, and warmer than usual temperatures, the bream bite has started to turn on. “Bream start to move into their shallow spawning locations when the water hits about 70 degrees, and that’s where most lakes in this region are now,” said Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) fisheries biologist Tyler Stubbs. “Bream nest in colonies of circular depressions in shallow water when they spawn, looking similar to a honeycomb, making bream beds easy to find while fishing,” continued Stubbs.

Native American Artifacts Program at the North Mississippi Fish Hatchery Visitor Education Center
Monday April 16, 2012
JACKSON – The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks North Mississippi Fish Hatchery Visitor Education Center (VEC) will host a NativeAmerican Artifacts Program on April 21, 2012. Conner Vick, a local expert on the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes and life-long resident of Enid Lake, will share his knowledge of Enid Lake’s history and the tribes that once lived in the area. Program participants will inspect tools and artwork held by the Choctaw and Chickasaw thousands of years ago.

2012 Camp Fish Events Scheduled
Thursday April 19, 2012
JACKSON- The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) Fisheries Bureau and the Mississippi Bass Federation have announced the 2012 Camp Fish schedule. Camps will be held June 4-7 at Leroy Percy State Park near Hollandale, July 18-21 at the Turcotte Education Center in Madison County, and July 16-19 at Paul B. Johnson State Park near Hattiesburg.

MDWFP and MSU to Host Pond Management Workshop in Lee County
Tuesday April 24, 2012
Jackson – The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) Fisheries Bureau and the Mississippi State University Extension Service are hosting a pond management workshop in Lee County. The workshop will be held at the Itawamba Community College Belden Center in Tupelo on Thursday May 3, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. An hour-long presentation will include topics on pond design, fish stocking, harvest, vegetation control, liming, and fertilizing. A question-and-answer period will follow. Those interested in attending the workshop are asked to register by calling the Extension office at (662) 841-9000.

MDWFP & MSU to Host Pond Management Workshop in Lauderdale County
Friday May 11, 2012
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) Fisheries Bureau and the Mississippi State University Extension Service are hosting a pond management workshop in Lauderdale County. The workshop will be held at the East Mississippi Electric Power Association Office located at 2128 Highway 39 North in Meridian, MS on Tuesday May 15 at 6:00 pm. An hour-long presentation will include topics on pond design, fish stocking, harvest, vegetation control, liming, and fertilizing. A question-and-answer period will follow. Those interested in attending the workshop are asked to register by calling the Extension Office at (601) 482-9764 or the MDWFP regional office at (601) 859-3421.

NMFH Fishing Rodeo
Monday May 14, 2012
The Visitor Education Center (VEC) at Enid will host the annual MDWFP youth fishing rodeo on Saturday, May 19th. Registration begins at 7:00 a.m. and continues until 10 a.m. This free event is for youth ages 15 and younger. The VEC pond will bestocked with catfish for this youth activity. Young anglers should bring their own fishing equipment and bait along with a container to take their catch home. Food will be served and prizes will be awarded. This event is a great opportunity for young anglers to catch their first fish or to practice their fishing techniques before hitting the local lakes and ponds!

Largemouth Bass Stocked at Lake George & Dump Lake
Monday May 21, 2012
JACKSON - The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks (MDWFP) stocked approximately 46,000 largemouth bass fingerlings into Lake George and 16,000 into Dump Lake on May 16, 2012. Both of these oxbow lakes were formed by the Yazoo River and are located in Yazoo County, near Satartia. Recent population assessments have indicated low numbers of young bass; the additional fish were added to help improve the fishery. “Stocking largemouth bass will provide anglers with more fishing opportunities and help boost the overall fishery at these lakes,” according to MDWFP fisheries biologist Jerry Brown. The bass were reared at the North Mississippi Fish Hatchery.