Fishing Report

Columbus Lake - 9/3/2019 8:34:26 AM

 

BASS

 

The bass bite was fair.  Most anglers are throwing Texas rigs or jigs to catch bass around laydowns and vegetation in the gravel pits.  Junebug and black and blue have been the best colors.  The topwater bite remains slow in the morning on frogs and buzzbaits.

 

CRAPPIE

 

The crappie bite remains poor.  Try to find some shade in deeper, cooler water.  If you find an isolated laydown near a deep hole, you might find a few quality crappie.  The gravel pits are the best option, but don't expect many bites right now.

 

CATFISH

 

The catfish bite remains fair. Cut/whole shad and kool-aid flavored chicken is a good bait choice for blue and channel cats. Live shad is generally the bait of choice for those anglers targeting flatheads.  Trotlines have been the most popular technique lately.

 

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.

Fishing Regulations

Species:
Black bass (combined largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass)
Crappie (combined black and white)
Paddlefish

Lengths to Release:
Black bass: 14 inches and under
Crappie: 9 inches and under
Paddlefish:  All lengths

Creel Limit (per person, per day):
Black bass: 10
Crappie: 30
Paddlefish:  0

Paddlefish harvest and possession is prohibited in the Tenn-Tom Waterway, Tombigbee River and it's tributaries.

Walleye harvest and possession is prohibited in the Tombigbee River and it's tributaries north of Hwy 278 (Monroe, Itawamba and Prentiss Counties).

Statewide creel limits apply to all other fish species.

Additional Information:
From Columbus Lake dam spillway downstream to Mile Marker 334, including the auxiliary spillway and associated bank fishing access areas in the Tombigbee River cutoff below the dam.

• Anglers can only use one pole or rod per person.
• Artificial lures with no more than 3 treble hooks no larger than #2 may be used anytime.
• The use of baited or bare treble hooks is illegal.
• No other gear can be used in these waters except that dip or landing nets, cast nets, boat mounted scoops, wire baskets, minnow seines, and minnow traps may be used to capture bait. Anglers keeping minnows, shad, nongame gross fish and non-native fish caught with these gear types must immediately place their catch on ice or in a dry container.
• From Dec 1 until the last day of February - Anglers can only fish with 2 single hooks no larger than #2.  Hooks must be secured at least one inch apart.
• From March 1 to Nov 30 - Anglers can only fish with 2 single hooks of any size.  Hooks must be secured at least one inch apart.