Alert
The lake water level has risen about 10 ft since last Tuesday's report.
The spillway area is temporarily blocked off for safety after last week’s flooding. The COE is removing fallen trees, debris, and mud. There was no timeline on reopening as of Tuesday - check with the Grenada Lake COE office.
Fishing Report
Grenada Lake - 4/17/2024 11:54:44 AM| 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), especially in clearer water. 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 | Collins' Bait Shop (662)226-3581 reports boat fishing has been tough lately in the wind; waders have been doing better. Fish jigs and/or minnows 1.5 – 5 ft deep near any cover, whether boating, wading, or fishing along creek banks. Pre- and post-spawn fish have been holding a little 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/wood, riprap, etc.). | |
| Catfish | Fish the rivers and creeks with worms or stinkbaits as long as rain runoff lasts. Otherwise, fish various natural baits over main lake flats with rod-and-reel (tight lining), noodles (jugs), or trotlines. | |
| White Bass | The spawning run is underway. There have been reports of 2 to 3 pound "stripes" caught from Graysport Crossing bridge to above Young's Landing with ¼ oz, white curly tail jigs. Fish sandbars in rivers and creeks (best access may be from the banks). Cast jigs or small crankbaits. Also try over hard-bottomed, sandy main lake points or secondary points in creek coves. There are no size or number limits on white bass. | |
Grenada got more rain runoff than the other lakes and took longer to settle out and fish (other than catfish) to resume biting. 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 |
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| Species | Type | Length To Release |
| Crappie (combined black and white) | Minimum Length Limit | 12 inches and under |
Creel Limits (per person, per day) |
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| 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 all gates closed (0 cfs) Tuesday due to rainfall amounts. Spillway fishing should improve when the gates are reopened. Best luck in the spillway is when some water is being released, but not too much. Expect frequent spillway gate closures and openings as the Corps maintains the rule curve in the reservoir above. The spillway and old river run have been some of the best spots lately for crappie; fish quieter water out of the current either right on the rocks or in the old river run with jigs and/or minnows under a bobber. Catfishing has been good lately in the low flow fishing minnows or nightcrawlers near the bottom. Some White Bass have been caught in the spillway lately. They will be in the current where you can drift a 2-jig rig just off bottom or fish small crankbaits or tailspinner lures. For largemouths, fish spinnerbaits or soft plastics along the rocks.
Spillway gate openings, flow rates, and spillway water levels can be obtained at (662)226-5911 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.). Be sure to check the date on the table; it is usually updated midday.
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 transferring 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 218.41 ft, rising 0.1 ft/day, 7.3 ft over the rule curve Tuesday. The water level is supposed to rise from 198 ft March 1 to summer pool (215 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)226-5911 or check at Vicksburg District Daily River Bulletin for a table OR Yalobusha River @ Grenada 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.
