*Chotard and Albemarle are two oxbow lakes formed by the Mississippi River. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP), oversees the fisheries resources and provides regular fishing reports

Chotard and Albemarle are two oxbow lakes formed by the Mississippi River. These two lakes are 1,123 and 657 acres in size, respectively. Chotard remains connected to the Mississippi River by a narrow chute at the south end of the lake, and is accessible from the river when the water level is 13’ or higher (Vicksburg gage).

Fishing Report - Updated 11/18/2025

SpeciesDetail
Largemouth BassWith the temperature continuing to stay cool, Bass fishing should start to improve! Try finesse worms, soft stick baits, and jigs around the edges of trees, bushes and laydowns. Bass can be found on the North side of Albemarle along riprap and fallen trees near the houses. The canal between Chotard and Albemarle is another good area to try.
CrappieTry using minnows or orange/chartreuse jigs around the cypress trees. If you cannot find them there, try some of the deeper treetops along the lake. Crappie should start to move soon with colder temperatures approaching.
BreamBream can be caught using crickets or redworms around treetops or cypress stumps in 3 – 8 feet of water.
CatfishCatfish will be found around deep structure or muddy runoff. Good baits to use are chicken liver and cut bait.

Statewide creel and size limits apply to all fish species

Water Level

Fishing on Chotard and Albemarle is always dependent upon the MS River level and movement.  For best results on these lakes, always check the MS River report to know if the river is moving in or out of the lake and target areas of moving water for improved fishing.  Fishing is typically best when the river is on a slow fall.  For most boats, access to the river is almost impossible when the river is below 15 feet (Vicksburg Gauge).

According to the National Weather Service (NWS) the Mississippi River at Vicksburg is currently at 4.6 feet and will continue to slowly drop to 3.9 feet on 11/25/2025.

For water levels at Vicksburg visit https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/vckm6 

*Chotard & Albemarle Lakes Interactive Map

Find and learn more about *Chotard & Albemarle Lakes...