*Enid Lake is a flood control reservoir in north Mississippi operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE). The MDWFP Fisheries Bureau manages Enid Lake's fisheries resources and provides weekly fishing reports.

Enid Lake Overview

Enid Reservoir is one of four flood control reservoirs (FCRs) in north Mississippi. Built by the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) in 1954 on the Yocona River, it has a summer pool of 16,130 ac. Water levels follow an annual rule curve but deviate from it due to local precipitation and COE spillway gate operations. The reservoir is lowered in fall to winter pool (6,120 ac); flood pool is 27,950 ac. Enid contains 400 ac Wildcat Brake, a sub-impoundment in the upper reservoir between the Yocona River and Otoucaloufa Creek. The reigning World Record White Crappie was caught at Enid Lake in 1957.

 

For more information on this lake's fees, permits, rules and regulations, and amenities visit the Enid Lake page at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website.

Address: 264 County Road 39, Enid, MS 38927

Alert

New crappie regulations went into effect on July 24, 2024, on the four Flood Control Reservoirs (Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid, and Grenada) and their spillways.

The daily creel limit for crappie is 10 fish per angler, and the daily aggregate limit is 25 fish for boats with three or more anglers. Crappie must be over 12 inches, and the pole limit remains at 4 per angler. In addition, fish may only be cleaned at designated fish cleaning stations if available, not on the water or in the boat ramp parking lots. In the spillways, the daily limit is 10 fish per angler. There are no boat or size limits in the spillways. Pole limits in the rip-rapped portions of the spillways remain 1 per angler.

Fishing Report - Updated 08/19/2025

BassBass are deep with water temperatures in the upper 80s. Target bass with spinnerbaits, jigs, and topwater lures early morning and late evening.  In the heat of the day cast main lake points, river ledges, creek channels.  Fish deep diving crankbaits, football jigs, or soft plastics (Carolina, Texas, or Ned rigs, drop shots, swim jigs, etc.). Consider crawfish patterns and jigging spoons around structure, points and humps
Crappie Active sonar, followed by trolling weighted jigs or pulling crankbaits has been best methods of late. Fish bright-colored jigs and/or minnows 15- 20 ft deep around standing timber, or trolling in the main lake.   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.
BreamTry crawlers, small cranks, redworms or crickets fished 4 - 6 ft deep near any cover (brush tops, timber, flooded grass, etc.). Bream bed on flooded gravel roads, ATV trails, or firm sand.
Catfish Catfishing has been slow on the main lake using trotlines and jugs fished around standing timber. Target catfish on the bottom with liver, crawfish, shrimp or cut bait.  Fish worms or stinkbaits in the river and creeks.  If there is rainfall runoff; fish various natural baits over recently areas. Check and/or move lines often with the water falling or rising.
White BassFish shad-imitating lures (jigs, small crankbaits, etc.) over a firm bottom (sand, hard clay). The points near the Wallace/Hubbard Creek cove or near Water Valley landing are good spots. There are no size or number limits on White Bass. They taste better if immediately put into an ice/water "slush".

Keep an eye on the heat index and drink plenty of fluids.

Water Level

Water level 251.33 ft, dropping 0.15 ft/day, 3.7 ft over the guide curve Tuesday. Less rain has enabled COE to release more water. Falling water levels will pull fish out of flooded vegetation via tributaries toward the main lake. It will also concentrate fish and baitfish. The water level this week will depend on the amount of rainfall and any gate operations. Expect rapid water level rises and drawdowns as rain events happen and the Corps tries to achieve rule curve. Fall drawdown starts August 1 and winter pool (230ft) reached by December 1. Both game and bait fish should follow the river and creeks toward the main lake.

Water levels can be obtained at (662)563-4571 or check at Vicksburg District Daily River Bulletin for a table, OR Yocona River @ Enid Dam, MS, OR Yazoo River Basin Reservoirs for both (click on 24-hour change for a picture explanation of gate flow, spillway flow, etc.).

Spillway

The spillway had 1 gate open 4 ft and was releasing 1404 cfs Tuesday. Less rain has enabled COE to release more water. Expect frequent gate closures and openings as the Corps tries to achieve rule curve in the reservoir above. Expect fishing to drop off when the gates are closed, although catfish and bream will still bite in the pools. For crappie, fish jigs and/or minnows in eddies or quieter water near the rocks. Catfish have been biting about any natural bait in pools or eddies on various natural baits. For White Bass, 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 or swimbaits. Fish for bream with crickets or worms under a bobber near the rocks.

Spillway gate openings, flow rates, and water levels can be obtained at (662)563-4571 or check at Vicksburg District Daily River Bulletin for a table, OR Yocona River @ Enid Dam, MS, OR Yazoo River Basin Reservoirs for both (click on 24-hour change for a 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 10-crappie creel limit.

Enid Reservoir Special Regulations

Creel and Size Limits

SpeciesLengths to ReleaseDaily Creel Limits
Crappie (combined black and white)12 inches and under

10 per angler

25 per boat for boats with 3 or more anglers

Statewide creel and size limits apply to all other fish species

Lake Regulations

  • Anglers may use no more than 4 poles per person and no more than 2 hooks or lures per pole.
  • Fish may only be cleaned at designated fish cleaning stations if available, not on the water or in the boat ramp parking lots

*Enid Reservoir Interactive Map

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