If you have questions about purchasing a license call 1-800-5GO-HUNT.
*Pickwick Lake is part of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and is owned and managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The MDWFP Fisheries Bureau manages the lake's fisheries resources and provides weekly fishing reports.
Covering 43,100 acres, Pickwick Lake, which borders Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi, is the 4th largest impoundment on the Tennessee River. It is owned and managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The reservoir extends 52.7 miles from Wilson Dam (river mile 259.5) in Florence, Alabama to Pickwick Landing Dam (river mile 206.7). The lake is nationally recognized as one of the best bass fishing lakes in the country.
Per a reciprocal agreement, a Tennessee fishing license is valid in parts of Mississippi.
Fishing Report
| Species | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bass | Bass fishing is good according to recent reports. Fish seem to be hanging around stumps and other structure in shallower water instead of their typical haunts on offshore humps, points, and river ledges. Topwater lures have been somewhat productive. For the shallow bite, anglers are using Texas-rigged plastics, buzzbaits, and spinnerbaits, and deep-diving crankbaits, swimbaits, or big Texas-rigged worms for deeper areas. Good electronics are a must for the off-shore bite. Live minnows/shiners are also good bait choices. |
| Crappie | The crappie action is fair. Mill Creek, Bear Creek, Goat Island, and Yellow Creek continue to be popular areas. Some anglers are drifting/trolling jigs for suspended fish they found using their electronics. Other anglers are targeting offshore brushtops by vertically jigging or using minnows. |
| Catfish | The catfish bite has been picking up recently. Tight lining with cut/whole shad or liver along the deeper gravel bars and shallower river ledges can typically produce bites. Handgrabbing remains popular in Bear Creek and Yellow Creek. A reminder that Pickwick is a shared waterbody with Alabama, so only 1 catfish over 34 inches is allowed. |
Pickwick Lake Special Regulations
Pickwick Lake Special Regulations
Creel and Size Limits
| Species | Lengths to Release | Daily Creel Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bass (combined largemouth, spotted, and smallmouth) | 15 inches and under | 10 per angler |
| Crappie (combined black and white) | 9 inches and under | 30 per angler |
| Catfish | No Length Limit | 1 over 34 inches per angler, no creel limit under 34 inches |
Statewide creel and size limits apply to all other fish species
*Pickwick Lake (JP Coleman State Park) Interactive Map
Find and learn more about *Pickwick Lake (JP Coleman State Park)...