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 - 5/20/2025
| Species | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bass | Bass bite is great. Some anglers are catching fish up shallow around shad and bream spawn areas in the morning/evening. Anywhere between 4 -15 feet can be productive depending on the day and how the fish are moving. Anglers are using a variety of techniques to catch their fish. Topwater lures are successful early in the morning and late in the evening. Lures like lipless crankbaits and single swimbaits are productive. Deep diving crankbaits or swimbaits are useful in deeper areas. Target offshore humps, points, and river ledges with 1 oz. spinnerbaits, Alabama rigs, suspending jerkbaits, jigs, rattletraps, and grubs. Good electronics are a must for the off-shore bite. Live minnows/shiners are also good bait choices. |
| Crappie | Crappie action is still fair to good. Most anglers typically target 10 - 20 feet of water currently. Mill creek, Goat Island, and Yellow creek continue to be popular. Some anglers are drifting/trolling jigs for suspended fish they found using their electronics. Other anglers are targeting off shore brushtops by vertically jigging or using minnows. |
| Catfish | The catfish bite is good and anglers are having success targeting catfish by hand grabbing. The bite has picked up over the past week and should continue to get better. Kool-aid flavored chicken or liver can have some success. Tight lining cut/whole shad along the deeper gravel bars and shallower river ledges can typically produce bites. A reminder that Pickwick is a shared waterbody with Alabama, so the 1 catfish over 34 inch rule applies here. |
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)...