If you have questions about purchasing a license call 1-800-5GO-HUNT.
*Tunica Cutoff was created by the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) in 1942 when a bend in the Mississippi River was “cut off” to shorten the river. The MDWFP Fisheries Bureau manages the lake's fisheries resources and provides weekly fishing reports.
The lake is inside the mainline levee and connects to the river via the “runout”. A weir constructed in the runout by the Memphis District COE in 2002 maintains a minimum pool of about 4,000 ac. Tunica Cutoff is one of the largest oxbows in Mississippi and is a popular destination for bream and crappie anglers, mostly from Memphis, TN.
Alert
Spring can be a season of rapid water level fluctuations. Check the water level and its predicted changes frequently.
Fishing Report - Updated 6/3/2025
| Species | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bass | Fish bladed jigs, spinnerbaits, or soft plastics 4 to 8 ft deep on the inside of shoreline cover or off sandy points dropping into deeper water with the water rising. |
| Crappie | Fish jigs and/or minnows 6 to 8 ft deep on the inside of shoreline cover with the water rising or slow troll at about the same depths out from the trees. Crappie are averaging just under a pound. If you use minnows, be aware there are lots of gar. |
| Bream | Fish redworms or crickets 4 to 6 ft deep on the inside of shoreline cover with the water rising. |
| Catfish | Use cut bait or other natural baits on yo-yo's, jugs (noodles), trotlines, or rods-and-reels 3 to 6 ft deep on the inside of shoreline cover or in the runout with the water rising. Check stationary gear often. |
| White Bass | Cast shad-imitating jigs or small crankbaits over the ramps, off sandy points, or in the runout. There are no size or number limits on white or yellow bass. However, with the lake connected to the river, you might land a striped bass or hybrid, both of which have to be over 15 inches long with a daily limit of 6 fish per person. The best way to tell these fish apart is by their stripes. White bass have 1 stripe running to the tail; stripers and hybrids have 2 or more stripes running to the tail. |
Statewide creel and size limits apply to all fish species
This week the Mississippi River will be within the good fishing range (15 ft slowly falling to 10 ft) but rising very slowly rather than falling. It won't be rising fast enough to prompt a major fish movement to the banks. It will feel more like summer this week with a higher chance of rain by the weekend.
Check water level trends; except for catfish, fishing is usually better on a slow fall than a fast rise. If the water is rising, fish shallower on the inside edges of cover. If the water is falling, fish deeper on the outside edges. Move stationary gear (lines, yo-yos, etc.) frequently if the water is rising or falling quickly. Contact the Levee Commissary (662)363-2408 for up-to-date information.
MDWFP completed fall 2024 electrofishing. Sampling found a decent 2024 spawn of crappie, bream, and bass hiding in scarce, shallow cover to avoid predation by other fish. Except for white bass, adult gamefish were rare; gars, buffaloes, and various carps were abundant. There was an ongoing kill of invasive carp during sampling. Past studies have shown these carp die-offs are caused by naturally occurring bacteria but are not extensive enough to reduce their numbers enough to prevent competition with native species.
Water Level
Water Level
The Mississippi River was at 14.9 ft (Memphis gauge) Tuesday. It is supposed to rise very slowly to 15.4 ft by Sunday. With the weir, the river will not enter Tunica Cutoff until it rises over 6 ft (Memphis gauge), but the weir will hold the lake near 6 ft if the river drops below that level. Flood stage is 34 ft; the tops of the ramps are about 28 ft. For the river level and 5-day forecast, call (901)544-0408 (press 2) or check River Summary issued by NWS Lower Mississippi RFC
Charlie's Camp and Tait (Bordeaux) ramps are the only ones open to the public. Use the honor boxes. Bait is now available across the levee.
Memphis District Corps personnel allow placement of artificial fish habitat. Remember to save GPS waypoints if you have the capability.
*Tunica Cutoff Interactive Map
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