*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. Alert
Water dropped 2.8 ft since last week. Lack of rain upstream may lead to low water levels. Check the water level and its predicted changes frequently.
Fishing Report - Updated 08/19/2025
| Species | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bass | Bass are in summer patterns. Look for bass to be shallower in the morning; Top water frogs, bladed jigs and buzz baits may work. With warmer water temperatures in the afternoon; crankbaits, spinnerbaits, or soft plastics around 4 to 6 ft deep off sandy points dropping into deeper water are better options. |
| Crappie | Fish jigs and/or minnows 4 to 7 ft deep in the main lake or slow troll at about the same depths out from the trees. If you use minnows, be aware there are lots of gar. |
| Bream | Fish redworms or crickets 4 to 6 ft deep on the outside of shoreline cover with the water falling. |
| Catfish | Use cut bait or other natural baits on yo-yo's, jugs (noodles), trotlines, or rods-and-reels 5 to 8 ft deep on the outside of shoreline cover or in the runout. 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 below good fishing range (10 - 15 ft on Memphis gage), falling from 3.6 ft to 1.8 ft by next Tuesday.
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.
