Fishing has long been a popular outdoor activity, but many people, especially children, have limited fishing opportunities. It is the goal of our program to introduce rodeo participants to fishing and recruit them to be responsible, licensed anglers and good stewards of our aquatic environment.

Crowd around a pond at a Youth Fishing Rodeo event
Parent and child pose with catfish at Fishing Rodeo
NMFH Fishing Rodeo
Boy holds catfish at a Youth Fishing Rodeo event

About the Youth Fishing Rodeo

MDWFP invites anglers 15 and younger to these youth fishing rodeos across the state. These events are free and provide the opportunity for young anglers to fish in a lake that is well-stocked with catfish! 

Events feature educational activities focusing on fish, fishing, and environmental concerns. These quality fishing experiences are provided in a controlled, safe environment. Our rodeo ponds are well stocked with channel catfish to meet our participants' expectations of catching fish. Fishing educational and technical information are provided by our Fisheries Technical staff, biologists from the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, and volunteer anglers. Boating safety information is provided by our Law Enforcement Bureau.

Registration

We schedule rodeos in all areas of the state. The events are held on Saturday mornings, and registration usually begins between 7:00 - 9:00am.

2026 Rodeo Schedule

 
DateEvent Location CityTime
3/7/2026Roosevelt State ParkMorton10 a.m.
3/21/2026Turcotte Canton8 a.m.
3/28/2026Harrison County SportsplexGulfport8 a.m.
3/28/2026Dunn's FallsEnterprise9 a.m.
4/4/2026Veterans ParkTupelo8 a.m.
4/11/2026Pascagoula River WMA - Land Between the Creeks UnitVancleave8 a.m.
4/11/2026Lake Lowndes State ParkColumbus8 a.m.
4/11/2026Leroy Percy State ParkHollandale9 a.m.
4/18/2026Willow LakeWalnut Grove8 a.m.
4/18/2026Clear Springs Recreation AreaMeadville7 a.m.
4/18/2026Cypress PointSardis7:30 a.m.
4/25/2026Northside ParkPhiladelphia8:30 a.m.
4/25/2026Hansel King SportsplexBrookhaven8 a.m.
4/25/2026McAlpine LakeAmory9 a.m.
5/2/2026Lee's Summit Park Hernando9 a.m.
5/2/2026Lake HazleHazlehurst9 a.m.
5/2/2026Legion State ParkLouisville8 a.m.
5/2/2026DeSoto National ForestPerkinston7 a.m.
5/9/2025Lake Lamar BruceSaltillo7 a.m.
5/9/2026Olive Branch City ParkOlive Branch8 a.m.
5/16/2026Trace State ParkBelden9 a.m.
5/16/2026Bob Tyler Fish HatcheryEnid7 a.m.
5/16/2026LeFleur's Bluff State ParkJackson8 a.m.
5/30/2026Jellystone ParkPelahatchie9 a.m.
6/6/2026Florewood Plantation State ParkGreenwood8 a.m.
6/13/2016Grenada LakeGrenada7 a.m.
6/20/2026Puskus LakeOxford7 a.m.
6/20/2026Jefferson PondFayette8 a.m.
7/3/2026Clarkco State ParkQuitman8 a.m.
7/11/2026Bear Pen ParkCleveland8 a.m.
9/19/2026Mound BayouMound Bayou8 a.m.
9/26/2026Bright ParkPearl9 a.m.
10/3/2026Woodville City ParkWoodville8:30 a.m.
10/3/2026Walthall County Shooting RangeTylertown8:30 a.m.
10/31/2026Paul B. Johnson State ParkHattiesburg9 a.m.

Additional Resources

Contact Information

For more information about local rodeos or the program, contact Sherry Hazelwood or Ryan Jones at (601) 432-2208, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm.

Fishing Rodeo Coordinator