The great state of Mississippi offers some of the best crappie fishing in the US. The combination of nearly year-round warm weather, plenty of food available for the crappie, and locations that offer exceptional opportunities, crappie fishing in Mississippi can be considered some of the best you will find anywhere.
The state offers both white and black crappie in considerable numbers, so you can find what you want during the best times to fish in the lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams that crisscross the area.
Mississippi Crappie Fishing Tips
Best Time of the Year
You can catch crappie almost any time of the year in Mississippi thanks to the warm weather which tends to dominate even in the winter months. However, the crappie tends to be most active just before the spawning season which starts in late February to early March. The late winter and early spring tend to be the best times when the crappie is looking to feed.
The best times of the day are just before dawn and during the twilight hours of the evening as the crappie leave their shelters and hunt for food. Being in the right position means you can catch numerous crappie just by dropping your jig.
Best Places to Fish
You cannot go wrong if you choose any substantial body of freshwater in Mississippi. But most experts agree that the four large reservoirs that were built by the US Army Corps of Engineers in the northern part of the state offer the best opportunities.
- Arkabutla
- Enid
- Grenada
- Sardis
The crappie tends to be larger in Arkabutla and Grenada, but they are more numerous in Enid and Sardis. Although that is not always the case. You can find crappie that is larger than three pounds in all four reservoirs. In fact, the world record was caught in Enid at five pounds, three ounces.
You may think the Mississippi River may be too fast or deep to fish for crappie. But the numerous oxbows in the river offer the right combination of food and shelter for the fish. Lake Washington is an ancient oxbow that offers one of the best places for crappie in the state.
Tips
The best places to fish for crappie whether you choose one of the reservoirs or some of the rivers or streams that feed them are near the shoreline where there is plenty of shelters. Places that have tree stumps, rock formations, long grass, and other vegetation offers shelter to the crappie where they tend to gather.
It is recommended that you use a 1/16th to 1/8th jighead that has a tube jig on the tip. Adding a live minnow may help as well. Drop the jig around the tree stumps or vegetation. The crappie is so plentiful in some areas that once you find your spot, you can reel up several without having to change locations.
Mississippi is one of the best states for crappie fishing. Whether you choose one of the reservoirs in the northern part of the state or the many streams, lakes, and rivers in the southern part, you will find plenty of opportunities to fish for crappie year-round.
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