Mississippi Fishing Guides

Freshwater Fishing In Mississippi

Mississippi has all the right ingredients for great freshwater fishing – especially for the king of freshwater sportfishing, the largemouth bass. Many Florida-strain largemouths were introduced into Mississippi waters years ago, and they’re thriving. The state record largemouth weighed a whopping 18 pounds, 2 ounces. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass can be found all over the state, in a variety of waters.

Other Popular Species

Mississippi anglers love their bass fishing, but other species are popular, too. These include crappie, bluegill, warmouth, green sunfish, and white bass. Walleye fishing is popular in the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers, and giant catfish can be found in the rivers and in lakes and reservoirs.

Fishing Guides in Mississippi

Bass Fishing Spots In Mississippi

Pickwick Lake – This lake is located on the Tennessee River and spans three states – Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. The state record smallmouth bass, at 7 pounds, 15 ounces was landed here. Grassy shallows, ledges, and drop-offs are numerous in the lake, and several bass tournaments are held here each year. Largemouth bass can also be caught, along with catfish. There are several marinas, bait shops, and fishing guides on the lake or nearby.

Okatibbe Lake – This lake is managed by the Corps of Engineers and is located in southeastern Mississippi. It covers 4,100 acres. The lake has a healthy population of largemouths, along with some big striped bass.

Ross Barnett Reservoir – Located in the central section of the state, Ross Barnett covers 33,000 acres. The water is shallow, and much of is filled with stumps, where largemouth bass love to hide. Along the shore are several marinas, and professional fishing guides are available. The Bass Masters Classic held a world championship here, so you know the bucketmouth angling has to be good.

Davis Lake – This 200-acre lake is located in northern Mississippi. The small lake consists of channels, coves, and steep banks. The lake was stocked with Florida largemouth in 2000, and some have reached monstrous proportions.

Oktibbeha Lake – This 450-acre lake in northern Mississippi is one of the state’s best-kept secrets when it comes to largemouth bass fishing. The lake has lots of submerged timber and brush, along with channels, coves, and docks. There’s little fishing pressure here, so the bass get big.

Private ponds – Some of the biggest bass in Mississippi are lurking in privately owned ponds, especially farm ponds where the vegetation is boosted by agricultural runoff. So how does one fish a privately owned pond without getting permission from the owner? The answer is to hire a bass fishing guide. Several Mississippi fishing guides have agreements with pond owners, so they can take you to fish where the big ones are, without a lot of fishing pressure from other anglers.