The Best Fishing Spots in Mississippi
Mississippi offers rich recreational fishing across rivers, lakes, bayous and the Gulf Coast, with easy access to the Mississippi River and reservoirs like Ross Barnett, Arkabutla and Sardis. Freshwater anglers commonly target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill (bream), channel catfish and flathead catfish, plus seasonal runs of white bass. Along the coast and inshore bays you can catch redfish (red drum), spotted seatrout (speckled trout), flounder, cobia, sheepshead and offshore species like king mackerel. Anglers use a mix of casting, jigging, trolling, live bait and fly fishing to find fish in different habitats.
Top Cities For Fishing
River Fishing
Sea Fishing
Bay Saint Louis
(0 km to coast)
Biloxi
(0 km to coast)
Diamondhead
(4 km to coast)
D'Iberville
(1 km to coast)
Escatawpa
(13 km to coast)
Gautier
(1 km to coast)
Gulf Hills
(1 km to coast)
Gulf Park Estates
(3 km to coast)
Gulfport
(1 km to coast)
Hickory Hills
(9 km to coast)
Kiln
(11 km to coast)
Latimer
(13 km to coast)
Long Beach
(1 km to coast)
Moss Point
(7 km to coast)
Ocean Springs
(0 km to coast)
Pascagoula
(2 km to coast)
Pass Christian
(1 km to coast)
Saint Martin
(1 km to coast)
Waveland
(1 km to coast)
West Gulfport
(6 km to coast)
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Deer Island
Just off Biloxi , Deer Island’s grass flats, cuts, and nearshore reefs hold redfish, speckled trout, and flounder; dawn topwater bites can be excellent on calm days, with live shrimp under corks producing around current edges and oyster structure.
Bay St. Louis
This broad bay on the western MS coast offers great inshore action for speckled trout, redfish, black drum, and summer tripletail; work oyster reefs, railroad bridge pylons, and marsh drains feeding from the Jordan River and Wolf River , with moving tides key to consistent bites.
Biloxi Bay
Biloxi Bay’s bridges, bayside reefs, and marsh edges produce speckled trout, redfish, and sheepshead, with peak trout action during spring shrimp runs and fall bait pushes; target current breaks around bridge pilings near Biloxi and Ocean Springs and grass lines on stronger tides.
Horn Island
A pristine barrier island within the Gulf Islands National Seashore , Horn Island is a hotspot for surf‑side speckled trout, cruising redfish, and spring runs of pompano, with summer tripletail around crab traps and buoys; target sandbars, troughs, and leeward grass flats on moving tides.
Mississippi Sound
The protected Sound between the mainland and the barrier islands is a prime venue for speckled trout, redfish, flounder, and summer tripletail; work oyster reefs, bay mouths, and shrimp boat slicks from Bay St. Louis to Biloxi , with spring and fall tides driving bait and peak trout bites over shell and current breaks.
Pascagoula Bay
Fed by the Pascagoula River , this bay features reefs, ship channel edges, and marsh mouths that attract speckled trout, redfish, and sheepshead; fish tide changes around industrial channel structure and natural points for consistent action.
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Columbus Lake
Part of the Tenn‑Tom chain at Columbus , Columbus Lake features largemouth bass on grass lines and riprap, roaming striped/white bass near the tailrace, and steady crappie around brush and channel edges; current flow and shad activity drive the best windows.
Arkabutla Lake
Known for slab crappie and shallow cover fishing, Arkabutla shines in spring around buckbrush and willows and in fall on creek channels; anglers also find blue catfish and largemouth bass along the Coldwater River channel swings and riprap near Hernando .
Enid Lake
Part of the I‑55 crappie trail, Enid offers excellent crappie action—shallow in spring, suspended over channels in summer, and on brush in fall—plus dependable largemouth bass and catfish; focus on creek mouths, timber edges, and the old river run near Pope and Water Valley .
Lake Ferguson
An oxbow off the Mississippi River at Greenville , Lake Ferguson offers excellent catfish, seasonal white bass schooling, and strong largemouth bites along riprap and barge docks; current from the river influences bait movement, with eddies and seam lines key areas to target.
Grenada Lake
Often called the home of the biggest slabs, Grenada produces trophy crappie during the spring spawn in shallow cover and along creek flats, with summer spider‑rigging and crankbait trolling over river channels; anglers also pursue solid largemouth bass and catfish near the Yalobusha River arm and main‑lake points.
Okatibbee Lake
Near Meridian , Okatibbee offers reliable crappie, shallow cover largemouth bass, and plentiful catfish; spring action centers on flooded brush and creeks, while summer and fall patterns include channel ledges, timber edges, and wind‑blown points.
Sardis Lake
A North Mississippi crappie powerhouse where spring brings giant white crappie to buckbrush and flooded willows, summer trolling shines over channel flats, and fall anglers find suspended schools near timber; there’s also quality largemouth bass and catfish around the upper river and main‑lake structure near Sardis .
Lake Washington
This storied oxbow near Chatham produces trophy crappie, quality largemouth bass, and big blue catfish; work cypress knees and piers in spring, troll crankbaits along the old river run in summer, and fish deeper stumps and drops as bait schools gather in fall.
Pickwick Lake
Straddling the MS‑AL‑TN line, Pickwick is renowned for smallmouth bass on current‑swept gravel bars, hefty largemouth in creeks and grass, and abundant catfish and stripers; target tailrace eddies below Pickwick Landing Dam , ledges on the Tennessee River channel, and bluff walls, especially during spring prespawn and fall shad migrations.
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
Pascagoula River
America’s largest free‑flowing river east of the Mississippi, the Pascagoula mixes freshwater and coastal species—upriver holds largemouth bass, bream, and catfish, while the lower delta yields redfish, speckled trout, and flounder; fish cypress sloughs, tide rips, and marsh drains near Moss Point .
Pearl River
From oxbows and sandbars above Jackson to brackish marshes near Pearl River and Bay St. Louis , the Pearl offers largemouth bass, crappie, and catfish upriver, with redfish and speckled trout in the lower reaches; focus on laydowns, cuts, and tide‑swept mouths.