Biologist predict solid season on state lakes in North Mississippi

MDWFP RELEASE –  Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) fisheries biologists expect another good year for anglers in Northeast Mississippi.

“Supplemental forage stockings of bream and threadfin shad in 2018 should enhance the bass populations at lakes Lamar Bruce, Monroe, and Elvis Presley,” said MDWFP Fisheries Biologist Trevor Knight. “Last year, Lamar Bruce, which is popular with bream anglers in the area, started producing bass over 10 pounds and we anticipate that Monroe will do the same in this year.”

Anglers who do not want to fight the crowds should consider checking out Lake Lowndes State Park.

“Our fall surveys indicated a healthy crappie population that is often overlooked,” Knight added. “Trophy-sized bass and catfish are also present due to an abundant gizzard shad population.”

The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway will continue to provide consistent results for crappie, bass and catfish anglers. Bay Springs and Columbus Lake boast healthy populations of bass and crappie.

“We see more out-of-state crappie anglers fishing these lakes to get away from the crowds on the more popular, larger reservoirs,” Knight said.

Pickwick Lake should continue to produce quality bass, crappie, and catfish in 2019. Crappie anglers should expect Bear and Yellow Creeks to produce good numbers of crappie, as they have in years past. The heavy rainfall in the region during the past year may result in less aquatic vegetation coverage in 2019. As a result, bass anglers should focus more on fishing Pickwick’s famous ledges to catch largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass.