Alert
With recent warmer weather, use has been high with limited access. Bring your patience and make sure your boat is loaded and ready to launch before backing down the ramp.
Caution is advised while boating during low water levels. Watch out for obstructions (like standing timber and roadbeds) and shallow areas. Ramps access is very limited due to low water levels.
Construction has begun on replacing the Skuna River bridge at Gums Crossing. Watch for work crews in the area. There is a temporary structure present to allow building the permanent bridge.
Fishing Report
Grenada Lake - 3/12/2024 3:50:11 PMSpecies | Detail | |
Bass | Fish main lake points, humps, ledges, flooded roadbeds, or the edges of tributary channels with spinnerbaits, jigs, and/or soft plastics. With warmer water, try faster moving baits (buzzbaits, crankbaits, etc.) in shallower water, especially clearer water (usually closer to the dam). | |
Crappie | Collins' Bait Shop (662)226-3581 reports folks are picking up fish 2 - 8 ft deep in the main lake and creek coves, plus the Young's Landing area (can't go far there). Single pole, troll, or drift jigs and/or minnows in the main lake (both river sides), major creek coves, or in remaining cover (mostly standing timber). Minnows worked better after the cold front. The Crappie Masters tournament last Friday and Saturday was won with 27.37 lb (10 fish); big fish was 3.45. Fish bigger baits and/or fish deeper to target larger crappie. Replace treble hooks with single hooks and/or pinch down the barbs to make releasing short fish faster and less damaging; it does no good to release dead fish. | |
Bream | Fish redworms or other natural baits near any cover (timber/wood, riprap, etc.). | |
Catfish | Fish various natural baits with noodles (jugs), trotlines, or rod-and-reel over main lake flats. Fish rivers and creeks with worms or stinkbaits during any rain runoff. | |
White Bass | The spawning run (mostly males) should be starting with warmer weather. Fish sandbars in creeks (best access may be from the banks). Cast jigs or small crankbaits over hard-bottomed, sandy main lake points or secondary points in creek coves. There are no size or number limits on white bass. |
The recent cold front with nightly lows in the 30's backed fish out a little. If it gets warmer, fish will move shallower, especially after midday. However, there is a front with significant rain possible Thursday and Friday that may raise and muddy the water and scatter fish out.
Always check the links in the "Water Level" section for the lake level and if it's rising or falling. A big rain can change conditions quickly. Adjust to conditions like the fish do. Except for catfish, fishing is usually better on a slow fall than a fast rise. Water falling, fish deeper; water rising, fish shallower.
Crappie spawning starts when average daily water temperature at “fish depth” is about 58, peaks at about 65, and ends at about 75 F. Timing and duration of the spawn depends on temperature and water level trends, weather fronts, and moon phases. Fish will spawn shallower in rising water, deeper in falling water. Bigger females usually spawn first. Males of any size can be caught throughout the spawn. Males will stay on the nest until eggs hatch and fry swim up (4 - 7 days) even if the water rises or falls (unless the nest gets too shallow). Males of both Black and White Crappie get darker during the spawn; females do not change color. Historically, crappie spawn on the flood control reservoirs from the last week of March until about the first week of May, but it may shift earlier, later, or be split into two or more peaks due to weather and water fluctuations.
Special Fishing RegulationsSpecies |
||
Species | Type | Length To Release |
Crappie (combined black and white) | Minimum Length Limit | 12 inches and under |
Creel Limits (per person, per day) |
||
Type | Amount | Additional Information |
Crappie (combined black and white) | 15 | There is a 40 crappie per boat limit for boats with 3 or more anglers. |
Anglers may use no more than 4 poles per person and no more than 2 hooks or lures per pole.
Spillway
The spillway had two gates open 0.5 ft each, one gate closed (250 cfs) Tuesday. Best luck in the spillway is when some water is being released, but not too much. Expect frequent spillway gate closures and openings as the Corps maintains the rule curve in the reservoir above. The spillway and old river run have been the best spots lately for crappie; fish quieter water out of the current either right on the rocks or in the old river run with jigs and/or minnows. Catfishing is best in eddies on natural bait fished near the bottom. Some White Bass have been caught in the spillway lately. They will be in the current where you can drift a 2-jig rig just off bottom or fish small crankbaits or tailspinner lures. For largemouths, fish spinnerbaits or soft plastics along the rocks.
Spillway gate openings, flow rates, and spillway water levels can be obtained at (662)226-5911 or check at Vicksburg District Daily River Bulletin OR Yazoo River Basin Reservoirs (click on 24-hour change for picture explanation of gate flow, spillway flow, etc.). Be sure to check the date on the table; it is usually updated midday.
All fish captured and kept with dip or landing nets, cast nets, boat mounted scoops, wire baskets, minnow seines, and minnow traps in the spillway areas bordered by rip rap must be immediately placed on ice or in a dry container. Game fish caught with these gears must be released. This regulation was enacted to reduce the potential of transferring harmful Asian carps to the reservoir or other waters.
The 12-inch crappie length limit does not apply to the reservoir spillway, but the spillway has a 15-crappie creel limit.
Water Level
Water level 203.56 ft, rising 0.1 ft/day, 4.0 ft over the rule curve Tuesday. The water level is supposed to rise from 198 ft March 1 to summer pool (215 ft) by May 1. Expect rapid water level rises and drawdowns as rain events happen and the Corps tries to achieve and maintain rule curve. For water level information, call (662)226-5911 or check at Vicksburg District Daily River Bulletin for a table OR Yalobusha River @ Enid Dam, MS for a graph OR Yazoo River Basin Reservoirs for both (click on 24-hour change for picture explanation of gate flow, spillway flow, etc.). Be sure to check the date on the table; it is usually updated midday.
Additional Information
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Fisheries Biologists use various sampling methods to assess the fish populations in the State’s waters. Sampling results for selected water bodies are summarized in Reel Facts Sheets.