Alert
Use has been high recently with limited access due to low water; it is improving slowly. 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 late winter/early spring water levels; watch for obstructions and shallow areas.
Fishing Report
Enid Lake - 3/26/2024 2:21:29 PMSpecies | Detail | |
Bass | Fish main lake points, ledges, or the edges of creeks and the old river channel with slow-rolled spinnerbaits, jigs, and/or soft plastics. As the water warms, use faster moving baits (buzzbaits, spinnerbaits) in shallower water in the mouths of coves near cover (stumps, brush tops, etc.). | |
Crappie | Fish jigs and/or minnows for suspended fish either in the mouths of major creek coves or in cover near potential spawning areas. Fish should be moving shallower later this week. There are a lot of "short fish"; use 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, brush tops, stake beds, riprap, etc.). | |
Catfish | Fish worms or stinkbaits in the river and creeks (if you can access them) as long as there is rainfall runoff. Otherwise, fish various natural baits over main lake flats. | |
White Bass | The spawning run should be happening. Fish sandbars in creeks (best access may be from the banks). Cast jigs or small crankbaits over hard-bottomed, sandy main lake points. There are no size or number limits on white bass. |
The lake is rising quickly from rainfall runoff. Stabilizing water levels and warmer temperatures later this week should prompt crappie and other fish to move shallow.
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 |
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Species | Type | Length To Release |
Crappie (combined black and white) | Minimum Length Limit | 12 inches and under |
Creel Limits (per person, per day) |
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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 both gates closed (0 cfs) Tuesday. Best luck in the spillway is when some water is being released, but not too much. When flow resumes, fish for crappie with jigs and/or minnows near the rocks. Catfishing is best in eddies on various natural baits. White Bass should be moving up into the spillway; fish small crankbaits, jigs, or tailspinners in faster current; below the "waterfall" is a good spot. Fish for Largemouth or Spotted Bass along the rocks with spinnerbaits, crankbaits, or swimbaits.
Spillway gate openings, flow rates, and water levels can be obtained at (662)563-4571 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.).
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 spreading 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 241.52 ft, rising 1.0 ft/day, 2.0 ft over the rule curve Tuesday. The water is rising and muddied from recent rains. The water level is supposed to rise from 235 ft March 1 to summer pool (250 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)563-4571 or check at Vicksburg District Daily River Bulletin for a table OR Yocona 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.