Alert
Construction has begun on replacing the Skuna River bridge at Gums Crossing. Watch for work crews in the area.
Fishing Report
Grenada Lake - 3/21/2023 4:16:58 PM| Species | Detail | |
| Bass | A few smaller male bass have been caught in spawning coves, but bigger females should be holding in deeper water near spawning coves. Fish river, creek, and ditch channel edges with soft plastics, jerkbaits, or spinnerbaits around any cover (brush tops, stake beds, timber, etc.). Secondary points in coves may also hold bass. | |
| Crappie | Collins' Bait Shop (662)226-3581 reports recent cold fronts and wind have slowed things down. Crappie are being caught fishing orange/chartreuse or white/chartreuse jigs and/or minnows in 3 – 5 ft of water in creek coves near cover (males) or 4 to 7 ft deep over main lake flats in open water (females). Except for Turkey and Perry creeks, most fishing has been on the Yalobusha side. The Magnolia Crappie Club tournament was won with 17.43 lb in a cold wind; two big fish tied at 3.22. 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 | No reports. Fish redworms 4 - 6 ft under a bobber near any cover (riprap, stake beds, brush tops, stumps, etc.). | |
| Catfish | Fish various natural baits on noodles (jugs) or trotlines over mudflats or fish on worms or stink baits on rod-and-reel or trotlines in the rivers and creeks after rainfall. | |
| White Bass | White bass should be making their spawning run up the rivers and larger creeks (Redgrass, Turkey, etc.). Fish jigs, spinners, or small crankbaits over a sand bottom in the river and creeks or over hard-bottomed main lake points. There are no size or number limits on white bass. | |
Recent cold fronts and wind have slowed fishing success, but warmer weather this week may turn them on. Check water level trends; except for catfish, fishing is usually better on a slow fall than a fast rise. Water falling, fish deeper; water rising, fish shallower.
Crappie start to spawn when average daily water temperature at “fish depth” is about 58, peak at about 65, and end 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.
Some fish may have spawned unusually early, but air and water temperatures have cooled off, which will put the spawn on hold until it warms back up.
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 two gates open 4.75 ft each (2800 cfs) Tuesday AM. Best luck in the spillway is when some water is being released, but not too much. Cooler weather has slowed down the spillway fishing. Some crappie are being caught fishing jigs and or minnows off stumps in the old river run or in deeper holes on down the river. There was a good report on catfish fishing cut shad in a hole where the spillway channel and old river run join. Spillway gate openings, flow rates, and spillway water levels can be obtained at (662)226-5911 or check at http://mvk-wc.usace.army.mil/docs/bullet.txt or http://www.mvk-wc.usace.army.mil/resrep.htm (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 210.06, falling 0.1 ft/day, 8.4 ft over rule curve Tuesday. Expect rapid water level rises and drawdowns as rain events happen and the Corps tries to achieve and maintain rule curve. The water level is supposed to rise from winter pool (193 ft) from mid-January to 198 ft by March 1. High winter releases should mean good fishing in the spillway and old river run. Emergency spillway level is 231.0. For water level information, call (662)226-5911 or check at http://mvk-wc.usace.army.mil/docs/bullet.txt for a table or http://mvk-wc.usace.army.mil/plots/grenplot.png for a graph or http://www.mvk-wc.usace.army.mil/resrep.htm 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.
