*Enid Lake is a flood control reservoir in north Mississippi operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE). The MDWFP Fisheries Bureau manages Enid Lake's fisheries resources and provides weekly fishing reports.

Enid Lake Overview

Enid Reservoir is one of four flood control reservoirs (FCRs) in north Mississippi. Built by the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) in 1954 on the Yocona River, it has a summer pool of 16,130 ac. Water levels follow an annual rule curve but deviate from it due to local precipitation and COE spillway gate operations. The reservoir is lowered in fall to winter pool (6,120 ac); flood pool is 27,950 ac. Enid contains 400 ac Wildcat Brake , a sub-impoundment in the upper reservoir between the Yocona River and Otoucaloufa Creek. The reigning World Record White Crappie was caught at Enid Lake in 1957.

 

For more information on this lake's fees, permits, rules and regulations, and amenities visit the Enid Lake page at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website.

Address: 264 County Road 39, Enid, MS 38927

Alert

As usual during fall drawdown, boat ramp access becomes limited. Ramp bottom elevations Enid Rule Curve Ramp Elevations.pdf may be higher than posted due to siltation.

New crappie regulations went into effect on July 24, 2024 on the four Flood Control Reservoirs (Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid, and Grenada) and their spillways.

The daily creel limit for crappie is 10 fish per angler, and the daily aggregate limit is 25 fish for boats with three or more anglers. Crappie must be over 12 inches, and the pole limit remains at 4 per angler. In addition, fish may only be cleaned at designated fish cleaning stations if available, not on the water or in the boat ramp parking lots. In the spillways, the daily limit is 10 fish per angler. There are no boat or size limits in the spillways. Pole limits in the rip-rapped portions of the spillways remain 1 per angler.

Fishing Report - Updated 10/29/2024

BassBass are either on main lake points or moving down creek and river channels to the main lake. Any cover (wood, brush tops, stake beds, rock, etc.) is a plus. Fish crankbaits, vibrating jigs, or slow-rolled spinnerbaits 2 to 10 ft deep. Try soft plastics (Carolina, Texas, or Ned rigs, drop shots, swim baits, etc.) if fish don't bite more aggressive baits.
Crappie Fish jigs and/or minnows or troll crankbaits 6 - 12 ft deep for suspended fish in major creek mouths or the main lake. There are 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.
BreamFish crickets, redworms, or small artificials 3 - 6 ft deep near any cover (brush tops, stake beds, riprap, etc.). 
Catfish Fish worms or stinkbaits in the river and creeks for fish moving down to the main lake (or if there is rainfall runoff). Otherwise, fish various natural baits over main lake flats. Rod-and-reel (drifting or stationary), trotlines, and noodles (jugs) have all been working.
White BassCast shad-imitating jigs or small crankbaits over hard-bottomed, sandy main lake points or in the main cove where Wallace and Hubbard creeks join. There are no size or number limits on white bass. They taste better if immediately put into an ice/water "slush".

The weather should be cooling off with rain a possibility on Halloween this week.

During fall drawdown, both game and bait fish should follow the river and creeks toward the main lake. The increased flow through the lake should improve fishing in both the lake and spillway. 

Water Level

Water level 239.90 ft, falling 0.25 ft/day, 2.3 ft above the rule curve Tuesday. The water level is supposed to fall from summer pool (250 ft) August 1 to winter pool (230 ft) December 1. Expect water level rises and drawdowns as rain events happen and the Corps tries to achieve and maintain rule curve.

Spillway gate openings, flow rates, and water levels can be obtained at (662)563-4571 or check at Vicksburg District Daily River Bulletin for a table, OR Yocona River @ Enid Dam, MS, OR Yazoo River Basin Reservoirs for both (click on 24-hour change for picture explanation of gate flow, spillway flow, etc.).

Spillway

The spillway had both gates open 2.5 ft each (1465 cfs) Tuesday. Best luck in the spillway is when some water is being released, but not too much. Catfishing is best now fishing various natural baits near the bottom. For White Bass, fish small shad-imitating crankbaits, jigs, or tail-spinners in current - below the "waterfall" is a good spot. Few crappie reports yet. Fish for Largemouth or Spotted Bass along the rocks with spinnerbaits, vibrating jigs, or swimbaits. Fish for bream with crickets or redworms under a bobber near the rocks and in eddies.

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 10-crappie creel limit.

Enid Reservoir Special Regulations

Creel and Size Limits

SpeciesLengths to ReleaseDaily Creel Limits
Crappie (combined black and white)12 inches and under

10 per angler

25 per boat for boats with 3 or more anglers

Statewide creel and size limits apply to all other fish species

Lake Regulations

  • Anglers may use no more than 4 poles per person and no more than 2 hooks or lures per pole.
  • Fish may only be cleaned at designated fish cleaning stations if available, not on the water or in the boat ramp parking lots

*Enid Reservoir Interactive Map

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