The Visitor Education Center (VEC) at the Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery in Enid provides an educational, entertaining experience that promotes freshwater sport fishing, encourages the conservation and stewardship of aquatic resources, and offers information about the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

BTFH VEC Sign
VEC Field Trip
Hatchery exhibit at the Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery Visitor Education Center
Angling exhibit at the Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery Visitor Education Center
Carp at the Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery Visitor Education Center
Black Crappie
Dragonfly
Raceway Catfish
Largemouth Bass

Touring the Visitor Education Center

The Visitor Education Center at the Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery is the first and only facility of its kind in Mississippi. The Center features a native habitat area, a 10,000 gallon aquarium, interactive exhibits, displays, artifacts, rodeo pond, gift shop and gallery, and the World Record White Crappie. All of these elements serve as entertaining and engaging learning experiences for all visitors.

The complex is located on 58 acres and is less than a quarter mile from Interstate 55. The facility, which is operated by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, is easily accessible to Mississippi residents and out-of-state visitors.

The VEC also offers guided and self-guided tours, along with a myriad of programs and workshops for the public. Check out our events below to learn about scheduled events and programs. For more information, please call the VEC to speak with a staff member.

This unique facility has been featured on: Field Trips with Robert Fields (YakFish TV), Gary Mason's Legends of the Outdoors, MS Outdoors, and more!

Group Visitations (Guided Tours)

The Visitor Education Center is always open for self-guided tours. To schedule a guided tour call the Visitor Education Center at (662) 563-8068.

Visitor Information

Hours of Operation

March - October 
Open Tuesday - Saturday 
8:30am - 4:30pm
Closed Sunday & Monday

November - February 
Open Monday - Friday 
7:30am - 3:30pm 
Closed Saturday & Sunday

Closed Holidays

Admission Fees
  • Adults (Ages 18 - 59): $2.50
  • Adults (Age 60+): $2.00
  • School Groups (Per Student): $2.00
  • Children (Ages 3 - 17): $2.00
  • Children (Under 3): No Charge
  • School Teachers with Classes and Bus Drivers: No Charge
  • Active Military: No Charge
Directions to the Facility

The Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery and Visitor Education Center are located below Enid Dam in Yalobusha County, Exit 233 off of I-55.

Bridge construction completed. 

Map to Visitor Education Center
Facility Rental

The Visitor Education Center houses a conference room that can be rented out for business meetings, reunions, birthday parties, and other gatherings.

Event Room Rental Information and Application

For more details and to obtain a rental form, please contact the Visitor Education Center at (662) 563-8068.

Gallery and Gift Shop

Adults and youth visiting the Hatchery and Visitor Education Center have the opportunity to purchase unique souvenirs in the gift shop. Items include: Jewelry, Books, Hand-Painted Items, Hand-Crafted Pottery, Stuffed Toys, Crappie Mugs, Hiking Sticks (from Native Woods), T-shirts, And more!

 

Hours of Operation:

March - October, Open Tuesday thru Saturday - 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
November - February, Open Monday thru Friday - 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Education & Resources

Youth Art
Youth Art Contests

Since 2014, the Visitor Education Center has received nearly 4,000 pieces of artwork from youth representing over 150 Mississippi schools.

Fish Skull
Teachers' Tackle Box

Educators have many opportunities at the Visitor Education Center (VEC). Educational groups have taken advantage of the guided tours, programs, hands-on activities, contests, and workshops provided by the VEC.

Teacher Resources
Online Flipgrid Lesson Plans

Interactive Flipgrid lesson plans are a useful tool for educators for in classroom, field trips, or virtual learning opportunities.

Kahoot Fishing Games
Kahoot! Fish Games

Play games to learn more about fish identification and other fun educational activities!

Fish Run Helper
Dive Deeper

The Visitor Education Center (VEC) has been featured on many shows over the years! Watch them here and get to know the VEC from another perspective.

Students Learning
Downloadable Resources

The Visitor Education Center (VEC) is proud to serve our educators and anyone else who can benefit from our full archive of resources. These resources are tools for you made for easy download.

Bee on Flower
Native Habitat

The native habitat at the Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery’s Visitor Education Center features over twenty (20) native plant species, including aquatic species.

Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Art and Essay Competition

2025 Art of Conservation Fish Art and Essay Competition

Events

Events are free with the price of admission. For additional information, or to pre-register for an event, please call the VEC at (662) 563-8068 to speak with a staff member.

Choctaw Flute Demonstration
Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery
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Join us for a Choctaw Flute Demonstration by a professional artist, engraver, and traditional Choctaw flute maker, Allen Winters. 

Fishing & Boating
Summer Gyotaku Programs
Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery
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Gyotaku is the traditional Japanese method of printing fish. Using rubber fish stamps and ink, adults and youth will be able to create fish prints of species found in Mississippi: freshwater drum, green sunfish, largemouth bass, common carp, and bluegill. This is a fun program that combines science with art.

Fishing & Boating
Tree ID Seminar
Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery
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Please check back later for more details.

Brady Self, the Northwest Mississippi Forestry Specialist with MSU Extension will present a Tree Identification program at the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) Visitor Education Center (VEC).

Fishing & Boating
Halloween at the Hatchery
Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery
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Activities will include "ghostly gyotaku", face painting, a fish skeleton scavenger hunt, "ghostly Gyotaku," fish crafts, and more! Anyone arriving in costume will receive a free bag of fish food to feed the fish! 

Staff will feed the "carnivores of the aquarium" at 2:00 p.m.

This all-day event is free with the price of admission. 

Fishing & Boating

Contact Information

Visitor Education Center: (662) 563-8068

Hatchery Office: (662) 563-0542

Email: emily-jo.wiggins@wfp.ms.gov

Additional Resources

Outdoor facilities at the Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery
Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery

The Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery, formerly known as the North Mississippi Fish Hatchery, is located west of Enid Lake on 58 acres of land leased from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is easily accessible from I-55.