Hook and Line
Game fish may be taken by hook and line (one or more hooks, including rod and reel with artificial bait). You may actively fish
with an unlimited number of poles or rod/reels except on waters where the number of poles or rod/ reels is restricted.
Bow & Arrow, Crossbow, Spear, or Gig
Bow & Arrow, Crossbow, Spear, or Gig are allowed for the harvest of the following non-game gross fishes: bowfin, buffalo, carp,
catfish, gar, and shad. Catfish may not be taken by bow and arrow, crossbow, spear or gig at State Fishing Lakes and State Park
Lakes. Catfish may not be taken with spear or gig from May 1 through July 15. No other species of fish may be harvested with these
gears.
Snagging
Snagging is when fish are intentionally hooked in any place other than the mouth. Snagging is allowed statewide the entire year
for all game fish and non-game gross fish. Any size hook may be used when snagging except when fishing in spillways.
Trotlines, Throwlines, Limblines and/or Set Hooks
Trotlines, Throwlines, Limblines and/ or Set Hooks are allowed for the harvest of game fish and non-game gross fish. No more
than a total of 100 single hooks may be fished. Hooks must be tied securely at least 2 feet apart. The Mississippi Department of
Marine Resources regulates trotline use in the waters south of Interstate 10. Anglers should call (228) 374-5000 to learn about
fishing trotlines in these waters.
Areas Closed to Trotlines, Throw Lines, Set Hooks, Limblines, FFFD's, Jugs and Yo-Yos
- Aberdeen Lock spillway downstream to U.S. 45 overpass, including auxiliary spillway and associated bank fishing access area
in the Tombigbee River cutoff below the dam.
- All spillways listed in the Spillway Restrictions section:
- Aberdeen and Columbus spillways.
- Arkabutla, Enid, Grenada, Sardis, Okatibbee, and Ross Barnett Reservoirs from the spillway outlet to the end of the
rip rap.
- Bluff Lake spillway in Noxubee County.
- Lowhead dam on Ross Barnett Reservoir from the dam to the end of the Idle Speed Only/No Wake Zone Area downstream
of the dam.
- All State Park Lakes and State Fishing Lakes.
- Amory Lock downstream to MS Hwy 6 overpass.
- Fulton Lock downstream to MS Hwy 78 overpass.
- G.V. Sonny Montgomery Lock downstream to mile marker 406.
- Glover Wilkens Lock downstream to mile marker 375
- Jamie L. Whitten Lock downstream to MS Hwy 4 overpass.
- John Rankin Lock downstream to mile marker 398.
- John C. Stennis Lock spillway downstream to mile marker 334, including auxiliary spillway and associated bank fishing
access area in the Tombigbee River cutoff below the dam.
- Lake Washington: Limblines and set hooks may not be fished or set, but sportfishing trotlines, FFFD's and yoyos may be
used.
- Ross Barnett Reservoir: Pelahatchie Bay, Pelahatchie Creek, and the area of the reservoir north of the main dam and south
of a line between the point where Twin Harbors channel enters the main lake in Madison County and the Fannin Landing boat
launch in Rankin County; within 100 yards of any sandbar or public boat launching facility within the main lake or river; in
any marked navigational channel between State Highway 43 and Ratliff Ferry in Madison County.
- Sardis Lower Lake from the outlet structure to Spaulding Creek, except that FFFD's are permitted in Sardis Lower
Lake.
Hook Limit
Each person having a valid sport fishing license may use no more than 100 hooks per person.
Free Floating Fishing Devices (FFFD), Jugs & Yo-Yos: No more than 25 jugs and no more than 25 yo-yos may be fished by an
individual with no more than 2 single hooks on each of these devices. If these devices are attached to a line, they must be tied
securely at least 2 feet apart. See State Border Waters section for legal number allowed in those areas. These gears do not need to
be attended or tagged unless you are fishing in the following waters:
- Arkabutla Reservoir in Tate and Desoto Counties
- Eagle Lake in Warren County
- Enid Reservoir in Lafayette, Panola, and Yalobusha Counties
- Granada Reservoir in Grenada, Calhoun, and Yalobusha Counties
- Lake Washington in Washington County
- Sardis Reservoir in Panola, Marshall, and Lafayette Counties
In these waters, attended means devices (whether set, baited, or tripped) must remain in sight of the angler during daylight
hours. These devices may be fished at night without attendance except at Lake Washington where attendance at night is required. At
Lake Washington, yo-yos may only be unattended (tripped, with hook out of the water) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Unattended yo-yos
fishing during the day at the waters listed above and fishing at night at Lake Washington may be seized by MDWFP Law Enforcement
officers except for those fishing unattended at Lake Washington from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. In these waters, all gear must be legibly
marked with a tag. The tags shall be furnished by the angler and must contain either the license holder's MDWFP number or the
full name, residence address, and zip code of any angler exempt from purchasing a license. This information must be legibly written
with either waterproof ink or stamped. Yo-yo tags shall be attached above the water line.
Grabbling Season
Grabbling is open from May 1 to July 15. Grabbling is fishing for non-game fish, most notably catfish, with your hands or with
rope (no attachments). Only wooden containers may be used. It is illegal to place and fish from structures such as plastic or metal
barrels, hot water tanks, concrete pipe, tires, and other non-biodegradable materials in any public waters of the state. It shall
be illegal to place any cavity-type structure, intended to be used for hand grabbling purposes, in all Mississippi water of the
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
It is unlawful to alter any natural areas by placing boards, wire or any other obstruction to logs, holes, etc., or to take fish
from such altered devices. It is also unlawful to raise any part of a natural or wooden container out of the water thereby aiding
in the capture of enclosed fish.
Fish Attractors
It shall be illegal to place structures such as plastic or metal barrels, plastic or metal pipes and tubing larger than 4
inches in diameter, hot water tanks, concrete pipes and tires, and any other nonbiodegradable material into the public waters of
the state for use as fish attractors. However, wooden materials and plastic tubing and pipe materials may be used as fish
attractors provided that the plastic materials are no larger than 4 inches in diameter. Concrete, rope, wire and nails may be used
to make fish attractors. Written permission to place such legal fish attractor materials into public waters must be obtained
from the federal or state agency which owns the specific water body. The person placing such fish attractor material into the
public water must carry a copy of the written permission on them at all times when transporting and placing such material.
Illegal Fishing Methods
It is unlawful to take any fish species by muddying and by the use of lime, poison, explosives, electrical devices, wire
baskets, fish traps, or dip nets; except that shad and minnows may be taken by residents only as specified under the Bait drop-down
of the General Freshwater Fishing Regulations Section. It is illegal to take fish, crawfish, or shrimp from, tamper with or use any
sport fishing gear without the consent of the gear's owner.
No person shall stock, place, release, or cause to be released into any of the public waters of the state any aquatic species
without first obtaining a permit from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
Spillway Restrictions
Special restrictions apply to spillways at the following lakes:
- Aberdeen and Columbus spillways.
- Arkabutla, Enid, Grenada, Sardis, Okatibbee, and Ross Barnett Reservoirs from the spillway outlet to the end of the rip
rap.
- Bluff Lake spillway in Noxubee County.
- Lowhead dam on Ross Barnett Reservoir from the dam to the end of the Idle Speed Only/No Wake Zone Area downstream of the
dam.
From December 1 until the last day of February anglers fishing these waters may use no more than one pole or rod per
person (except those in the Lowhead dam area of Ross Barnett Reservoir) with no more than 2 single hooks. Single hooks must be at
least 1 inch apart and must be no larger than #2.
From March 1 to November 30 anglers may use nor more than one pole or rod per person with no more than 2 single hooks of
any size. Single hooks must be at least 1 inch apart.
Artificial lures with nor more than 3 treble hooks no larger than #2 may be used year round.
The use of bare or baited treble hooks is illegal in these spillway areas. No other gear may be used in these waters
except for dip or landing nets, cast nets, boat-mounted scoops, wire baskets, minnow seines, and minnow traps can be used to
capture shad and minnows. Anglers keeping legal fish caught with these gear types in these waters, except for Lowhead dam in
Leake County on Ross Barnett Reservoir, must immediately place their catch on ice or in a dry container.
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