Catfishing the Mississippi State Fishing Lakes

Mississippi operates 20 “State Fishing Lakes” that are managed primarily for bass, crappie, redear, bluegill, and catfish. Each lake offers good to excellent bank fishing opportunities and many allow boat fishing (from kayak to water skiing).

Each lake tracks water body records for bass, crappie, redear, bluegill and catfish. Once every two years, it also conducts electrofishing Below is a summary of catfish records, electrofishing surveys, and fishing tips from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and FishBrain.

Below are some Mississippi State Fishing Lake catfishing tips and things to consider.

Five Blank Slates

Five State fishing lakes have an open record as of January 2019. There is no minimum weight for open records so if you catch a channel catfish in Claude Bennett, Columbia Lake, Holmes County, Neshoba County, or Walthall, check it with the Lake Manager or Fisheries Biologist for a certificate recognizing your achievement.

51.75 pounds

Current Mississippi channel catfish state record, caught at Tom Bailey

3.8 adult fish per mile

That’s the TIppah County Fall 2017 electrofish catch rate and its the highest in the state according to the published MDWFP Reel facts.

The Records

Current channel catfish records at all Mississippi State Fishing Lakes as of January 2019

(State Fishing Lake/weight in pounds)

  • 51.75 lbs Tom Bailey

  • 42.00 lbs Perry Lake

  • 42.00 lbs Tippah County

  • 39.80 lbs Simpson County

  • 29.05 lbs Mike Conner

  • 27.00 lbs Jeff Davis

  • 26.00 lbs Elvis Presley

  • 20.35 lbs Prentiss Walker

  • 15.15 lbs Kemper County

  • 14.40 lbs Mary Crawford

  • 12.85 lbs Bogue Homa

  • 8.20 lbs Lamar Bruce

  • 7.38 lbs Calling Panther Lake

  • 4.25 lbs Monroe Lake

  • 2.50 lbs Bill Waller

  • Open Claude Bennett

  • Open Columbia Lake

  • Open Holmes County

  • Open Neshoba County

  • Open Walthall

Fishing Tips from Lake Managers

Bill Waller

Try pungent baits, such as liver, to attract catfish.

Bogue Homa

Try a pungent bait such as liver to attract catfish.

Calling Panther Lake

Try liver, worms, or blood scented bait along the dam and southwest bank. Night fishing is typically good.

Claude Bennett

Try liver, wigglers or stink baits in 4 – 6 ft. of water with rod and reel.

Columbia Lake

Try pungent baits, such as liver, fished near the bottom.

Elvis Presley

Target laydowns and deeper areas around fishing piers. Anglers typically tightline various bait like night crawlers, chicken liver, or even Kool aid flavored chicken. 

Holmes County 

Try liver, worms or stink baits in 6 – 8 ft of water.

Jeff Davis

Try tightlining liver or blood scented bait along deep drop offs.

Kemper County

Try liver, worms or stink bait in 6-8 ft of water

Lamar Bruce

Target creek channels and deeper areas just off earthen piers.

Mike Conner

Try tightlining liver or blood scented bait along deep drop offs. Night fishing is typically good.

Monroe Lake

Try tightlining liver or scented hot dogs along deep drop offs. Night fishing is typically good.

Neshoba County

Tight lining on the bottom with liver or worms works well around the earthen piers.

Perry Lake

Try pungent baits, such as liver, to attract catfish.

Prentiss Walker

Tight line on the bottom with live worms or stink baits.

Simpson County

Try minnows, liver or worms, in 4 – 6 ft of water.

Tippah County

Target cats at night on the shallow flats near the campground or old swimming beach with cutbait or liver. During the summer, fish creek channels and near the dam.

Tom Bailey

Try liver, worms or stink baits in 4 – 6 ft of water.

Mississippi Fishing, Freshwater Fishingaaron bartonComment