Anglers in Mississippi can choose from big water fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico
and the Mississippi River, countless lakes and smaller streams, or community lakes
and farm ponds. With Mississippi’s relatively mild climate, waters large and small
are magnets for fishermen all year. Sportfishing is big business on the Mississippi
Gulf Coast, supporting 5,200 jobs. More people are recognizing the largely untapped
opportunities for fishing the Mississippi River. The Lower Mississippi River Conservation
Committee, a conservation partner of Wildlife Mississippi, has prepared an interactive
online guide to fishing the Mississippi. Groups such as the
Magnolia Fly Fishers are promoting freshwater and saltwater fly fishing
opportunities across the state.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks has a number of online
resources for anglers, including updated
fishing reports and an
interactive map of boat ramps and bait shops.
Wildlife Mississippi is mindful of the cultural and economic importance of fishing
in Mississippi. Many of its conservation projects help protect clean waterways needed
for quality fishing. Its Buttahatchie River project,
for example, is restoring and protecting approximately 35 miles of river shoreline
habitat. The Buttahatchie is home to uncommon species such as the Gulf strain of
walleye.