Ross Barnett Reservoir

UPPER MAIN LAKE:

The increase in current Wednesday caused a slowdown in the crappie bite, but understand this: The spawn bite had been so good since Sunday that a slowdown doesn't mean poor fishing. It only means you had to work harder. Fish shallow in the flooded grass areas and on stumps, especially on the east side of the lake. Bass are on post-spawn and are hot on the shallow ledges. The fish are beginning to form schools. Catfish have moved up on the flats.

LOWER MAIN LAKE:

Again , Wednesday's increase in water flow through the dam had a big impact on the crappie bite, probably more so on the lower end than anywhere else. Still, there were plenty of fish to be caught shallow from the sawdust pile area to Rose's Bluff. It just took longer to fill an ice chest. The rocks along the jetties, dam and causeway are still producing good. Bass fishermen are finding the fish forming schools on ledges, road beds and other post-spawn haunts. Catfish bite has been good on deep flats with stumps.
 

ABOVE HIGHWAY 43:

The increase in current may be minimal on the upper river level due to the open gates, but the resulting bite is good for both crappie and bass. Bass are on post-spawn pattern and moving back to the secondary and main points and cuts. The action has been better for quantity than quality, as you'd expect. Worms and crank baits are both working. Crappie are spawning and the fish are biting good in the shallow stumps and vegetation, especially on the lower end of the upper river area from Caney Creek to Ratliff's Ferry. The catfish bite is on for trot liners.

Pelahatchie Bay:

Two patterns are producing crappie in the Bay, spawning and post-spawning. Since this area is among the first to draw crappie shallow, it is also the first to send them back deep. Finding deep cover out from a spawning area can produce big females, which could be either finished laying or just waiting to make another run shallow. The males are still guarding the nests. Catfish have been plentiful and very active in the Bay, making up for a slow bass bite. Look for cats on shallow stump flats on the north shore.
 

UPPER MAIN LAKE:

Suggestion: Clear your schedule for the weekend and the first of next week. Do it, that is, if you like to fish crappie on the spawn. It will be happening throughout the reservoir but particularly on the upper half of the main lake. Temperatures are forecast to return to the 80s by the weekend and the full moon is on Sunday. The males are already on the spawning beds, despite the cold and look for the big females to join them. Bass fishing is also getting real good with the fish moving to the first drops out from the spawning grounds. Catfish are moving to the flats.

LOWER MAIN LAKE:

We could probably turn the thumb up here, too, but because the north wind has been particularly bad here, we aren't sure. Male crappie are on spawning stumps 6-7 feet of water this week and the females aren't far away. They have been good on pre-spawn but could be ready to spawn this weekend. Catfish activity is picking up on the 8- to 10-foot flats.
 

ABOVE HIGHWAY 43:

Doesn't get much better than this report for north of the 43 bridge. Outstanding crappie (spawn) and bass fishing, despite the cold weather. Surface temperatures are holding in the mid to upper 60s. With a full moon on Sunday, look for crappie spawning to peak out in the Caney Creek area and other backwaters. Bass fishing has improved steadily this week with fish moving to the post-spawn patterns, which puts the big bass on the first drops out from shallow spawning areas. A very skinny 8-pounder was caught Tuesday morning on a swim bait in Caney Creek, obviously having spawned out.

Pelahatchie Bay:

The crappie spawn, which appears to have already peaked in the Bay, is gearing up for a second peak. Crappie fishermen on Tuesday morning reported a new influx of females joining the darkened males on the shallow flats. If that is the case, then this weekend, with the full moon, should provide one more chance to load an icebox with big Bay slabs. Bass fishermen are finding some good fish around stumps, especially those along the edge of ditches and creeks. The best news might be catfish - they're shallow and apparently very hungry.  

UPPER MAIN LAKE:

The lake level is holding good at 297.3, but that might be a problem for crappie fishermen. Early July’s fast rise from near record (for the month) lows to normal levels apparently has finally affected fish behavior. Oddly enough, it took a few weeks for the fish to react. The standing timber that had been producing good fishing near the river channel are no longer producing. Deep brush is still doing better than standing timber. Schooling bass are still busting on top but they are tough to fool and average sizes are under the 15-inch minimum. Jugging is working for catfish.

LOWER MAIN LAKE:

Surface level is holding steady above 297 (297.3 Tuesday afternoon), and the temperature is ranging from 83 degrees at sunrise to a peak of 90 degrees between 3 and 5 p.m. Crappie are just as hard to catch on the lower end in the old lake beds on standing timber as they are on the upper end. The bite that had been consistent has gotten tougher the last 10 days to two weeks. Bass are still holding in schools but are no longer jumping as frequently. Still fish the same areas but work deep for the better fish. A Carolina-rig worm has worked well for some on deep ledges.
 

Pelahatchie Bay

Catfish, catfish and more catfish. The Bay is producing the whiskered fish on a consistent basis, but that is hardly enough action to make up for a very slow crappie bite and even slower bass bite. Water clarity has improved as the area has produced less runoff in recent weeks. Surface temperatures are starting around 85 each morning and topping 90 by 2 p.m. Catfish are plentiful on deep and shallow flats, as long as there is substantial cover and they are really biting good at night for juggers in the creek.
 

UPPER MAIN LAKE:

Crappie continue to produce a good midday bite. and the hotter the better. Try fishing 11-12 feet deep next to timber. Bass surface schooling activity is plentiful and the topwater bite is good in vegetation close to deep water. Jug fishing for cats is good in the upper west end.


LOWER MAIN LAKE:

Bass are suspending in water depths of 5 feet watching for schooling shad above. The best crappie action is coming from the old lake beds like Rice Lake along the trace. Some trolling is beginning to produce along the Pelahatchie Creek channel. Channel catfish are biting on the deep flats.

Pelahatchie Bay

The crappie fishing has been good along the creek channel. Fish around any cover you can find 10-13 feet deep. Bass fishing slow but the big fish bite makes it worthwhile. Use frogs in the pads. Stump flats are holding a lot of catfish.

Pelahatchie Bay

The Bay had the warmest water checked on Wednesday, 86.5 degrees at noon in the shallows. The bay also had the hottest catfish report on the entire lake with fishermen catching good numbers both on trotlines in the shallow stump fields and on jugs at night in deep and shallow areas. Crappie reports have been fair at best, and bass reports much worse. Crappie are in the creek channel where it meanders through the open water and are holding in the bends. Bass are scattered and finding concentrations of them is difficult if not impossible. Bass bass fishermen are pretty much stuck on working frogs in pads.