Best fishing lakes in Mississippi ranked. See the Top 30

A new Fishmasters ranking highlights the best fishing lakes in Mississippi for anglers seeking crappie, bass, catfish, or bream, emphasizing both time-of-day and the value of local knowledge. The website, citing Fishmasters co-founder Brian Nagele, said it consulted local fishermen to identify productive waters rather than only the most popular destinations. Among the top picks, Grenada Lake is described as a 35,000-acre flood-control reservoir known for trophy crappie and “honey holes,” with flooded timber, creek channels, and shallow flats. Ross Barnett Reservoir near Jackson spans 33,000 acres and is characterized by bass, crappie, catfish, and bream, with access via multiple public boat ramps and fishing piers. Pickwick Lake, about 43,000 acres on the Tennessee border, is noted for top bass quality indicators, including smallmouth bass around rocky bluffs and gravel bars near Sevenmile Island. The list positions multiple lakes as year-round options, with seasonal shifts for spring and summer fishing.