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FISHING CALENDAR · MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi Fishing Calendar
Mississippi fishing covers the Mississippi Sound, the Biloxi Marsh, the barrier islands and Gulf rigs and reefs, plus reservoirs like Ross Barnett, Grenada and Enid. Seasons and limits come from MDMR (saltwater), MDWFP (freshwater) and NOAA 2026 rules. MDMR publishes no best-months table, so most good months come from Mississippi Sportsman magazine and are marked as not official.
Government fish & wildlife updates
- MDMR News & Updates — Snapper, triggerfish, shrimp seasons and legal notices
- MDWFP News — Freshwater fishing news and MS Outdoors stories
Month by month
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater | |||||||||||||
| Crappie | (magazine — not official) Spawn runs late Feb to early May; April is the peak. Spillways at Barnett, Grenada and Enid are good. 30/day statewide (some lakes differ).[12][10] | ||||||||||||
| Largemouth bass | 10 black bass/day combined (largemouth, spotted, smallmouth). No official best months found.[10][13] | ||||||||||||
| Bream (bluegill, redear) | 100/day combined. No official best months found.[10][13] | ||||||||||||
| Catfish | No limit on most waters; 10/day at MDWFP state lakes; 1 over 34 in. on Alabama and Tennessee border waters. No official best months found.[10][13] | ||||||||||||
| Striped bass and hybrids | 6/day, 15 in. minimum. No official best months found.[10] | ||||||||||||
| Inshore saltwater (Mississippi Sound, Biloxi Marsh, islands) | |||||||||||||
| Speckled trout (spotted seatrout) | (magazine — not official) Caught year-round: deep holes in winter, island grass beds in spring, rigs and surf in summer, marsh in fall. 15 in., 15/day.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Redfish (red drum) | (magazine — not official) Plentiful in winter; fall is the best time in the Biloxi Marsh. 18–30 in., 3/day; may keep 1 over 30 in.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Sheepshead | (magazine — not official) Move in during winter; US 90 bridge pilings. 14 in., 15/day.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Black drum | (magazine — not official) Winter, around bridges and bays. No size or bag limit.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Flounder | (magazine — not official) Summer gigging on beaches and islands, hook-and-line at jetties. 12 in., 10/day.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Tripletail | (magazine — not official) Around crab-pot buoys. MDMR: found in state waters in warmer months, not in cool months. 18 in., 3/day.[11][8][1][14] | ||||||||||||
| Cobia | (magazine — not official) Spring migration; April and early May best. 36 in. FL, 2/day. MS Recreational Offshore Landing Permit required.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Spanish mackerel | (magazine — not official) 12 in. FL, 15/day.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Florida pompano | No size or bag limit. No official best months found.[1] | ||||||||||||
| Offshore (Gulf) | |||||||||||||
| Red snapper | 2026: open May 22–Jul 5, then Sep 4–7 and weekends; closed Sep 27 for the rest of the year (98% of quota caught). 16 in., 2/day. Tails n' Scales report required. No official best months found.[2][3][4][1][11] | ||||||||||||
| Gray triggerfish | 2026: open Mar 1–May 31 and Aug 1–Dec 31. 15 in. FL, 1/day. No official best months found.[5][6][3][1] | ||||||||||||
| Greater amberjack | 2026 season Sep 1–Oct 13 only. 34 in. FL, 1/day. No official best months found.[3][7][1][11] | ||||||||||||
| Gag grouper | 2026 season Sep 1–30. 24 in., 2/day. No official best months found.[3][1] | ||||||||||||
| King mackerel | (magazine — not official) First solid showing in July, stays thick through fall. 24 in. FL, 3/day.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Gray (mangrove) snapper | (magazine — not official) Rigs, wrecks and reefs in summer. 12 in., 10/day in 10-snapper aggregate.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Yellowfin tuna | (magazine — not official) Winter at the lumps south of Venice for big boats; June bluewater. 27 in. CFL, 3/day.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Blue marlin | (magazine — not official) June is a peak billfish month (Billfish Classic). 99 in. lower-jaw FL.[11][1] | ||||||||||||
| Wahoo | (magazine — not official) June bluewater.[11] | ||||||||||||
| Mahi-mahi (dolphin) | No state size or bag limit (federal rules apply). No official best months found.[1] | ||||||||||||
| Crabs and shrimp | |||||||||||||
| Blue crab | Hard crabs 5 in. spike to spike; no bag limit. No official best months found.[1][15] | ||||||||||||
| Shrimp (brown and white) | 2026–27 season opened May 26, 2026. North of the ICW closes Jan 1, 2027; south of the ICW and west of the Gulfport Ship Channel closes May 1, 2027. Live-bait shrimping open year-round in set areas.[9][16] | ||||||||||||
Never keep: Never keep: goliath grouper, Nassau grouper, longbill spearfish, and prohibited sharks (sand tiger, bigeye sand tiger, whale, basking, white, dusky, sandbar, silky, night, Caribbean reef, longfin mako, bigeye thresher, sixgill and sevengill and others). No red snapper may be landed or possessed in Mississippi waters when the season is closed.[1][4]
Bait & rig for each fish
Largemouth bass
Bait: Live wild shiners.
Lures: Plastic worms, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, topwater frogs and crankbaits.
Rig: Float rig, Carolina/bottom rig, jig head or simple lure setup depending on depth and species.
Leader: Often 6–15 lb mono/fluoro; heavier leader is useful around abrasive cover or toothy fish.
Striped bass and hybrids
Bait: Live shad and shiners.
Lures: Bucktail jigs, swimbaits and topwater plugs.
Leader: Usually none; add a short fluorocarbon leader with braid.
Speckled trout (spotted seatrout)
Bait: Live shrimp under a popping cork, live pilchards or pinfish.
Lures: Soft-plastic jerkbaits and paddle tails, suspending twitchbaits, and topwater walking baits at dawn.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Redfish (red drum)
Bait: Live or cut mullet, pinfish, blue crab pieces, and live or fresh dead shrimp.
Lures: Gold spoons, paddle-tail soft plastics on a 1/8–1/4 oz jig head, topwater walking baits, and shrimp imitations.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Sheepshead
Bait: Fiddler crabs, live shrimp, sand fleas, oysters and barnacles.
Lures: Rarely; a small jig tipped with shrimp or fiddler.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Black drum
Bait: Texas Parks & Wildlife documents cut fish, squid and shrimp, with peeled shrimp tails especially common.
Lures: Rarely; a slow jig tipped with shrimp.
Rig: A conventional bottom rig with a sinker and one or more single-hook drops is documented; a single drop with little or no weight is also described.
Leader: 10–30 lb fluorocarbon/mono is a common flats/inshore start; move to 40–80 lb around abrasive mouths, structure or large tarpon/snook.
Flounder
Bait: Live mud minnows, finger mullet and shrimp.
Lures: Soft plastics on a jig head dragged slowly on the bottom; Gulp! swimming mullet.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Tripletail
Bait: Live shrimp under a cork.
Lures: Small jigs and shrimp imitations.
Leader: 30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
Cobia
Bait: Live eels, pinfish, croakers, crabs and menhaden.
Lures: Big bucktail jigs (1–3 oz) with a long soft-plastic tail, and large soft eels.
Leader: 30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
Spanish mackerel
Bait: Live shiners, pilchards and glass minnows.
Lures: Gotcha plugs, small silver spoons, Clarkspoons trolled and small jigs.
Leader: 30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
Florida pompano
Bait: Sand fleas (mole crabs), clams and shrimp; Fishbites.
Lures: Small pompano jigs (doc's goofy jigs) bounced on the bottom.
Rig: A light two-hook/high-low or Carolina-style sand-bottom rig is a common starting setup where legal.
Leader: 10–30 lb fluorocarbon/mono is a common flats/inshore start; move to 40–80 lb around abrasive mouths, structure or large tarpon/snook.
Red snapper
Bait: Cut bait, squid and live pinfish or cigar minnows.
Lures: Vertical jigs.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Gray triggerfish
Bait: Florida FWC documents squid or cut bait for gray triggerfish.
Lures: Small jigs, soft plastics, spoons or micro-jigs are common choices; use the smallest lure that reaches the zone.
Rig: Simple dropper, knocker or light jig rig; keep hardware small and use only enough weight to maintain contact.
Leader: 12–30 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common start.
Greater amberjack
Bait: Live blue runners, pinfish and large baitfish.
Lures: Heavy vertical jigs and big poppers.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Gag grouper
Bait: Live pinfish, grunts, sardines; big cut baits.
Lures: Deep-diving plugs trolled over ledges; heavy jigs.
Leader: 50–80 lb fluorocarbon.
King mackerel
Bait: Live blue runners, goggle-eyes, menhaden and threadfin herring; frozen cigar minnows.
Lures: Spoons, diving plugs and duster-rigged baits.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: Wire or monofilament leader is documented; material choice, strength and length are not universally established.
Gray (mangrove) snapper
Bait: Live shrimp, pilchards, pinfish and cut bait.
Lures: Small jigs and soft plastics worked near structure.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Yellowfin tuna
Bait: Live baits (blue runners, bonito) and chunks.
Lures: Spreader bars, skirted lures, poppers and stick baits.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: 40–100 lb mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; toothy species may need heavier abrasion-resistant or wire bite protection.
Blue marlin
Bait: Rigged ballyhoo, mackerel and live tunas.
Lures: Large skirted trolling lures.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: 40–100 lb mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; toothy species may need heavier abrasion-resistant or wire bite protection.
Wahoo
Bait: Rigged ballyhoo and live baits on wire.
Lures: High-speed trolling lures and lipped diving plugs on wire.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: Use heavy abrasion/bite leader; many wahoo anglers add short wire or cable because of the teeth.
Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
Bait: Ballyhoo, flying fish, squid and cut bait to keep a school near the boat.
Lures: Skirted trolling lures, small feathers and bucktail jigs.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: 30–60 lb mono/fluorocarbon is a common mahi start; increase for abrasion or mixed wahoo water.
Blue crab
Bait: Freshly dead fish is documented as blue-crab trap bait by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
Lures: Not applicable.
Rig: Crab traps are a documented blue-crab capture method. Use only locally legal gear.
Leader: Not applicable.
Local fishing reports — what’s biting now
- Mississippi Sportsman – Inshore Fishing — Coast trout, redfish and marsh reports and how-to
- Mississippi Sportsman – Offshore Fishing — Snapper, reef fish and bluewater news
- MDWFP Fishing Reports — Official freshwater lake reports (state park lakes, Pickwick and more)
Sources
- MDMR – Recreational Size and Possession Limits
- MDMR – 2026 recreational red snapper season will open May 22
- MDMR – Red snapper reopening; greater amberjack, gray triggerfish and gag updates (Aug 2026)
- MDMR – Recreational red snapper season closing (Sept 27, 2026)
- MDMR – Gray triggerfish opening March 1, 2026
- MDMR – Gray triggerfish closing June 1, 2026
- NOAA Fisheries – 2026 Gulf greater amberjack recreational season
- MDMR – Atlantic Tripletail
- MDMR – Shrimp season opens May 26, 2026
- MDWFP – Statewide Creel and Size Limits
- Mississippi Sportsman – Mississippi Saltwater Calendar (magazine)
- Mississippi Sportsman – April arguably our best crappie month (magazine)
- Mississippi Fishing Calendar 2019 (Game & Fish)
- Mississippi's 2021 fishing calendar: where to go in which month (Mississippi Sportsman)
- Blue Crab Newsletter 2020 (Mississippi State University Extension)
- Seafood Industry (Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area)
Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every month on this calendar comes from the sources above. Empty boxes mean no official source gives those months. Rules change — check the agency page before you keep a fish.
On the bay, in the mangroves or on the ocean, the everyday struggles get left at the dock — for those few hours it’s just you, the water and peace.