Mississippi fishing reports
184 reports for Mississippi — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Mississippi Sound clears after Isaias as snapper season closes
Water temperatures across Mississippi Sound held in the mid-70s this morning, 74.1°F at CO-OPS station 8747437 and 76.8°F at station 8741533, as the Sound dries out after Hurricane Isaias forced MDMR's Biloxi licensing office to shut down Oct. 9 (it reopens Monday, Oct. 12, per MS DMR). The bigger story for anyone planning a trip is regulatory, not biological: per MS DMR, Mississippi's state recreational red snapper season closed for the year at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 27, and no red snapper may be landed or possessed in state waters for the rest of 2026.
Redfish and snook turn on as Isaias clears Mississippi Sound
Mississippi Sound's inshore water is holding in the upper 70s this week, 76.6°F at the Bay Waveland-area reading and 79.3°F off Pascagoula, classic early-October numbers for a bite that's just now turning on. Salt Strong's inshore team reports a lure switch made the difference on a recent trip: dropping hardbaits for soft plastic jerk lures on the same water turned a dead stretch into 'a quick inshore slam, including some nice redfish and snook.' The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources closed its Biloxi licensing office Friday, October 9, because of Hurricane Isaias, with plans to reopen Monday — a reminder that weather has been moving through the coast and water clarity may still be settling out in the backs of the bays.
Redfish and Snook Reward a Lure Switch in Mississippi Sound
Water temperatures are holding warm across Mississippi Sound, reading 78.1°F at NOAA CO-OPS station 8747437 and 80.2°F at station 8741533, keeping the inshore bite active as the calendar moves into mid-October. Per Salt Strong, anglers who switched off hardbait plugs to soft plastic jerk lures this week turned a stalled spot into what they called 'a quick inshore slam, including some NICE redfish and snook,' a strong sign fish are still feeding hard in the shallows despite the warm, settled water. Separately, MS DMR reports its Biloxi licensing office closed Friday, October 9, due to Hurricane Isaias, reopening Monday, October 12, worth noting before your next trip if you need to square away paperwork.
High Water Pushes Mississippi River Bite to the Margins
USGS gauge 07289000 on the Mississippi River is running well above typical early-October stage, keeping the main channel high and the current strong through the stretch it tracks across the Mississippi and Pearl river systems. No fresh water-temperature reading came through with this update, so the clearest read on where fish are stacking right now is current, not thermometer. High, fast water this time of year usually means less feeding along exposed flats and more activity tucked into current breaks, wing dams, and the mouths of connecting sloughs and backwaters where the main flow eases.
Fall mullet run builds in Mississippi Sound as Red Snapper stays closed
Water in the Sound is still running warm for early October, with NOAA CO-OPS gauges reading 80.4°F and 81.5°F overnight, typical of the Gulf's slow fall cooldown rather than an early turnover. The bigger story for anglers right now is regulatory: MS DMR confirms the state recreational Red Snapper season closed in Mississippi territorial waters at 11:59 p.m. on September 27, 2026, and stays closed for the remainder of the year, meaning no Red Snapper may be landed or possessed in state waters through December. Offshore structure trips will need to target other bottom species until the season reopens. On the baitfish side, Saltwater Sportsman's fall mullet run coverage notes the migration is underway along Gulf of Mexico waters as well as the Atlantic side this time of year, with mullet from fingerlings to three-pounders pouring out of rivers, bays, and estuaries. That kind of bait push through Sound passes typically pulls predators in tight, even without a Sound-specific report yet naming which species are stacked on it.
Pearl River system trades summer patterns for a fall structure bite
Early October marks the seasonal turn Mississippi river anglers watch for every year. Cooling overnight air is chipping away at summer-stage water temperatures across the Pearl and Mississippi River corridors, and that typically pushes baitfish out of open water and into creek mouths, laydowns, and other structure where predators can corral them. This is the window when these systems trade summer's dispersed, deep-water patterns for a tighter, structure-first fall rhythm.
Mississippi red snapper season closed; Sound water still runs warm
Mississippi Sound water is still summer-warm. The latest NOAA CO-OPS readings are 80.8°F at station 8747437 and 82°F at station 8741533. The biggest news is regulatory. Per MS DMR, the state recreational Red Snapper season closed at 11:59 p.m. on September 27, 2026, and it stays closed for the rest of the year. No Red Snapper may be landed or possessed in Mississippi state waters while the season is closed.
Warm Sound water holds through fall as state closures narrow the plan
Water is still summer-warm across the Sound: NOAA CO-OPS station 8741533 reads 81°F and station 8747437 reads 79.7°F, both observed at 12:06 PM CDT. Those are instrument readings, so they describe the water, not the bite. The most actionable item this week comes from MS DMR, which confirmed that the state recreational season for one of the Sound's reef species closed at 11:59 p.m. on September 27 and stays closed for the rest of the year. While it is closed, nothing from that group may be landed or possessed in Mississippi state waters, so check state regs before keeping any fish. Separately, MS DMR has a coastal review open for a private pier and two mooring pilings on Beach Blvd in Pascagoula, with public comment invited, which matters only if you fish that shoreline.
Red snapper is closed in Mississippi state waters for the rest of 2026
Water in the Sound reads 81°F at NOAA CO-OPS station 8747437 and 82°F at station 8741533. The major item this week is regulatory: per MS DMR, the state recreational Red Snapper season closed at 11:59 p.m. on September 27, and no Red Snapper may be landed or possessed in Mississippi state waters for the rest of the year.
Red snapper season shuts in Mississippi as the Sound stays warm
Mississippi's state recreational red snapper season closed at 11:59 p.m. on September 27, and MS DMR says no red snapper may be landed or possessed in state waters for the rest of the year. The October 1 release also references landings reported through the state's mandatory Tails n' Scales reporting program. Anglers should treat red snapper as off limits in state waters from here. The Sound itself is still summer-warm: NOAA CO-OPS station 8747437 read 82.4°F and station 8741533 read 82.8°F, both observed at 12:24 p.m. local time. We're seeing a fall-plan shift more than a water-temperature shift, so target planning around species that remain open under current state rules.
Fall cooling starts moving bait on the Mississippi and Pearl Rivers
Fall cooling is the trend to plan around on the Mississippi and Pearl Rivers this week. Fishing the Midwest's fall guidance is that as water cools, weeds die back, oxygen thins and baitfish move to whatever green cover is still alive, and gamefish follow the bait. Early October is when that shift typically begins, so cover that is still growing is the first place to look.
Mississippi Sound Stays Warm as a Major Bottom Fishery Closes for the Year
Mississippi Sound is still carrying summer heat into the first week of October. NOAA CO-OPS station 8747437 logged 87.1°F this afternoon, and station 8741533, sitting closer to the barrier islands, read 84.4°F at the same hour, both taken under this week's Last Quarter moon. The notable development in the Sound right now is regulatory rather than a bite report: the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources confirmed that a major recreational bottom-fishing season in state territorial waters closed at 11:59 p.m. on September 27 and will stay closed for the remainder of 2026, so anglers working nearshore structure should check current regulations before keeping anything from that fishery through year-end.
Fishing in Mississippi
Mississippi runs from world-famous crappie lakes down to a productive Gulf coast, and both ends deliver. The big flood-control reservoirs in the north, led by Grenada, grow the giant white crappie that made the state a national destination. Down south, the Mississippi Sound and its barrier islands hold speckled trout, redfish, and flounder, and the rivers in between are full of bass, bream, and catfish.
When to fish Mississippi
Spring on Grenada, Sardis, and Enid is the main event, with big white crappie flooding shallow to spawn and anglers arriving from all over the country. On the coast, speckled trout and redfish spread across the Sound as the water warms.
Bass and bream bite early and late on Ross Barnett and the oxbows, and catfishing stays strong through the heat. Coastal anglers run to the barrier islands, where the surf and grass flats hold trout, reds, and flounder.
Bull redfish show around the passes and the coastal marsh comes alive as shrimp move out. Inland, the crappie slide out to deeper structure and the bass feed up on shad through the cooling water.
Winter crappie fishing on the north Mississippi lakes is a specialist's game, slow trolling deep water for some of the biggest slabs of the year. On the coast, redfish bunch up in the deeper bayous and clear days can be excellent.
Waters to know
Wayfinder builds a plan for your exact water and day from live buoys, gauges, tides, and recent reports. Free, about 30 seconds.
Common questions
Do I need a license to fish in Mississippi?
Yes, most anglers need a Mississippi fishing license, with freshwater and saltwater fishing covered separately. Licenses are sold online through Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks. Check the current regulations before you go, since rules change.
What fish can I catch in Mississippi?
Crappie are the state's calling card, alongside largemouth bass, bream, and big catfish in the lakes, rivers, and oxbows. The coast adds speckled trout, redfish, flounder, tripletail, and cobia in season.
When is the best time to fish Mississippi?
Spring is the crown jewel, when the crappie spawn on the north lakes and the coastal bite turns on at the same time. Fall runs a close second, with bull reds on the coast and feeding fish everywhere inland.
Where can I check current Mississippi fishing conditions?
This page carries our current Mississippi fishing reports, built daily from NOAA buoys, USGS river gauges, tides, and local sources. For a plan built around your exact water and day, try the free Wayfinder trip planner.
Seasons and limits change: verify current regulations with Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks before keeping fish.
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