Click in the top right corner to begin reading, and use the right and left arrow keys to turn pages Welcome to the interactive edition of Fishing the Lower Mississippi River Use this button to visit a website Use this button to watch a video Fishing the Fishing the Lower Mississippi River Lower Mississippi River A Sport Fishing Guide Produced by The Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee 2524 South Frontage Road, Suite C Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180 lmrcc.org August 2013, Second Edition The Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee is a coalition of 12 state natural resources conservation and environmental quality agencies representing Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. It provides the only regional forum dedicated to conserving the natural resources of the Lower Mississippi River floodplain and focuses on habitat restoration, long-term conservation planning and nature-based economic development. LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE This guide was produced with support from the Walton Family Foundation. Contents Chapter Page Introduction 6 Safety Checklist 8 Regulations 14 Tactics for Fishing Introduction 18 Black and White Crappie 24 Bluegill 30 Catfish 33 Common Carp 48 Freshwater Drum 50 Largemouth Bass 52 White Bass and Striped Bass 56 Live Bait 64 Other Species of Fish 70 Maps 76 Definitions 82 References 85 Credits 86 2 Fishing the Lower Mississippi River he Lower TMississippi River extends 954 miles (41 percent of the entire river’s length) from the confluence of the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois, to the Gulf of Mexico. It borders Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. Introduction hether you are experienced at fishing the Lower Mississippi River Wor have never fished this impressive waterway before,Fishing the Lower Mississippi River is for you. Our desire is for you to have many safe and rewarding experiences on America’s Greatest River. Many people contributed information for this guide, including fisheries biologists, anglers and people who live along the river. Their firsthand experience has been an invaluable resource for designing, organizing and providing informa- tion for this guide. We included important information on safety, boating and fishing regulations, river habi- tats, fish identification and fishing tactics. A complete set of maps is linked to this guide. They should help you locate boat launches, find good fishing spots and navigate the river. Several important themes run through this guide: ■ The Mississippi River is a dynamic system. It is constantly changing. ■ Safety cannot be stressed enough. ■ State fishing and boating laws, regulations and reciprocal agreements vary between states and change frequently. Check with the appropriate agencies regularly. 6 Fishing the Lower Mississippi River Fishing the Lower Mississippi River 7 ‮PREPARE Safety Checklist ‮ Check boating regulations for required safety equipment. ‮ Learn to swim well. ‮ Verify the condition of the boat ramp you intend to use. ‮ Check batteries, fuel and oil. ‮ Crank your boat’s motor. ‮ Check navigation lights; pack a flashlight. ‮ Inspect trailer lights, tires and wheel bearings. ‮ Check river gauges and forecasts. ‮ Check the weather. Don’t go out in bad weather. ‮ Pack rain gear for changing conditions. here are many resources available to help make boating and fishing ‮ Wear sun-blocking clothing; use sunscreen on exposed skin. Tthe Mississippi River as safe as possible. The U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and all state fish and wildlife conservation ‮ Pack plenty of water and snacks. agencies have excellent publications on boating and fishing safety. Some offer boating safety training courses and you are encouraged to take a ‮ Pack a fully charged cell phone for emergencies. course either in person or online. You may also be eligible for a boat in- Pack a weather radio, GPS unit and depth finder. surance discount for taking a National Association of State Boating Law ‮ Administrators (NASBLA) certified course. Agency contact information ‮ Pack a tool kit, knife and first aid kit. is located in the Boating and Fishing Regulations section and the Refer- ences section of this guide. ‮ Tell others where you are going and when you will return. ‮ Pack life jackets for everyone on your boat. A good approach to safely fishing the Mississippi River is to think of it in five consecutive steps: preparing for your fishing trip, launching your boat, navigating the river, fishing, and taking your boat out of the water. 8 Fishing the Lower Mississippi River Fishing the Lower Mississippi River 9 ‮LAUNCH ‮NAVIGATE ‮ Make sure your boat’s drain plug is installed. ‮ Stay in the channel to avoid dikes, sandbars, old pilings and sunken trees. ‮ Make sure your boat’s tie-down straps are disconnected. The channel is marked with red and Check the boat ramp for sand, mud and debris. ‮ ‮ green buoys. Red will be on your ‮ Do not launch your boat when a towboat is passing. Wait right side when navigating upriver for waves to subside. and green will be on your right when navigating down river. ‮ Back your trailer into the water no farther than necessary. ‮ Navigate slowly when not in the ‮ Start your boat’s motor before entering the current. river channel. Use a depth finder to prevent running aground. ‮ If the river is predicted to rise, park your vehicle where the water will not reach it. ‮ Always connect the kill switch to the life jacket you are wearing when navigating. ‮ Everyone in the boat should wear a life jacket at all times. ‮ Boats moving upriver must yield to boats moving down river. ‮ Do not navigate at night. ‮ Be aware of jumping carp (Asian carp). They can damage boats and hurt people. ‮ Pass other boats slowly, without leaving a wake. ‮ Never consume alcohol or drugs while operating a boat. click to watch video 10 Fishing the Lower Mississippi River Fishing the Lower Mississippi River 11 ‮FISH ‮RETURN ‮ Slowly back the trailer into the water only as far as necessary. ‮ Do not attempt to take a boat out of the water as a towboat is passing. Wait for waves to subside. ‮ Drive the boat onto the trailer if possible rather than pulling it on the trailer. It’s easy to slip off the trailer and fall into the river. ‮ Wear a life jacket until you are completely out of the water. ‮ When setting trotlines, one person should handle the lines and another person should handle the boat. ‮ To reduce the potential for a trotline to be a navigation or safety hazard, be aware of falling water conditions. ‮ Be mindful of hooks when setting or running trotlines. ‮ Keep a knife within reach to cut lines when necessary. ‮ Never drop anchor in the river channel or swift current. ‮ Do not fish under steep cut banks. They frequently collapse. ‮ Never enter the water to retrieve a snagged line. It’s always safer to cut a line and re-tie it. ‮ When tying a boat to structure or pulling it up onto the bank or sandbar, consider waves that may be created by towboats and changes in river level. Boats left unattended can drift free or become swamped by waves. ‮ When fishing from the river bank, watch for unstable ground. River currents can undermine the bank (especially sandbars) and cause them to cave in under very little weight. 12 Fishing the Lower Mississippi River Fishing the Lower Mississippi River 13 Contact information: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Arkansas Game and 2000 Quail Dr. Fish Commission Baton Rouge, La 70808 Regulations 2 Natural Resources Dr. 225-765-2800 Little Rock, AR 72205 http://wlf.louisiana.gov/ egulations, laws, public notices and reciprocal agreements related to 800-364-4263 Rfishing the river may occasionally change. When fishing the Missis- [email protected] Mississippi Department of sippi River, you will likely cross at least one state line and regulations http://agfc.com/ Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks often differ from one state to another. It is also very important to know of 1505 Eastover Dr. reciprocal agreements between adjoining states. You are legally respon- Kentucky Department of Fish Jackson, MS 39211-6322 sible for knowing and following current fishing and boating regulations. and Wildlife Resources 601-432-2400 To keep abreast of current fishing and boating regulations, contact the #1 Sportsman’s Lane http://www.mdwfp.com/ state authority in which you will be fishing. Frankfort, KY 40601 800-858-1549 E-Mail: [email protected] Missouri Department of http://kdfwr.state.ky.us/ Conservation 2901 W. Truman Blvd. Jefferson City, MO, 65102 573-522-4115 http://mdc.mo.gov Missouri State Highway Patrol Water Patrol Division 1510 East Elm Street Jefferson City, MO 65102 573-751-3313 (information) 800-525-5555 or *55 cellular (emergency) [email protected] Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 5107 Edmondson Pike Nashville, TN 37211 615-781-6500 http://www.tn.gov/twra/ Fishing the Lower Mississippi River 15 The U.S. Coast Guard provides excellent information on naviga- To report violations: tion regulations. This website has current information: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission http://www.uscgboating.org/regu- 1-800-482-9262 lations/navigation_rules.aspx Cellular phone #TIP Coast Guard contacts: Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Memphis, Tennessee 1-800-25-ALERT U. S. Coast Guard 2 Auction Avenue Louisiana Department of Wildlife Memphis, TN 38105 and Fisheries 901-544-3987 1-800-442-2511 Natchez, Mississippi Mississippi Department of Wild- U. S. Coast Guard life, Fisheries, and Parks 44 L. E. Barry Road 1-800-BE SMART Natchez, MS 39120 601-446-5104 Missouri Department of Conservation New Orleans, Louisiana 1-800-392-1111 U.S. Coast Guard Eighth Coast Guard District Tennessee Wildlife Resources Hale Boggs Federal Building Agency 500 Poydras Street 1-800-831-1173 New Orleans, LA 70130 504-671-2241 Practice good stewardship by respecting trespassing laws and removing all your litter, as well as removing your trotlines, limb lines, and throw lines.