12" Size Limit In Mississippi

I'm new to this board but would like know about Miss. 12" size limit. What lakes, and what lakes produce the largest crappie. I live in Ky. but love to fish for large crappie. I fish Ky. lake the most because of the good size,I have crappie fished for 48 years and have only landed 1 3lber. This past year I landed 16 2lb and over, the largest one 2.68 . I would like to know how are the size limits doing with the new regs. Sorry, thought I was done, but are your crappie blacks or white. Thanks, Dave

We have both black and white....the whites run bigger of course. The four big COE reservoirs in MS. have a 12 inch size limit. The Tombigbee Waterway has a 9 inch limit. Some lakes have no size restrictions. So if you fish in MS its best to find out the rules for the specific water that you are going to fish.

The lakes with the 12" limits are Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid and Grenada. All are located on/near Interstate 55 aka THE CRAPPIE HIGHWAY. Take a look at a map and you will see. Some also call it the arch of slabs also. The new regs have helped IMO.

Has about all but killed arkabutla. For the last 2 years it has had high water all summer and every thing in the lake has gone amuck. Cant hardly catch a limit in there. Never caught a fish over 3lbs.last year

If this link works, look below thw crappie limits for pole restrictions.

MDWFP License & Law Enforcement

Thanks for the info, I wasn't aware of the rod restrictions but this doesn't bother me, I just cast jigs' haven't got into trolling. I'm a retired trucker and familer with the area, had to keep rolling right by the lakes. Looking for that trophy to put on wall. Thanks

I stopped in a tackle shop in Paris, TN right close to Kentucky lake last year......The lady that owned the store told me that her husband was in MS fishing at Sardis. I could not believe it...living at Kentuky lake and coming to MS to fish Sardis. She told me that he thought the crappie fishing was better here.

Don't forget to read up on our new life jacket laws.

not trying to start an argument there G3, but the length limit on the Waterway is 9".

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Originally Posted by duck38866

not trying to start an argument there G3, but the length limit on the Waterway is 9".

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Your right...I goofed.

Which waterway you talking about?

The TennTom Waterway.

Hey Dave, just an FYI. The legal length is OVER 12". A 12 incher will more than likely get you a "fshing certificate". We never keep anything under 12 1/2 cause after a few hours in the live well they'll draw up on you little. Just sayin---------

Also, as somebody else noted -- keep up on the life jacket rules. Big Brother is always 'lookin out for your best interests.' (please note a large degree of scarcasm)

Can anyone tell me if the flooded watershed area is considered part of the lake? I'm specifically speaking of the areas of the Coldwater river/Arkabutla flooded watershed that lie east of highway 51, and then east of the Interstate 55. When the water is up, it could be argued that that water is contiguous with the lake. Do they impose a size limit there as well?

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Originally Posted by G-3 Fisherman

I stopped in a tackle shop in Paris, TN right close to Kentucky lake last year......The lady that owned the store told me that her husband was in MS fishing at Sardis. I could not believe it...living at Kentuky lake and coming to MS to fish Sardis. She told me that he thought the crappie fishing was better here.

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Of corse the crappie fishings better here......You dont hear folks in Paris TN griping about all the immigrant fishermen!

I would like to see 12'' length limits on all Ks lakes I can not get anybdy to agree with me but i know it would help out all the lakes Hillsdale wouls be a good place to start.
I fish Greanda a lot Yoou all have a fine fishing lake down there be there in April.

Thanks for the info, I like the 12" crappie limit idea but there are more people who can"t turn a 9 or 10" crappie back around here that it will never happen in Ky. I like to catch the good quality size and not so much the numbers. I have gotten to where I would rather catch the black crappie than the whites because they stay shallow longer and are more aggressive. What temp.do your crappie spawn? Here in KY the blacks start when the water is about 58 degrees, about mid to late March.I will be at Ky Lake from March to April but may have to come a little further south. Thanks!!

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Originally Posted by slydog1227

Can anyone tell me if the flooded watershed area is considered part of the lake? I'm specifically speaking of the areas of the Coldwater river/Arkabutla flooded watershed that lie east of highway 51, and then east of the Interstate 55. When the water is up, it could be argued that that water is contiguous with the lake. Do they impose a size limit there as well?

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YES...12inch +

Yes

I believe the 12" limit has helped Sardis and hurt Arkabutla. I don't fish the other two of the big 4. Last year I caught more 12+ fish at Sardis than ever before. Butla was the opposite. Had lots of mornings with 25 to 30 fish caught with only 3 to 5 keepers. That lake is over run with 8" to 11.5" crappie. I caught only one 3lb fish there all year. I think Arkabutla would be helped by going back to 10" minimum.

if you want huge slabs, grenada or sardis.. some of the biggest in the state.. but alot of water, so crappie are going to scattered and plentiful this year