When is blue catfish season in Mississippi?

Mississippi keeps blue catfish open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Mississippi bag limit for blue catfish?

The Mississippi daily bag limit for blue catfish is No statewide daily creel limit; 10 / day on State Fishing Lakes + State Park Lakes (Choctaw Lake + Lake Okhissa 5 / day; ReCon Lake 10 / day); 1 fish over 34 in / day on Alabama–Tennessee border waters (Pickwick Lake). The possession limit is No statewide possession limit (no statewide daily creel limit). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size blue catfish can you keep in Mississippi?

The Mississippi size rule for blue catfish is No statewide minimum length; on Alabama–Tennessee border waters (Pickwick) no creel limit on catfish under 34 in but only 1 fish over 34 in / day. Trophy rule: MS state-record blue catfish 131 lb (Mississippi River near Natchez, Eugene Cronley, 2022) — among the largest rod-and-reel blue catfish landed in the US; the 1-over-34-in rule on Pickwick / Alabama–Tennessee border waters protects trophy-class fish.

Do you need a license to fish for blue catfish in Mississippi?

Yes. Mississippi requires a valid fishing license to fish for blue catfish, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Mississippi license — compare resident and non-resident Mississippi fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for blue catfish in Mississippi?

Yes. In Mississippi, blue catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line + trotlines + juglines permitted with licence; Trotline + jugline must be tagged with the angler's name + address; Snagging prohibited for sport catfish; commercial harvest under separate MDWFP commercial rules; Lower Mississippi River: voluntary release of breeding-class trophy blues encouraged (no statewide creel limit).

Do specific Mississippi waters have different blue catfish rules?

Yes. 5 named Mississippi waters carry rules that override the statewide blue catfish regulation, including Mississippi River, Pickwick Lake, Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Mississippi Blue catfish 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Ictalurus furcatus

Last updated May 30, 2026

Mississippi's blue catfish fishery is a big-river story. The lower Mississippi River along the state's western boundary — the Greenville, Vicksburg, and Natchez reaches — produces some of the largest blue catfish in the United States. The MS state-record blue catfish (131 lb, Eugene Cronley, Mississippi River near Natchez, 2022) is among the heaviest rod-and-reel blue catfish ever landed in the country, eclipsing the previous MS record by roughly 30 pounds. Trophy blues also hold in the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Pickwick Lake (Tennessee River), and the Yazoo + Big Black river backwaters. Mississippi's recreational rule is distinctive: there is NO statewide daily creel limit and NO statewide minimum length on catfish, so anglers can keep unlimited blue cats on most public water. The exceptions are the state-managed lakes (10 / day; Choctaw Lake + Lake Okhissa capped at 5 / day) and the Alabama – Tennessee border waters (Pickwick), where only 1 catfish over 34 inches per day may be kept — a rule that protects trophy-class blues on the Tennessee River.

Compare blue catfish regulations across all states →

Get change alerts

Watch Mississippi Blue catfish and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.

Season

Open year-round Open year-round on all public waters.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: No statewide daily creel limit; 10 / day on State Fishing Lakes + State Park Lakes (Choctaw Lake + Lake Okhissa 5 / day; ReCon Lake 10 / day); 1 fish over 34 in / day on Alabama–Tennessee border waters (Pickwick Lake)
Possession: No statewide possession limit (no statewide daily creel limit)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum length; on Alabama–Tennessee border waters (Pickwick) no creel limit on catfish under 34 in but only 1 fish over 34 in / day
Trophy rule: MS state-record blue catfish 131 lb (Mississippi River near Natchez, Eugene Cronley, 2022) — among the largest rod-and-reel blue catfish landed in the US; the 1-over-34-in rule on Pickwick / Alabama–Tennessee border waters protects trophy-class fish

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line + trotlines + juglines permitted with licence
Trotline + jugline must be tagged with the angler's name + address
Snagging prohibited for sport catfish; commercial harvest under separate MDWFP commercial rules
Lower Mississippi River: voluntary release of breeding-class trophy blues encouraged (no statewide creel limit)

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Mississippi waters:

Mississippi River
No statewide creel or length limit; lower-river trophy blue fishery — state-record 131 lb near Natchez; pallid sturgeon protected (release)
Pickwick Lake
1 fish over 34 in / day, no creel limit under 34 in; Alabama–Tennessee border water
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
No statewide creel or length limit; trophy blue catfish
State Fishing Lakes + State Park Lakes
10 / day (Choctaw Lake + Lake Okhissa 5 / day)
Yazoo River
No statewide creel or length limit; trophy blue + flathead backwater

Official source

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks publishes the authoritative 2026 Mississippifishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The blue catfish rules on this page are sourced from Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks's official blue catfish regulation page.

Visit official Mississippi fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Blue catfish closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks's emergency-order feed — check it before any Mississippi trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is blue catfish season in Mississippi?: Mississippi keeps blue catfish open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Mississippi bag limit for blue catfish?: The Mississippi daily bag limit for blue catfish is No statewide daily creel limit; 10 / day on State Fishing Lakes + State Park Lakes (Choctaw Lake + Lake Okhissa 5 / day; ReCon Lake 10 / day); 1 fish over 34 in / day on Alabama–Tennessee border waters (Pickwick Lake). The possession limit is No statewide possession limit (no statewide daily creel limit). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size blue catfish can you keep in Mississippi?: The Mississippi size rule for blue catfish is No statewide minimum length; on Alabama–Tennessee border waters (Pickwick) no creel limit on catfish under 34 in but only 1 fish over 34 in / day. Trophy rule: MS state-record blue catfish 131 lb (Mississippi River near Natchez, Eugene Cronley, 2022) — among the largest rod-and-reel blue catfish landed in the US; the 1-over-34-in rule on Pickwick / Alabama–Tennessee border waters protects trophy-class fish.
Do you need a license to fish for blue catfish in Mississippi?: Yes. Mississippi requires a valid fishing license to fish for blue catfish, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Mississippi license — compare resident and non-resident Mississippi fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for blue catfish in Mississippi?: Yes. In Mississippi, blue catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line + trotlines + juglines permitted with licence; Trotline + jugline must be tagged with the angler's name + address; Snagging prohibited for sport catfish; commercial harvest under separate MDWFP commercial rules; Lower Mississippi River: voluntary release of breeding-class trophy blues encouraged (no statewide creel limit).
Do specific Mississippi waters have different blue catfish rules?: Yes. 5 named Mississippi waters carry rules that override the statewide blue catfish regulation, including Mississippi River, Pickwick Lake, Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

← Back to Mississippi regulations overview