When is crappie (white + black) season in Mississippi?

Mississippi keeps crappie (white + black) 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 crappie (white + black)?

The Mississippi daily bag limit for crappie (white + black) is 30 / day combined white + black statewide; 10 / angler + a 25-fish boat limit (boats with 3+ anglers) on the Big 4 north-MS reservoirs (Grenada + Sardis + Enid + Arkabutla), effective July 2024. The possession limit is No separate possession limit — Mississippi sets daily creel limits only (a person may transport no more than 7 daily creel limits per qualified angler); the Big 4 reservoirs carry a 25-fish boat limit for boats with 3+ anglers. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size crappie (white + black) can you keep in Mississippi?

The Mississippi size rule for crappie (white + black) is 12 in min Grenada + Sardis + Enid + Arkabutla (Corps/MDWFP rule); 11 in min Lake Washington; 10 in min Ross Barnett + Tenn-Tom + listed reservoirs; no statewide minimum elsewhere. Trophy rule: MS state-record white crappie 5 lb 3 oz from Enid Lake (1957) — held as the all-tackle world record for decades; Big 4 reservoirs produce 3+ lb white crappie on annual basis; Grenada Magnolia Crappie Club + national tournament circuit.

Do you need a license to fish for crappie (white + black) in Mississippi?

Yes. Mississippi requires a valid fishing license to fish for crappie (white + black), 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 crappie (white + black) in Mississippi?

Yes. In Mississippi, crappie (white + black) fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line + jigging poles permitted; Multi-pole rigs allowed (3-pole rig standard on the Big 4); Trotline + jugline crappie harvest prohibited on most public reservoirs; Big 4 reservoirs (Grenada + Sardis + Enid + Arkabutla): Corps of Engineers + MDWFP joint regulation effective July 2024 — 12 in min, 10 / angler, 25-fish boat limit (boats with 3+ anglers), and a 4-pole-per-angler limit.

Do specific Mississippi waters have different crappie (white + black) rules?

Yes. 6 named Mississippi waters carry rules that override the statewide crappie (white + black) regulation, including Grenada Lake, Sardis Lake, Enid Lake, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Mississippi Crappie (white + black) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Pomoxis annularis / Pomoxis nigromaculatus

Last updated June 9, 2026

Mississippi is the country's most-celebrated crappie destination. The 4 north-MS US Army Corps of Engineers flood-control reservoirs — Grenada Lake (35,000 acres) + Sardis Lake (38,500 acres) + Enid Lake (15,500 acres) + Arkabutla Lake (33,000 acres) — collectively the 'Big 4' — produce 2+ lb white crappie routinely and 3+ lb fish on annual basis. The MS state-record white crappie (5 lb 3 oz from Enid Lake, 1957) stood as the all-tackle world record for decades; Enid markets itself as the 'Crappie Capital of the World.' The Big 4 share a distinctive 12-inch minimum + a 10-fish-per-angler daily bag (with a 25-fish boat limit for boats carrying 3+ anglers) under a Corps + MDWFP rule effective July 2024 — the 12-inch minimum is one of the highest in the country, and the 2024 creel reduction (from 30 to 10 fish per angler) was set to protect the trophy white-crappie fishery under heavy tournament pressure. Ross Barnett Reservoir (33,000 acres on the Pearl River near Jackson) carries the central-MS crappie tier with 10-inch minimum + 30 / day. The Mississippi River oxbows (Eagle + Lake Washington + Lake Mary + Yazoo River backwater) carry the alluvial-floodplain crappie tier with cypress-tupelo brush-pile habitat.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round; March – May peak spawn run on the Big 4 north-MS reservoirs.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 30 / day combined white + black statewide; 10 / angler + a 25-fish boat limit (boats with 3+ anglers) on the Big 4 north-MS reservoirs (Grenada + Sardis + Enid + Arkabutla), effective July 2024
Possession: No separate possession limit — Mississippi sets daily creel limits only (a person may transport no more than 7 daily creel limits per qualified angler); the Big 4 reservoirs carry a 25-fish boat limit for boats with 3+ anglers

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 12 in min Grenada + Sardis + Enid + Arkabutla (Corps/MDWFP rule); 11 in min Lake Washington; 10 in min Ross Barnett + Tenn-Tom + listed reservoirs; no statewide minimum elsewhere
Trophy rule: MS state-record white crappie 5 lb 3 oz from Enid Lake (1957) — held as the all-tackle world record for decades; Big 4 reservoirs produce 3+ lb white crappie on annual basis; Grenada Magnolia Crappie Club + national tournament circuit

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line + jigging poles permitted
Multi-pole rigs allowed (3-pole rig standard on the Big 4)
Trotline + jugline crappie harvest prohibited on most public reservoirs
Big 4 reservoirs (Grenada + Sardis + Enid + Arkabutla): Corps of Engineers + MDWFP joint regulation effective July 2024 — 12 in min, 10 / angler, 25-fish boat limit (boats with 3+ anglers), and a 4-pole-per-angler limit

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Mississippi waters:

Grenada Lake
12 in min, 10 / angler (25-fish boat limit, 3+ anglers); country's premier white-crappie reservoir
Sardis Lake
12 in min, 10 / angler (25-fish boat limit, 3+ anglers); Big 4 crappie reservoir
Enid Lake
12 in min, 10 / angler (25-fish boat limit, 3+ anglers); 'Crappie Capital of the World' + 5 lb 3 oz world-record holder 1957
Arkabutla Lake
12 in min, 10 / angler (25-fish boat limit, 3+ anglers); 4th of the Big 4 north-MS crappie reservoirs
Ross Barnett Reservoir
10 in min, 30 / day; central-MS flagship
Lake Washington
11 in min, 20 / day (reduced from 30 / day in 2024); Mississippi River oxbow near Greenville

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 crappie (white + black) rules on this page are sourced from Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks's official crappie (white + black) regulation page.

Visit official Mississippi fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Crappie (white + black) 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 crappie (white + black) season in Mississippi?: Mississippi keeps crappie (white + black) 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 crappie (white + black)?: The Mississippi daily bag limit for crappie (white + black) is 30 / day combined white + black statewide; 10 / angler + a 25-fish boat limit (boats with 3+ anglers) on the Big 4 north-MS reservoirs (Grenada + Sardis + Enid + Arkabutla), effective July 2024. The possession limit is No separate possession limit — Mississippi sets daily creel limits only (a person may transport no more than 7 daily creel limits per qualified angler); the Big 4 reservoirs carry a 25-fish boat limit for boats with 3+ anglers. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size crappie (white + black) can you keep in Mississippi?: The Mississippi size rule for crappie (white + black) is 12 in min Grenada + Sardis + Enid + Arkabutla (Corps/MDWFP rule); 11 in min Lake Washington; 10 in min Ross Barnett + Tenn-Tom + listed reservoirs; no statewide minimum elsewhere. Trophy rule: MS state-record white crappie 5 lb 3 oz from Enid Lake (1957) — held as the all-tackle world record for decades; Big 4 reservoirs produce 3+ lb white crappie on annual basis; Grenada Magnolia Crappie Club + national tournament circuit.
Do you need a license to fish for crappie (white + black) in Mississippi?: Yes. Mississippi requires a valid fishing license to fish for crappie (white + black), 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 crappie (white + black) in Mississippi?: Yes. In Mississippi, crappie (white + black) fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line + jigging poles permitted; Multi-pole rigs allowed (3-pole rig standard on the Big 4); Trotline + jugline crappie harvest prohibited on most public reservoirs; Big 4 reservoirs (Grenada + Sardis + Enid + Arkabutla): Corps of Engineers + MDWFP joint regulation effective July 2024 — 12 in min, 10 / angler, 25-fish boat limit (boats with 3+ anglers), and a 4-pole-per-angler limit.
Do specific Mississippi waters have different crappie (white + black) rules?: Yes. 6 named Mississippi waters carry rules that override the statewide crappie (white + black) regulation, including Grenada Lake, Sardis Lake, Enid Lake, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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