When is largemouth bass season in Mississippi?

Mississippi keeps largemouth bass 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 largemouth bass?

The Mississippi daily bag limit for largemouth bass is 10 / day combined black bass (largemouth + smallmouth + spotted) statewide; per-lake creel varies (5 – 15 / day on managed lakes). 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). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size largemouth bass can you keep in Mississippi?

The Mississippi size rule for largemouth bass is No statewide minimum length; managed lakes use a harvest-at-or-under rule (Ross Barnett 14 in & under · 7 / day; Pickwick 15 in & under; Eagle Lake 16 in & under; Lake Bogue Homa + Lake Washington 15 in & under · 5 / day) or a protected slot (Lake Okhissa + Natchez State Park 18 – 22 in, 1 over 22 in).

Do you need a license to fish for largemouth bass in Mississippi?

Yes. Mississippi requires a valid fishing license to fish for largemouth bass, 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 largemouth bass in Mississippi?

Yes. In Mississippi, largemouth bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; snagging prohibited for black bass; Trotlines + setlines prohibited for black bass statewide; Mississippi River + Pearl River + Tenn-Tom: boundary-state licence reciprocal on main stem; Per-lake protected-length + creel rules listed on the MDWFP public-water-body regulations page.

Do specific Mississippi waters have different largemouth bass rules?

Yes. 5 named Mississippi waters carry rules that override the statewide largemouth bass regulation, including Ross Barnett Reservoir, Pickwick Lake, Eagle Lake, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Mississippi Largemouth bass 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Micropterus nigricans

Last updated June 9, 2026

Mississippi's largemouth fishery is built on the central-MS reservoir tier + Mississippi River oxbow + Tenn-Tom Waterway corridor. Ross Barnett Reservoir (33,000 acres on the Pearl River near Jackson) is the central-MS flagship — a recurring MLF Toyota Series Central + BASS Opens Central rotation venue. The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (234-mile canal from Pickwick to Demopolis AL) supports a multi-pool largemouth fishery on Bay Springs + Aberdeen + Columbus + Aliceville + Demopolis. The Mississippi River oxbow lakes — Eagle Lake (4,700 acres) + Lake Mary (2,500 acres) + Lake Washington (5,000 acres) — carry the alluvial-floodplain largemouth tier with cypress-tupelo habitat, and Natchez State Park Lake produced the MS state-record largemouth (18.15 lb, Anthony Denny, 1992). Mississippi manages black bass as a 10-fish combined daily aggregate (largemouth + smallmouth + spotted) with NO statewide minimum length; instead, most managed lakes protect larger bass with a 'harvest at or under' length rule (e.g. Ross Barnett 14 in & under, Pickwick 15 in & under, Eagle Lake 16 in & under) or a protected slot (Lake Okhissa + Natchez State Park 18 – 22 in, 1 over 22 in).

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Season

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

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 10 / day combined black bass (largemouth + smallmouth + spotted) statewide; per-lake creel varies (5 – 15 / day on managed lakes)
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)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum length; managed lakes use a harvest-at-or-under rule (Ross Barnett 14 in & under · 7 / day; Pickwick 15 in & under; Eagle Lake 16 in & under; Lake Bogue Homa + Lake Washington 15 in & under · 5 / day) or a protected slot (Lake Okhissa + Natchez State Park 18 – 22 in, 1 over 22 in)

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; snagging prohibited for black bass
Trotlines + setlines prohibited for black bass statewide
Mississippi River + Pearl River + Tenn-Tom: boundary-state licence reciprocal on main stem
Per-lake protected-length + creel rules listed on the MDWFP public-water-body regulations page

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Mississippi waters:

Ross Barnett Reservoir
Harvest 14 in & under, 7 / day; central-MS flagship; MLF Toyota Series + BASS Opens venue
Pickwick Lake
Harvest 15 in & under, 10 / day combined; tri-state Tennessee River
Eagle Lake
Harvest 16 in & under, 10 / day; Mississippi River oxbow
Lake Okhissa
18 – 22 in protected slot, 10 / day, 1 over 22 in; Homochitto National Forest reservoir
Natchez State Park Lake
18 – 22 in protected slot, 7 / day, 1 over 22 in; MS state-record largemouth 18.15 lb (1992)

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

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Emergency-order channel

Largemouth bass 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 largemouth bass season in Mississippi?: Mississippi keeps largemouth bass 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 largemouth bass?: The Mississippi daily bag limit for largemouth bass is 10 / day combined black bass (largemouth + smallmouth + spotted) statewide; per-lake creel varies (5 – 15 / day on managed lakes). 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). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size largemouth bass can you keep in Mississippi?: The Mississippi size rule for largemouth bass is No statewide minimum length; managed lakes use a harvest-at-or-under rule (Ross Barnett 14 in & under · 7 / day; Pickwick 15 in & under; Eagle Lake 16 in & under; Lake Bogue Homa + Lake Washington 15 in & under · 5 / day) or a protected slot (Lake Okhissa + Natchez State Park 18 – 22 in, 1 over 22 in).
Do you need a license to fish for largemouth bass in Mississippi?: Yes. Mississippi requires a valid fishing license to fish for largemouth bass, 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 largemouth bass in Mississippi?: Yes. In Mississippi, largemouth bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; snagging prohibited for black bass; Trotlines + setlines prohibited for black bass statewide; Mississippi River + Pearl River + Tenn-Tom: boundary-state licence reciprocal on main stem; Per-lake protected-length + creel rules listed on the MDWFP public-water-body regulations page.
Do specific Mississippi waters have different largemouth bass rules?: Yes. 5 named Mississippi waters carry rules that override the statewide largemouth bass regulation, including Ross Barnett Reservoir, Pickwick Lake, Eagle Lake, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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