When is smallmouth bass season in Mississippi?

Mississippi keeps smallmouth 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 smallmouth bass?

The Mississippi daily bag limit for smallmouth bass is 10 / day combined black bass (largemouth + smallmouth + spotted); per-lake creel varies on managed waters. 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 smallmouth bass can you keep in Mississippi?

The Mississippi size rule for smallmouth bass is No statewide minimum length; Pickwick Lake harvest 15 in & under (bass over 15 in protected); Aberdeen + Columbus Lakes (Tenn-Tom) 14 in & under. Trophy rule: MS state-record smallmouth 7 lb 15 oz from the Yellow Creek Arm of Pickwick Lake (Thomas Wilbanks, 1987); Pickwick's 15 in & under harvest rule protects trophy smallmouth on the Tennessee River.

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

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

Yes. In Mississippi, smallmouth bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; snagging prohibited for black bass; Trotlines + setlines prohibited for black bass statewide; Pickwick Lake: MS / AL / TN reciprocal — boundary-state licence honored on open water under the tri-state compact; Per-lake protected-length + creel rules listed on the MDWFP public-water-body regulations page.

Do specific Mississippi waters have different smallmouth bass rules?

Yes. 5 named Mississippi waters carry rules that override the statewide smallmouth bass regulation, including Pickwick Lake, Aberdeen Lake (Tenn-Tom), Columbus Lake (Tenn-Tom), and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

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

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Last updated June 9, 2026

Mississippi sits at the southern edge of smallmouth range, and the fishery is concentrated on Pickwick Lake — the Tennessee River impoundment in the state's northeast corner shared with Alabama and Tennessee. Pickwick's Yellow Creek Arm produced the MS state-record smallmouth (7 lb 15 oz, Thomas Wilbanks, 1987), and the dam tailrace gives up trophy smallmouth in the cooler months. The upper Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway pools (Bay Springs, Aberdeen, Columbus) hold the rest of the state's smallmouth. Mississippi manages smallmouth inside the 10-fish combined black-bass aggregate (largemouth + smallmouth + spotted) with NO statewide minimum length; the named Tennessee River and Tenn-Tom waters instead protect larger fish with a harvest-at-or-under rule — Pickwick allows harvest of bass 15 inches and under (protecting all bass over 15 in), and the Aberdeen + Columbus pools 14 inches and under.

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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); per-lake creel varies on managed waters
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; Pickwick Lake harvest 15 in & under (bass over 15 in protected); Aberdeen + Columbus Lakes (Tenn-Tom) 14 in & under
Trophy rule: MS state-record smallmouth 7 lb 15 oz from the Yellow Creek Arm of Pickwick Lake (Thomas Wilbanks, 1987); Pickwick's 15 in & under harvest rule protects trophy smallmouth on the Tennessee River

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; snagging prohibited for black bass
Trotlines + setlines prohibited for black bass statewide
Pickwick Lake: MS / AL / TN reciprocal — boundary-state licence honored on open water under the tri-state compact
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:

Pickwick Lake
Harvest 15 in & under, 10 / day combined black bass; premier MS smallmouth water; MS / AL / TN reciprocal
Aberdeen Lake (Tenn-Tom)
Harvest 14 in & under, 10 / day combined; upper Tennessee-Tombigbee pool
Columbus Lake (Tenn-Tom)
Harvest 14 in & under, 10 / day combined; Tennessee-Tombigbee pool
Bay Springs Lake
10 / day combined black bass (no statewide minimum length); upper Tenn-Tom smallmouth
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
10 / day combined black bass; multi-pool smallmouth corridor

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

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Emergency-order channel

Smallmouth 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 smallmouth bass season in Mississippi?: Mississippi keeps smallmouth 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 smallmouth bass?: The Mississippi daily bag limit for smallmouth bass is 10 / day combined black bass (largemouth + smallmouth + spotted); per-lake creel varies on managed waters. 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 smallmouth bass can you keep in Mississippi?: The Mississippi size rule for smallmouth bass is No statewide minimum length; Pickwick Lake harvest 15 in & under (bass over 15 in protected); Aberdeen + Columbus Lakes (Tenn-Tom) 14 in & under. Trophy rule: MS state-record smallmouth 7 lb 15 oz from the Yellow Creek Arm of Pickwick Lake (Thomas Wilbanks, 1987); Pickwick's 15 in & under harvest rule protects trophy smallmouth on the Tennessee River.
Do you need a license to fish for smallmouth bass in Mississippi?: Yes. Mississippi requires a valid fishing license to fish for smallmouth 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 smallmouth bass in Mississippi?: Yes. In Mississippi, smallmouth bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; snagging prohibited for black bass; Trotlines + setlines prohibited for black bass statewide; Pickwick Lake: MS / AL / TN reciprocal — boundary-state licence honored on open water under the tri-state compact; Per-lake protected-length + creel rules listed on the MDWFP public-water-body regulations page.
Do specific Mississippi waters have different smallmouth bass rules?: Yes. 5 named Mississippi waters carry rules that override the statewide smallmouth bass regulation, including Pickwick Lake, Aberdeen Lake (Tenn-Tom), Columbus Lake (Tenn-Tom), and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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