Mississippi Scenic Crappie Fishing Charter
Private Trip
Lakes/Reservoirs/Ponds Fishing
Sixhour crappie fishing on Mississippi's top lakesAll fishing gear and expert instruction includedAccommodates up to four guests with seasonal techniques
When you're looking for a serious crappie trip on some of Mississippi's best waters, this 6-hour charter with Reel Crappie Guides delivers exactly what you need. We're talking about fishing the legendary lakes—Grenada, Sardis, or Enid—where slab crappie roam in numbers that'll keep your rod bent all day. Your guide knows these waters like the back of their hand and will put you on fish using proven techniques that change with the seasons. Everything's included except your cooler, so you can focus on what matters: putting quality crappie in the boat.
This isn't your typical weekend fishing trip—it's a full-day commitment to targeting some of Mississippi's finest crappie. Your guide will pick the lake based on current conditions, water temperature, and where the fish are actively feeding. Grenada Lake offers deep structure and creek channels that hold big schools, while Sardis provides excellent brush pile fishing and shallow cover. Enid rounds out the options with its diverse habitat and consistent crappie populations. You'll spend six solid hours working the best spots, with your guide constantly adjusting tactics based on what the fish are telling you. The boat's equipped with everything you need, from rods and reels to bait and tackle. Just bring your fishing license, some snacks if you want them, and be ready to learn from someone who's been putting clients on crappie for years.
Your success depends on matching the right technique to the season, and that's where your guide's expertise really shines. During spring, we're spider rigging over submerged timber and brush piles where crappie stage before spawning. This involves running multiple rods at different depths until you dial in exactly where they're holding. Summer calls for long-lining along creek channels and drop-offs, covering water until you locate active schools. When the water cools, we switch to Livescope technology to sight-fish suspended crappie in deeper water—it's like having X-ray vision into the underwater world. Your guide handles all the technical stuff while teaching you the nuances of each method. The rods are already rigged with the right jigs, minnows, or plastics for the conditions. You'll learn to read your electronics, understand how weather affects fish behavior, and pick up tricks that'll make you a better angler long after this trip ends.
Crappie are the stars of this show, and Mississippi's lakes grow some absolute slabs that'll surprise you with their size and fight. These fish are incredibly structure-oriented, living around submerged timber, brush piles, and creek channels where they ambush small baitfish. Spring brings the most exciting fishing as crappie move shallow to spawn, often stacking up in predictable areas where you can catch dozens in a single spot. Summer pushes them to deeper, cooler water where they suspend at specific depths—usually 15 to 25 feet. Fall sees them feeding aggressively to build reserves for winter, making them less picky about baits. What makes crappie so appealing is their excellent table fare and the technical challenge of finding them consistently. A good day can mean 30 to 50 fish per angler, with the bigger sows running 12 to 15 inches.
Channel Catfish provide excellent bonus action when they're active, especially during summer months when they roam the lake in search of food. These fish hit hard and fight strong, often surprising anglers who think they've hooked a big bass. Channels prefer areas with current and structure, making them likely encounters when you're working creek channels for crappie. They're most active in warmer water and will readily hit the same baits you're using for crappie, particularly live minnows. A 3 to 5-pound channel makes for great photo opportunities and excellent eating.
Blue Catfish represent the heavyweights of these Mississippi waters, with fish over 20 pounds always possible. They prefer deeper, main-lake areas and are most active during low-light periods. Blues are opportunistic feeders that will investigate commotion, sometimes following crappie schools to pick off injured baitfish. When you hook one while crappie fishing, you know you're in for a battle that'll test your tackle and your guide's boat-handling skills. These fish fight with raw power and stamina that separates them from other species.
Flathead Catfish are the apex predators of these lake systems, preferring heavy cover and ambush points near deep water. While not as common as other species on this trip, hooking one is a memorable experience that can happen when fishing around the same timber and structure that holds crappie. Flatheads are primarily active at night but will occasionally feed during overcast days. They prefer live bait and put up a bulldogging fight that's completely different from other catfish species. Landing one over 10 pounds makes for stories you'll tell for years.
Mississippi's crappie fishing is world-class, and Reel Crappie Guides has the local knowledge and equipment to put you on fish consistently. This 6-hour charter gives you serious time to work different techniques, learn from an expert, and build a cooler full of quality crappie. The seasonal approach means you're always fishing the most productive methods, whether that's spring spider rigging, summer long-lining, or high-tech Livescope fishing. With all gear included and the flexibility to fish Grenada, Sardis, or Enid based on conditions, you're maximizing your chances for a top-rated fishing experience. Remember that deposits are non-refundable, so check the Trips & Rates page for details before booking. These productive Mississippi waters combined with proven techniques and local expertise create the perfect recipe for a day you'll want to repeat.
Your fishing platform is a reliable 22' Ranger boat powered by a 250HP Mercury engine that'll get you to the hot spots fast, cruising at speeds up to 40 mph across Mississippi's productive waters. This well-maintained fishing machine offers plenty of deck space for up to 4 anglers to work their lines without getting tangled up. The boat comes equipped with GPS navigation to pinpoint structure and a quality fish finder to locate those suspended Crappie schools that make these lakes famous. Whether you're spider rigging over submerged timber or long-lining along creek channels, this stable platform gives you the room to maneuver and the electronics to stay on fish all day long.
Ictalurus FurcatusThe bruisers of our Mississippi lakes, blues are the largest catfish species we target, often weighing 15-40 pounds with some pushing 50+. They patrol deep channels and river bends in 15-30 feet of water, especially where current meets structure. Late spring through early fall produces the hottest action when they're actively feeding. What sets them apart is their sheer power - these fish will peel drag and test every knot you've tied. The fight alone keeps guests coming back, plus the meat quality is outstanding. Look for them following schools of shad near creek mouths and drop-offs. My go-to technique is fresh cut herring on a Carolina rig, fished right on bottom. Let it sit motionless - blues are opportunistic and prefer stationary baits they can investigate with those sensitive barbels.
Ictalurus PunctatusThese whiskered fighters are scattered throughout our lakes, typically running 2-5 pounds with occasional 10+ pounders that'll test your drag. They cruise muddy bottoms and hang around structure like fallen timber and creek channels in 8-20 feet of water. Spring through fall offers the best action, especially when water temps hit the 70s. What makes them special is their incredible sense of smell - they're covered in taste buds that help them hunt in murky water. Guests love their scrappy fight and sweet, flaky meat that's perfect for a fish fry. Here's a local trick: use fresh chicken livers or stinkbait on a slip sinker rig, let it sit still on bottom, and wait for that telltale tap-tap before setting the hook. Their hard mouths need sharp hooks and a solid hookset.
Pomoxis NigromaculatusOur main target species, these slab-sided panfish run 10-14 inches with occasional 2+ pounders that we call "slabs." You'll find schools suspended over brush piles, creek channels, and standing timber in 8-18 feet of water. Spring spawning season is prime time when they move shallow, but we catch them year-round using electronics to locate schools. What guests love most is the consistent action and excellent eating - crappie have sweet, flaky white meat that's hard to beat. They travel in groups, so finding one usually means catching several. We use spider rigging with multiple rods, long-lining over structure, and Livescope technology to stay on the fish. Local tip: match your jig color to water clarity - bright colors in stained water, natural tones in clear conditions. Light bites require sensitive rods and sharp hooks.
Pylodictis OlivarisThe yellowish giants with distinctive flat heads are our trophy catfish, regularly hitting 20-50 pounds in these Mississippi waters. Unlike other cats, flatheads demand live bait - they want something wiggling on the hook. You'll find them in deep holes, around submerged timber, and near dam structures in 10-25 feet during summer months. What makes them special is their superior table fare - many consider flathead the best-eating catfish with firm, white meat. The fights are legendary too, with these fish using their bulk and stubbornness to test your gear. Spring through early fall offers peak fishing when water temperatures are stable. Here's the key: use live bluegill or small channel cats on a slip sinker rig, fish it near cover, and be patient. When a flathead takes, let them run with it before setting the hook hard.
Mississippi