Mississippi River is a River located in Plaquemines County, LA. Starting in Park Rapids, MN the Mississippi River flows 2073 miles through Vienna, MO before ending in Pilottown, LA. Find maps, fishing guides, weather and recreation information at Guidesly.

Mississippi River, LA

The Mississippi River, situated entirely in the United States, is the second-longest river in North America and measures about 1.2 million square miles, approximately one-eighth of the whole continent. Flowing over 2,300 miles long, it begins from the Lake Itasca in Minnesota and ends at the Gulf of Mexico, downstream from New Orleans, Louisiana. 

The Mississippi River divides into three portions – the Upper, the Middle, and the Lower Mississippi. The Upper Mississippi is the boundary of the river from its headwaters to convergence with the Missouri River. Downstream from the Missouri River to the Ohio River is the Middle Mississippi, and the water from the Ohio River to the Gulf of Mexico is the Lower Mississippi.

Glacial lakes, vegetations, and pine forests are present through the river before reaching its tributaries. The Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and the Atchafalaya Rivers converge with the Mississippi River along its journey. It has a drainage area shaped like a triangle, comprising either parts or whole of 31 different states, around 40 percent of the United States. 

All About Fishing in Mississippi River, LA

Freshwater species of fish are limitless and underutilized in the Mississippi River. It consists of more than two hundred different fish species, about 25% of the entire fish population of North America. Fishes you may frequently have heard caught in the river are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, sauger, walleye, bluegill, catfish, blue sucker, shorthead redhorse, paddlefish, shovelnose sturgeon, and so many more. The Mississippi River is rich in plants and wildlife diversity, too. It covers a large wetland community, where it serves as a home to migratory birds, waterfowls, beavers, raccoons, turtles, minks, rattlesnakes, coyotes, bobcats, black bears, and muskrats. Along the Mississippi River is the floodplain forest where oak, coneflower, hickory, ostrich fern, green ash, hackberry, willow, silver maple, pecan, elm, cardinal flower, and cottonwood thrive. 

Anglers are thrilled with the endless fishing opportunity in the Mississippi River. You may avail boat launches and shore-fishing options while drift fishing. You can take advantage of the boat to catch fish, covering a larger area of water. You may want to use a trolling motor to avoid the boat’s circling movement in the river and the depth finder to maintain your depth zone. It is also needed to keep a rod rigged and ready to cast for fishes that might strike the balloons.

Another option you may use is to fish with a jig or jig fishing, wherein a regular spinning rod is not applicable since usual rods cannot achieve jerky, vertical motions. You may want to have the right fishing gear, such as longer powerful rods, fishing belts, and jigging lines with depth coloring. And as to how you will animate your lure, slow jerking or fast twitching can be performed as long as you ensure the jig is in the correct position when you cast it out and let it stay for a while before you start moving it. You may want to study the fishing space first and imagine the situation down below.

Fishing Seasonality

You can visit particular fishing spots in the Mississippi River depending on your preferred fish to catch. You may get lucky and hook catfish in the Lower Mississippi River all year-round. Just remember that warmer months, from late May to September, are the best times to find them. You can find catfish anywhere in the river, but the Memphis area is a must-visit, especially from July to November. Like catfish, crappie is abundant at different locations in the river during their spawning period, which happens in spring.

For bass fishing, anglers use different baits and setups every season. Try spinnerbaits during the spring and crankbaits during the fall season. And if walleye is your target fish, visit the Upper Mississippi River at dawn, dusk, or during cloudy days when their sense of sight is compromised.

Fishing Seasonality

You can visit particular fishing spots in the Mississippi River depending on your preferred fish to catch. You may get lucky and hook catfish in the Lower Mississippi River all year-round. Just remember that warmer months, from late May to September, are the best times to find them. You can find catfish anywhere in the river, but the Memphis area is a must-visit, especially from July to November. Like catfish, crappie is abundant at different locations in the river during their spawning period, which happens in spring.

For bass fishing, anglers use different baits and setups every season. Try spinnerbaits during the spring and crankbaits during the fall season. And if walleye is your target fish, visit the Upper Mississippi River at dawn, dusk, or during cloudy days when their sense of sight is compromised.

All About Fishing in Mississippi River, LA

Freshwater species of fish are limitless and underutilized in the Mississippi River. It consists of more than two hundred different fish species, about 25% of the entire fish population of North America. Fishes you may frequently have heard caught in the river are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, sauger, walleye, bluegill, catfish, blue sucker, shorthead redhorse, paddlefish, shovelnose sturgeon, and so many more. The Mississippi River is rich in plants and wildlife diversity, too. It covers a large wetland community, where it serves as a home to migratory birds, waterfowls, beavers, raccoons, turtles, minks, rattlesnakes, coyotes, bobcats, black bears, and muskrats. Along the Mississippi River is the floodplain forest where oak, coneflower, hickory, ostrich fern, green ash, hackberry, willow, silver maple, pecan, elm, cardinal flower, and cottonwood thrive. 

Anglers are thrilled with the endless fishing opportunity in the Mississippi River. You may avail boat launches and shore-fishing options while drift fishing. You can take advantage of the boat to catch fish, covering a larger area of water. You may want to use a trolling motor to avoid the boat’s circling movement in the river and the depth finder to maintain your depth zone. It is also needed to keep a rod rigged and ready to cast for fishes that might strike the balloons.

Another option you may use is to fish with a jig or jig fishing, wherein a regular spinning rod is not applicable since usual rods cannot achieve jerky, vertical motions. You may want to have the right fishing gear, such as longer powerful rods, fishing belts, and jigging lines with depth coloring. And as to how you will animate your lure, slow jerking or fast twitching can be performed as long as you ensure the jig is in the correct position when you cast it out and let it stay for a while before you start moving it. You may want to study the fishing space first and imagine the situation down below.