The best lakes for fishing in North Mississippi – The “Big Four” Lakes
There are four lakes located in North Mississippi that were created as part of a
Comprehensive Flood Control Plan, which was designed to protect the Mississippi
Delta from flooding. Later, the Yazoo Headwater Project came to fruition, and
ultimately created Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid and Grenada Lakes.
All four lakes fish very similarly with the little aquatic vegetable and similar woody
cover. Each fall, the Army Corps of Engineers draws down all four reservoirs. By mid-
January, the lakes begin to refill with rainwater. The best fishing usually occurs from
February through April before and during the spawn, which is mid-March to mid-
April.
All four lakes are excellent crappie lakes, but our go to lake is Sardis. Sardis is our
“home” lake, and it is the largest of the “big four” lakes. Sardis Lake is a 98,520-acre
reservoir on the Tallahatchie River in Lafayette, Panola and Marshall counties in
Mississippi and it about an hour drive south of Memphis, Tennessee.
Enid Lake is excellent for crappie fishing as well, with great numbers of large crappie.
In fact, Enid produced the current world-record white crappie, and Arkabutla gave
up the state-record black crappie back in 1991. All four lakes also have excellent
catfish numbers. Enid Lake has a very healthy population of channel catfish, and the
other lakes have good populations of blues (blue cats). Flathead catfish can be
caught on occasion in all four lakes.