Fishing in Mississippi State Parks
Discover 23 state parks offering fishing in Mississippi
You need two things at most Mississippi state park lakes: a Mississippi fishing license and the park’s fishing permit. The permit costs $5 a day without launching a boat and $9 with boat launching, and it applies at 12 of the 17 park lakes MDWFP manages. Anglers under 16 fish free, and registered campers have fishing and launching included. (MDWFP State Fishing Lake Permit Fees, as of September 2026)
- Who needs the license: residents aged 16 through 64 and all non-residents 16 and older. Residents 65 and older are exempt but must carry proof while they fish. (MDWFP license requirements)
- Where the permit is not required: Mayes Lake at LeFleur’s Bluff, Perry Martin Lake at Great River Road, Golden Memorial State Park Lake and Lake Toppasha at Legion. You still need the fishing license. Pickwick Lake at J.P. Coleman is TVA water with its own limits.
- How you may fish: rod and reel or pole only on state park lakes — no trotlines, set lines, jug fishing or commercial gear.
- Night fishing: allowed at the permit lakes from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise, from the bank or from a boat, at idle speed or on a trolling motor.
- Annual instead of daily: $55 for the fishing permit without boat launching (ages 16–61) or $35 at the exempt rate; $125 with boat launching, $100 exempt. Exempt means 62 and older, 100 % disabled, active service members or veterans.
Fishing outside a state park lake? The cheapest resident license that covers freshwater fishing is the Small Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing license at $10.00 plus a $1.00 agent fee and a $2.49 process fee; a non-resident freshwater license is $68.00 plus $3.00 and $4.42 (MDWFP, as of September 2026).
Where to fish in Mississippi state parks
The 17 lakes the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks manages inside state parks, with the permit rule, the creel limits that differ from the statewide rules, and whether you may fish them at night.
| Park | Lake | Acres | Park permit | Creel limits beyond statewide rules | Night fishing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trace State Park | Trace State Park Lake | 565 | Yes | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Yes |
| Lake Lincoln State Park | Lake Lincoln | 550 | Yes | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Yes |
| Percy Quin State Park | Lake Tangipahoa | 490 | Yes | Black bass: release 16–22 in., 10 per angler, 1 over 22 in.; crappie 20 per angler; catfish 10 per angler | Yes |
| Natchez State Park | Lake Natchez | 230 | Yes | Black bass: release 18–22 in., 10 per angler, 1 over 22 in.; catfish 10 per angler | Yes |
| Paul B. Johnson State Park | Geiger Lake | 225 | Yes | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Yes |
| Lake Lowndes State Park | Lake Lowndes State Park Lake | 150 | Yes | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Yes |
| Roosevelt State Park | Shadow Lake | 150 | Yes | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Yes |
| Tombigbee State Park | Tombigbee State Park Lake | 90 | Yes | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Yes |
| Clarkco State Park | Lake Ivy | 65 | Yes | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Yes |
| Leroy Percy State Park | Alligator Lake | 60 | Yes | Black bass 5 per angler; catfish 10 per angler | Yes |
| LeFleur's Bluff State Park | Mayes Lake | 50 | No — license only | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Not listed |
| Tishomingo State Park | Tishomingo State Park Lake | 45 | Yes | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Yes |
| Wall Doxey State Park | Spring Lake | 40 | Yes | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Yes |
| Great River Road State Park | Perry Martin Lake | 25 | No — license only | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Not listed |
| Golden Memorial State Park | Golden Memorial State Park Lake | 15 | No — license only | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Not listed |
| Legion State Park | Lake Toppasha | 12 | No — license only | Catfish: no length limit, 10 per angler | Not listed |
| J.P. Coleman State Park | Pickwick Lake | — | TVA water, fishery managed by MDWFP | Black bass: release under 15 in., 10 per angler; crappie: release under 9 in., 30 per angler; catfish: 1 over 34 in. per angler | Not listed |
Statewide creel and size limits apply to every species not listed. Sardis, Grenada and Enid are Corps of Engineers reservoirs at John W. Kyle, Hugh White and George P. Cossar State Park — they are not MDWFP park lakes, so the reservoir's own rules apply. Lake data: MDWFP, checked September 23, 2026.
🐟 Mississippi Fishing License at a Glance
Annual prices shown include the $1.00 agent fee and $2.49 process fee MDWFP adds to resident licenses ($3.00 and $4.42 for non-residents); the base prices are $10.00 for the Small Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing license, the cheapest resident option that covers fishing, and $68.00 for the non-resident freshwater license. At 12 of the 17 state park lakes MDWFP manages you also need the park permit: $5 a day without boat launching, $9 with, or $55 a year for ages 16 to 61 ($35 at the exempt rate). Registered campers have fishing and launching included.
Checked against the official agency, September 2026. Fees and dates change yearly — always confirm current rates and free-fishing dates via the official link above before purchasing.
Mississippi State Parks with Fishing
Archusa Creek Water Park
Clark Creek Natural Area
Clarkco State Park
George P. Cossar State Park
Golden Memorial State Park
Great River Road State Park
Holmes County State Park
Hugh White State Park
J.P. Coleman State Park
John W. Kyle State Park
Lake Lincoln State Park
Lake Lowndes State Park
LeFleur’s Bluff State Park
Legion State Park
Leroy Percy State Park
Natchez State Park
Paul B. Johnson State Park
Percy Quin State Park
Roosevelt State Park
Tishomingo State Park
Tombigbee State Park
Trace State Park
Wall Doxey State Park
Other Places with Fishing in Mississippi (Not State Parks)
These places are run by a county, city, federal agency, another state agency, a tribe or a private owner, not by Mississippi’s state park system. State park passes, rules and reservations may not apply, so check with the operator before you go.
❓ Fishing in Mississippi — FAQ
Do you need a fishing license in Mississippi state parks?
Yes. Mississippi residents aged 16 to 64 and non-residents 16 and older need a Mississippi fishing license. At 12 of the 17 state park lakes that MDWFP manages you also need the park's fishing permit: $5 a day without launching a boat or $9 with boat launching, free under 16. Registered campers and cabin guests have fishing and boat launching included but still need the license. (Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, as of September 2026)
Do you need a permit to fish a Mississippi state park lake?
Yes, at 12 of the 17 lakes MDWFP manages. The permit is $5 a day without boat launching and $9 with; an annual fishing permit is $55 for ages 16 to 61 and $35 at the exempt rate. Anglers under 16 fish free, and registered campers have fishing and launching included. Mayes Lake, Perry Martin Lake, Golden Memorial State Park Lake and Lake Toppasha need only a fishing license. (MDWFP, as of September 2026)
Which Mississippi state park lake holds the state-record largemouth bass?
Lake Natchez at Natchez State Park. The 18.15-pound fish was caught there in 1992, and the 230-acre lake still has a slot limit: release black bass between 18 and 22 inches, keep 10 per angler with one over 22 inches. (MDWFP, as of September 2026)
Can you fish at night in Mississippi state parks?
At the park lakes that require a permit, yes — from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise, from the bank or from a boat that meets state and Coast Guard rules, using idle speed or a trolling motor only. (MDWFP, as of September 2026)