Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee

Restoring America's Greatest River

FISHING THE LOWER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER INITIATIVE

Get the Guide

  • Download the fishing guide (PDF, 11 MB for laptops, desktop, or mobile device)

Scope

The guide covers topics related to fishing freshwater habitats of the Lower Mississippi River main channel, side channels, floodplain lakes and chutes from Cairo, Illinois, to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana.

Woman with life vest on casting her line from a fishing pole on the shores of the Mississippi River
Fishing the Mississippi River. Photo by Paul Ingram.

Contents

It tells readers how to catch crappie, catfish, white bass and other game fish in a variety of river and floodplain habitats. The guide also has important safety and access information and is linked to detailed maps covering more than 950 river miles. The maps show boat ramps, dike fields, public lands and other features.

Expert Advice

Experienced river angler Tommy Shropshire grew up fishing the Mississippi River. His knowledge of how and where to fish the river were invaluable to the preparation of the guide. Tommy assembled experts from the region who helped him to compile nearly 100 pages of information.

Detailed Maps

The guide contains 38 detailed maps of the Lower Mississippi River.  The maps show boat ramps, dike fields, public lands and other features.

Fish Illustrations

Kansas City artist Joseph R. Tomelleri provided detailed drawings of fish featured in the guide. Tomelleri also provided more than 150 drawings for “Fishes of the Central United States.”

Illustration of an alligator gar
Alligator Gar illustration. Illustration by Joseph Tomelleri.

Safety Tips

Safety information is a prominent feature of the guide. The Lower Mississippi River is like any other large water body. Practicing safe boating guidelines is paramount. The guide offers a number of safety checklists. Also, internet links are provided on such topics as river stages and fishing regulations.

Production

The guide was designed, edited and produced by the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee with support from the Walton Family Foundation. Experienced river angler Tommy Shropshire prepared the guide’s content, with assistance from a panel of experts from throughout the region.