G
renada Lake is a reservoir on the Yalobusha River in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is one of four flood control lakes in North Mississippi constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Grenada Lake was constructed to help control flooding along the Yazoo River Basin. The dam is located on the Yalobusha River approximately 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Grenada, Mississippi.
The operation of Grenada Lake began in 1954 after a cost of $32 million to construct. The elevation of the top of the earthen-filled dam is 256 feet (78 m) NGVD. The Grenada Project encompasses 90,427 acres (366 km2) with 35,000 acres (140 km2) of this in water during the recreation season (215 NGVD). At this elevation the lake has approximately 48 mi (77 km) of shoreline.
Flood control is the primary purpose of the Grenada Lake Project. The Mississippi River Basin Flood Control Project was the direct result of the Great Flood of 1927. The levees which were the only protection against flooding at the time, broke along the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers, literally swamping thousands of acres of land in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
Even though the Corps of Engineers main objective is flood control, Federal Legislation calls for other activities on Corps of Engineers Lands. Since its impoundment, Grenada Lake has attracted an ever-increasing number of visitors who enjoy water-based and other outdoor recreational activities and is host to several fishing tournaments annually as well.
Grenada Lake is the home to Hugh White State Park and its associated Carver Point Group Camp. Many other campgrounds are located around the lake.
All New Interactive Map of
Grenada Lake
Time for Slabs
Outstanding crappie action awaits
“Grenada Lake is probably one of the better lakes in the country to catch a big crappie,” said Keith Meals, a Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks biologist. “It produces many 2- to 2.5-pound fish with the biggest crappie in many tournaments coming in around three to 3.5 pounds.”
One of the “Big Four” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control reservoirs in northern Mississippi along with Sardis, Enid and Arkabutla lakes, Grenada Lake produced at least one crappie weighing 4 pounds, 13 ounces. In one tournament, two pros landed 14 fish weighing 38.92 pounds for a 2.78-pound average.
“The nickname for Grenada Lake is the home of the 3-pound crappie,” quipped Jarad Roper, a professional crappie angler from Forrest City, Ark. “It can produce more 4-pounders than any other lake I know. Anytime someone drops a bait into Grenada Lake, that person could possibly catch the biggest crappie of his or her life.”
Impounded on the Yalobusha River about three miles northeast of the town of Grenada, the lake dates to 1954. The Skuna River flows into the northern end of the lake, creating the second main arm of the reservoir. In all, the largest lake entirely within Mississippi spreads across about 35,000 acres at pool stage, but the COE draws down all four big flood control reservoirs each fall. By December, little more than the main river and creek channels remain under water until levels begin to rise again in the spring.
Although anglers can catch big crappie all year long at Grenada Lake, the best fishing naturally occurs in the spring. As water warms, many anglers probe shallow cover with single jigs or live minnows. Serious crappie anglers use spider rigs, which can deploy as many as eight rods dangling from holders on the boat bow.
“If I could only fish Grenada Lake once a year, I’d fish the first three weeks of March,” Roper advised. “In the spring, I fish the Yalobusha side and focus on little ditches, creek channels and backwater areas. The water in the Yalobusha side is a little more stained to muddy.”
Up Coming Tournaments & Events
On Grenada Lake
LAKE INFORMATION
LOCATION: This lake is located three miles northeast of Grenada, MS and extends through Grenada and Yalobusha counties.
SIZE: 35,000 acres
DEPTH: Depth Varies from 6 to 45 feet
AQUATIC VEGETATION: Alligatorweed, Waterhyacinth, & Hydrilla
MAJOR SPORTFISH: White Crappie, Black Crappie, & Magnolia Crappie, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Largemouth Bass, Bream & Catfish
FISH FORAGE: Threadfin Shad, & Gizzard Shad
VISIBLE COVER: Cypress Trees, Stump Fields, Rip-Rap
BOTTOM FEATURES: Fallen Cedar Trees, Man Made Stake Beds, Sunken Christmas Trees, Drop-Offs, Channels
LAKE CRAPPIE RULES
& REGULATIONS
LENGTH LIMIT: 12 Inches
CREEL LIMIT: 15 Crappie Fish
POLE/HOOK LIMIT: 4 Poles, 2 hooks per pole per person
OTHER: The aggregate daily boat creel limit for all species of crappies (white crappie, black crappie and their hybrids) for boats with 3 or more licensed or exempt anglers shall be 40 legal crappie per boat.
Featured Businesses:
When most of us think of bank fishing or even wade fishing, we envision a grassy, park-like shoreline with ample room to cast your lures. You’re just doing it from the bank instead of a boat.
Watch this amazing “How to” video from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and you will learn how they went deep into the very thick forests on Lake Grenada during high water and had to bust some brush for trophy crappie.
Click On The Map Below
