Bay Springs Lake Fishing near Belmont, Mississippi

• Overview

  Mississippi holds Bay Springs Lake, in Prentiss County. The water sits 410 feet up. Around 9.5 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. The shoreline runs to about 61 miles, far more than one trip can cover. By size it stands out even at Mississippi level. Belmont at 7.1 miles is the nearest place to stop. It is 99 miles to Huntsville, the nearest city. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Bay Springs Lake

  Depth on file is 72 ft. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Reported across Prentiss County: cypress darter, redfin darter, bluegill, redear sunfish and spotted bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Take Bay Springs Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 39°F in January up to 79°F in July. The surface stays open the year round. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Bay Springs Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The shoreline is public, so the licence is the main requirement. There is a mapped slipway roughly half a mile away. A pier or jetty stands half a mile away, which helps on a crowded bank. A recognised fishing spot is mapped about half a mile away. There is camping recorded roughly half a mile off. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Rock Quarry Branch, 8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Bay Springs Lake carry more weight than any list.