First, let’s get one thing straight: this region is NOT the delta of the Mississippi River. That shifting river delta at the mouth of the Mississippi on the Gulf Coast lies some 300 miles south of this area and is referred to as the Mississippi River Delta. The area we’re interested in, the Mississippi Delta, is part of an alluvial plain created by the regular flooding of the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers over thousands of years. The climate is humid subtropical, with short, mild winters, and long, hot, and wet summers. There is some great hunting and fishing in this region.
The land is flat and contains some of the most fertile soil in the world. It is 200 long and seventy miles across at its widest point, encompassing approximately 4,415,000 acres, or some 7,000 square miles of alluvial floodplain. On the east, it is bounded by bluffs extending beyond the Yazoo River. This area of western Mississippi is a prime place for anglers, hunters, and folks who just appreciate fine wild places and creatures.
Mississippi Delta Hunting
The Mississippi Delta has a diversity of habitats, including wet forests with cypress trees, freshwater marsh, and oxbow lakes. These habitats provide homes for an abundance of migratory and year-round wildlife. The Mississippi Delta is where the Central and Mississippi flyways meet. It provides a place for neotropical migratory songbirds to rest and feed before or after crossing the Gulf of Mexico, and is a winter home to 70 percent of the waterfowl that migrate along these flyways, such as the gadwall, green-winged teal, northern shoveler, and snow goose. This is important for waterfowl hunters and birders who want to see impressive numbers of waterfowl and other migratory birds.
Mississippi Delta Fishing
The two state parks in this region, Leroy Percy State Park and Holmes County State Park, both have lakes stocked with largemouth bass, bream, and catfish, and are great places for a weekend getaway. The abundance and diversity of fishing opportunities here make the Mississippi Delta a great place to wet a line and reconnect with nature. For kayak anglers, the Mississippi Delta region is a wonderful place to paddle or pedal a kayak for some fine fishing.
Planning Your Trip
A good thing about the Mississippi Delta region is that even though the summer heat can be oppressive, the fish never really stop biting. Early and late hours present the best fishing opportunities for bass and crappie anglers. A tip to visiting anglers not familiar with the area: anywhere cypress trees grow along the shoreline is a good location to start throwing soft plastic lures for big bass and jigs and live minnows for the crappie, which are thick in these waters. For hunters, the cool but rarely severely cold fall and winter seasons can be a real relief for visiting northern hunters who want to escape the cold blasts of their homes and experience some world-class waterfowl or deer hunting. And even if a blue-norther blows through to chill things in winter, these cold blasts never last long, and they often bring a heavy influx of ducks and geese.
It’s the total package for outdoors folks in the Mississippi Delta. Whether the goal is hunting— and there are few places better for waterfowl hunting—or fishing for big bass, slab crappie, or massive catfish, the Mississippi Delta has it all. In addition to the excellent hunting and fishing, it’s just a nice, quiet, beautiful place to be. With all of the wealth the Mississippi Delta provides to hunters and anglers, it’s a very easy region to reach. There are parks and preserves which guarantee good surroundings, and there are many places to stay and a wide range of housing choices. And we’ve not even mentioned the good food in the Delta region—some world-class barbecue is here, and it’s ready for visitors to come and enjoy. If you’re looking for a great resource to get your started no matter what you aim to pursue, check out the Visit Mississippi delta outdoors engine over on their website and explore everything they have to do in the outdoors around the Delta.
