North MS Corps Lakes - Sardis, Enid, Grenada, and Arkabutla
I can cover all 4 of these lakes in one page because they all three basically fish the same and are built roughly the same way with the same type of structures. These are all Corp of Engineers impoundments meant to control flooding and can widely vary in lake level during different times of the year.
Sardis - By far the most popular due to its size and proximity to Memphis. It has a good bit of cover still in the lake and can be tough at times because of the changes in water level on the lake. It fluctuates more than the other three as much as 40 feet in a year and is the largest of the four. The most popular ramps are the dam site, clear creek, teckville, hurricane and wyatts crossing. One hint especially for spring. Pick your ramp based on wind conditions. Sardis can get really rough when the wind gets over 15-20mph and you could ruin a good day on the water with trouble putting the boat on the trailer in rough water.
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=B416370
Lake Map for Sardis and Facilities
http://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/lakes/MS/Sardis/pdf_docs/Sardis%20Lake%20Brochure%20Map.pdf
Enid - Best known as a crappie lake Enid is full of bass and has a few good ones. The biggest bass I have ever caught came from here 7# 14oz when I was 16. I still remember that fish to this day. Longbranch and Wildcat are the two most popular areas of the lake. This smaller version of Sardis fishes much like it does.
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=B405590
Grenada lake - This is actually my favorite of the North Ms 4. It has some really well defined roadbeds and two separate arms (Skuna River and Yalobusha river) there is also shallow cover (Bushes, stumps and grass) as well as deeper cover to fish large timber and brush piles along channels and sloughs can be the best places in hot weather. Up around the dam can get really rough when the wind kicks up like Sardis. There are several ramps up by the dam as well as the back of the rivers where the highways cross. I like the Yalobusha side of the lake best.
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=B405590
Arkabutla - This one doesn’t get fished as much and can be good at times but the water there tends to stay pretty muddy and keeps most anglers at bay. I have done well fishing here with spinner baits targeting any bushes or cover in shallow water. It is shallower than the other lakes as well and during low water periods can be a little frustrating to fish.
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=B400600
Structure and Cover -
Below are pictures of the type of structures and cover that you should be looking for in North MS corp lakes. All of these pics where taken in the winter during low water. You can GPS these kind of spots and come back to them in the summer and fish once they are covered with water. Creek bends and culverts are some of my favorites during the summer.
I can cover all 4 of these lakes in one page because they all three basically fish the same and are built roughly the same way with the same type of structures. These are all Corp of Engineers impoundments meant to control flooding and can widely vary in lake level during different times of the year.
Sardis - By far the most popular due to its size and proximity to Memphis. It has a good bit of cover still in the lake and can be tough at times because of the changes in water level on the lake. It fluctuates more than the other three as much as 40 feet in a year and is the largest of the four. The most popular ramps are the dam site, clear creek, teckville, hurricane and wyatts crossing. One hint especially for spring. Pick your ramp based on wind conditions. Sardis can get really rough when the wind gets over 15-20mph and you could ruin a good day on the water with trouble putting the boat on the trailer in rough water.
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=B416370
Lake Map for Sardis and Facilities
http://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/lakes/MS/Sardis/pdf_docs/Sardis%20Lake%20Brochure%20Map.pdf
Enid - Best known as a crappie lake Enid is full of bass and has a few good ones. The biggest bass I have ever caught came from here 7# 14oz when I was 16. I still remember that fish to this day. Longbranch and Wildcat are the two most popular areas of the lake. This smaller version of Sardis fishes much like it does.
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=B405590
Grenada lake - This is actually my favorite of the North Ms 4. It has some really well defined roadbeds and two separate arms (Skuna River and Yalobusha river) there is also shallow cover (Bushes, stumps and grass) as well as deeper cover to fish large timber and brush piles along channels and sloughs can be the best places in hot weather. Up around the dam can get really rough when the wind kicks up like Sardis. There are several ramps up by the dam as well as the back of the rivers where the highways cross. I like the Yalobusha side of the lake best.
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=B405590
Arkabutla - This one doesn’t get fished as much and can be good at times but the water there tends to stay pretty muddy and keeps most anglers at bay. I have done well fishing here with spinner baits targeting any bushes or cover in shallow water. It is shallower than the other lakes as well and during low water periods can be a little frustrating to fish.
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=B400600
Structure and Cover -
Below are pictures of the type of structures and cover that you should be looking for in North MS corp lakes. All of these pics where taken in the winter during low water. You can GPS these kind of spots and come back to them in the summer and fish once they are covered with water. Creek bends and culverts are some of my favorites during the summer.
Lakes are shown along I-55 with Arkabutla being at the top 55 marker on left. Sardis is longest lake at Oxford and is the largest of these. Enid is next one done and best known for its Crappie fishing but is a good Bass lake as well though overlooked. Grenada is the next one down with two rivers feeding it, also known as a Crappie lake but is my favorite of the North MS impoundments.
