Here are the 5 best fishing towns in MS, new ranking shows. See which town got the No. 1 spot
Mississippi’s location on the Gulf Coast and more than 280,000 acres of lakes and reservoirs makes it an ideal spot for anglers, but one city stands out as the state’s best place to fish for 2025, a recent analysis found.
Biloxi — once dubbed the “seafood capital of the world,” according to Visit Mississippi — was named the top fishing town for 2025 in a December analysis by FishingBooker, a booking company for fishing trips and charters.
Analysts at FishingBooker looked at performance data from thousands of fishing trips along the Gulf Coast to decide the best fishing towns.
Here’s why Biloxi is the best fishing town in Mississippi and other top spots for fishing in 2025, according to FishingBooker.
1. Biloxi
Biloxi has a high booking demand for fishing trips, excels in charter availability and is home to many award-winning captains — all factors that make it stand out as the best fishing town in Mississippi, according to FishingBooker.
Fishing happens year-round in Biloxi, and these are some of the best spots, according to FishingBooker:
- Biloxi Back Bay
- Biloxi Bay Bridge
- Small Craft Harbor
- The Passes
- Horn Island Bar
2. Gulfport
With a well-established charter base and consistent satisfaction scores on fishing experience reviews, Gulfport came in second for best places to fish in Mississippi, according to FishingBooker.
The town hosts the Annual Mississippi Deep Fishing Rodeo in the summer, and its location on the Gulf Coast allows for year-round fishing, according to Visit Mississippi.
These are the best places to fish in Gulfport, according to FishingBooker:
- Biloxi Marsh
- Cat Island
- Gulfport Small Craft Harbor
- The Nipple, the Elbow, and the Spur
3. Bay St. Louis
Bay St. Louis is among the top spots for fishing due to its “strong repeat-angler sentiment” and “exceptional customer reviews,” according to FishingBooker.
The city is a great spot for speckled trout fishing in summer, and its white sand beaches add to its allure, according to Visit Mississippi.
Top fishing spots in the area include the following, according to Yelp:
- Jimmy Rutherford Fishing Pier
- Bay St. Louis Beach
- Washington Street Pier & Boat Launch
4. Oxford
Although Oxford may have fewer fishing guides, its high satisfaction and recommendation scores from fishing trips make it a great choice for anglers, according to FishingBooker.
Some of the best places to fish near Oxford are the following, according to Visit Oxford:
- Sardis Lake
- Holly Springs National Forest
5. Ocean Springs
Ocean Springs also ranked high on the list of fishing spots for its positive review performance, according to FishingBooker.
From Redfish to Pompano, there are several native and migratory fish in the area. Here are the best spots to fish in Ocean Springs, according to AnglersBooking:
- Fort Maurepas Park & Pier
- Davis Bayou
- Port of Ocean Springs
- East Beach
- Graveline Bayou
How did booking company conduct ranking?
FishingBooker ranked cities based on thousands of fishing trip reviews on the platform over the last 12 months, analysts said.
The following six performance indicators were evaluated to determine scores for each city:
- Number of active charters
- Average review score
- Average recommendation rate
- Number of Angler’s Choice Award captains
- Total bookings
- Minimum trip price
What are the rules of fishing in Mississippi?
Here’s what to know if you’re fishing in Mississippi, according to Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks:
- Residents and non-residents ages over 16-years-old must have a fishing license for public waters
- Freshwater and saltwater licenses are valid in certain locations, check the agency’s website for more information
- Game fish can only be taken by hook and line, no lime, poison, explosives, electrical devices, or fish traps are legal
- Anglers can not take more than the daily creel or bag limit of fish
