A banner year for Coast fishing?

State officials predict a strong year fishing on the Coast.

According to surveys conducted by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks fisheries biologists, anglers will have success fishing in South Mississippi waters.

All six Coastal counties- Harrison, Hancock, Jackson, George, Stone and Pearl River- have places to fish.

The Department of Marine Resources has jurisdiction over all marine waters in South Mississippi from Interstate 10 to the barrier islands. The MDWFP has jurisdiction over all waters north of 1-10.

“Consecutive mild winters have provided extended growing seasons for southeast Mississippi fish populations which should be beneficial to our anglers this year,” MDWFP Fisheries Biologist Stephen Brown said.

Based on MDWFP fall surveys, the Pascagoula River will be loaded with crappie. The hotspots are Graham Lake (Jackson County) and Upper and Lower Rhines Lakes (George County).

Population sampling also saw a high numbers of largemouth bass and sunfish in most of the southeast lakes. The Pascagoula River and Pascagoula Marsh are great places to find bass and sunfish.

In the Pine Belt area of the Southeast, lakes Perry, Columbia, Bogue Homa and Bill Waller all have strong areas. Last winter, Lake Perry produced countless 7-10 pound Channel Catfish. Largemouth bass in the six to eight pound range can be found in Lake Bogue Homa. Lake Bill Waller is known for its trophy-sized bass.

This story was originally published March 12, 2017 at 6:00 AM with the headline "A banner year for Coast fishing?."