RIDGELAND, Miss– The Ross Barnett Reservoir is an entertainment destination for Mississippi, but the dynamic changes on the other side of the dam.
That’s where people love to fish. Whether by boat or from the rocky shore, you’ll find folks casting nets and lines, no matter what time of year.
One woman says she was at the spillway despite the cold wind during the first round of winter weather in February.
“But we didn’t freeze,” she says, “it turned out okay.”
So why would someone fish at the spillway when it’s that cold?
“To get out of the house,” she says, “I just love to fish.”
Several others that News Mississippi spoke with say they’ve gone fishing several times a week throughout the years. The fishermen are looking for bream, crappie, catfish, and white perch. Sounds expensive if you factor in the cost of lines, reels, weights, and bait.
“We cast nets to catch shad,” one fisherman says, “they’re like minnows. Saves us money on buying bait.”
While some go to relax, enjoy the water, or even put food on the table, they all had one thing in common:
That’s why fishing at the spillway is something that is truly Mississippi:
