A highly effective tactic for catching catfish along the Yazoo River is positioning
yourself upstream from wood structure like the two fishermen in this photo.
Catfishing The Yazoo River
Story and photos by Rodney Crimm
The Yazoo River is a tributary of the Mississippi River that begins just north of Greenwood, Mississippi where the Tallahatchie and Yalobusha Rivers converge. The river then winds itself across the Mississippi Delta, skirting the towns of Belzoni and Yazoo City, which both have nearby boat ramps for access. The Yazoo then winds its way to the Mississippi River just above Interstate 20.
Michael Haney, a tournament catfish angler from Thaxton, Mississippi, has many years of experience fishing the Yazoo River for fun and in tournaments. He says he first starts looking for wood structure that has fallen from the banks into the river.
“The key is to find wood structure that has been in the water long enough that the tree doesn’t have green leaves on it,” he says.
Trees with green leaves usually have not been in the water long enough to start holding fish. The same is true for trees that have been in the water long enough for the leaves to have fallen off.
Trees that are close to deeper water often hold more fish, but the fish can be located all along the structure from next to the bank out to the outer limbs. At times, the outer end of a treetop produces best because fish feed in the current seam created off the end of the tree.
Haney says, “December is my favorite time of the year to fish for bigger fish because big cats tend to be more concentrated then.”
His preferred bait during this time is cut skipjack or cut gizzard shad.
“The bite might be a little slower,” he notes, “and if you find fish with electronics, you might need to spend more time sitting in one location waiting for a cat to take your bait. The cooler water temperature will make the fish move a little slower, but it does not take their fight away once hooked.”
During warmer months, there is a safety factor to keep in mind while traveling in a boat. Asian carp in the river will often jump when spooked by the vibrations of outboard engines, and they could potentially jump and hit people onboard. I have had one hit me in the head, but fortunately it was under five pounds. Boaters should watch for the carp making a wake across the water. That’s a sign you should be ready to duck to evade being hit.
Also, if you are launching a boat when the water level is falling, be aware that the launch ramps can become slick with mud and gravel. There may be piles of mud in the water that you’re backing your trailer into as well.
David Woods from Ethel, Mississippi is another fisherman with close to 40 years’ experience fishing the Yazoo River. For the last 16 years, he has exclusively fished the river with rod and reel, but that before that he also used bank lines with his dad.
Woods has an approach similar to Haney’s regarding what locations he fishes on the river.
“I look for wood structure that fish can get into to wait for food to move by and to use as a current break,” he says. “Catfish also hold near rocks along the bank that create a current break the fish can get behind to rest and wait on bait to travel by. The fish can also be in the current seam created where the rocks meet the water, actively feeding as they travel up and down the current seam.
“I usually use a Carolina or Santee rig,” Woods continues. “However, a three-way rig works better in certain situations. It is usually best to put out a couple of each type of rig to see what the fish seem to prefer, then to switch your other rigs to what the fish prefer.”
The Yazoo River could be your next adventure destination, becoming a favorite place to visit for both trophy fish and those you want to take home for a delicious meal. This beautiful waterway winds its way through bottomland hardwood forests and Mississippi Delta farmland, providing diverse scenery and wildlife for your viewing pleasure. I hope some of you will go and enjoy what has been a favorite place for myself and many others to fish for years.
(Rodney Crimm of Pontotoc, Mississippi is a B’n’M Pro Staff member, catfish tournament angler and lifelong outdoorsman with a passion for catching trophy catfish.)
