Okatibbee Creek Fishing Guides
The creek below Okatibbee Lake near Meridian, fished for crappie, catfish and bass and paddled through bottomland hardwood toward the Chickasawhay.
Guides on the Okatibbee Creek
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About the Okatibbee Creek
Okatibbee Creek runs south through Lauderdale County from the dam at Okatibbee Lake, past the Arundel gauge crossing, to its junction with Chunky Creek where the two form the Chickasawhay River. It is a working east Mississippi bottomland creek rather than a scenic one: moderately sized, often stained, running between clay banks through hardwood bottom and farmland with Meridian a short drive east. What makes it worth a page is the combination of a controlled upstream release, easy road access and a fishery that holds up through most of the year without depending on the lake above it.
The fishing is mixed and dependable. Crappie, both black and white, are the fish most local anglers target, stacking around submerged brush and in the slower pools, and the creek gets a genuine run of them in the spring. Channel and blue catfish work the deeper bends and are the most reliable fish in the creek when conditions are poor. Largemouth bass hold against laydowns and undercut banks, running smaller than lake fish but in good numbers, and freshwater drum and longnose gar fill out what actually takes a bait. Small boats and kayaks handle it well, and bank fishing at the crossings is productive.
The gauge at Arundel reports discharge, stage and precipitation, which is a useful combination on a creek that responds to both a dam release and the weather over the basin. Read the stage and the rainfall together: a sharp rise after a storm over Lauderdale County will push the creek out of shape for a day or two, while a steady managed flow from the lake keeps it fishable far longer than an uncontrolled creek of the same size would be. The practical rule is to fish the recession, give it two days after a rise, and treat a long dry spell as the time to work the deepest bends.
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Access
Arundel - the gauge crossing and the most convenient access point on the middle creek.
Meridian - the nearest city, with full services, tackle, lodging and guides.
Okatibbee Lake - the reservoir upstream, with ramps, camping and the release that governs the creek.
Collinsville - the community near the lake, and the nearest services on the upper creek.
Chunky Creek - the creek joining from the east, fished on the same trip by paddlers.
Chickasawhay River - the main stem downstream, with bigger water and developed launches.
Daleville - the small community south of Meridian along the lower creek.
Seasons
Spring: the strongest season, with the crappie run on and bass moving shallow as the water warms.
Summer: catfish and bream carry the fishing, worked in the shade along the banks early and late.
Fall: cooling water brings bass back onto the wood and clears the creek for easy paddling.
Winter: slow and low, with crappie and catfish holding in the deepest bends and mild stretches fishing best.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Okatibbee Creek?
As of Nov 2, 6:30 am, the USGS gauge OKATIBBEE CREEK AT ARUNDEL, MS reads 51 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Okatibbee Creek?
Anglers target Black Crappie, Blue Catfish, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Freshwater Drum, Largemouth Bass, Longnose Gar, White Crappie on the Okatibbee Creek in Mississippi.
Where can you access the Okatibbee Creek?
Arundel - the gauge crossing and the most convenient access point on the middle creek. Meridian - the nearest city, with full services, tackle, lodging and guides. Okatibbee Lake - the reservoir upstream, with ramps, camping and the release that governs the creek. Collinsville - the community near the lake, and the nearest services on the upper creek. Chunky Creek - the creek joining from the east, fished on the same trip by paddlers. Chickasawhay River - the main stem downstream, with bigger water and developed launches. Daleville - the small community south of Meridian along the lower creek.
When is the best time to fish the Okatibbee Creek?
Spring: the strongest season, with the crappie run on and bass moving shallow as the water warms. Summer: catfish and bream carry the fishing, worked in the shade along the banks early and late. Fall: cooling water brings bass back onto the wood and clears the creek for easy paddling. Winter: slow and low, with crappie and catfish holding in the deepest bends and mild stretches fishing best.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Okatibbee Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Mississippi agency site: https://www.mdwfp.com/fishing-boating/