Lake Claude Bennett: Your best shot at a Magnolia crappie

Anglers looking to catch one of Mississippi’s home-grown crappie can skip the big lakes and look to state lakes and Community Assisted Ponds to catch a Magnolia crappie.

All of Mississippi’s state lakes are designed to provide ample bank-fishing access. But one of the better locations for bank fishing is Lake Claude Bennett in Jasper County.

This lake has a wooden fishing pier located on its southern shore between the boat ramp and the on-site campground. In addition, there are seven earthen piers that allow anglers access to deeper-water channels.

One unique feature found at Claude Bennett is a number of gravel beds located near the fishing pier.

“We have stocked 18,000 hybrid crappie in Lake Claude Bennett since 2009,” said MDWFP Fisheries Biologist Larry Bull. “What feedback we do have shows that Claude Bennett seems to be to their liking.”

Fish attracting sites are maintained in at least five locations at Claude Bennett for boating anglers.

“We do not allow anglers to put secret brush piles in the lake,” Bull said. “Of course, we have a number of volunteers who want to assist the lake manager, and we welcome this type of help.

“Usually we’ll mark the sites after the brush or other material is put in so that all lake users can enjoy them.”

Bull said the average size of white crappie in Claude Bennett will be in the 10- to 12-inch range, and weigh between ½ and ¾ pounds.

The reported sizes of the Magnolia crappie were typically smaller due to their relatively recent introduction to the lake.

About Phillip Gentry 404 Articles
Phillip Gentry is a freelance outdoor writer and photographer who says that if it swims, walks, hops, flies or crawls he’s usually not too far behind.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply