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Reservoir

Arkabutla Lake

Tate & DeSoto Counties, Mississippi

Arkabutla Lake on the Coldwater River is a Corps reservoir with 11,870 acres at summer pool and 4,640 at winter pool. It has been held about 5 ft below winter pool since a 2023 emergency drawdown, pending dam repairs.

N5 mi
Air temp Loading current temperature…
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Surface area11,870 acres
Max depth—
Shoreline—
Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.

Crappie●●●○○

Quality over quantity

Blue Catfish●●○○○

Deep channel edges. Fresh cut shad. Big fish in winter.

Channel Catfish●●○○○

Cut bait and nightcrawlers on flats and creek mouths in the evening.

White Bass●●○○○

Schools chasing shad in open water, and spring river runs.

Boat launches

2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

  • Hwy 51 gravel rampRamp
    Gravel ramp beside Hwy 51 ramp lot for the northern fork of the Coldwater River; the 7 concrete ramps were inaccessible at the 2024 water level.Directions ↗
  • More public accessPublic
    See the state agency or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Arkabutla Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks ↗

Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.

Search more bait shops near Arkabutla Lake ↗

Local tips

  • Check current water level and ramp status before going; the lake is held below winter pool for dam repair.
  • Spillway is closed to the public during repairs.
  • Crappie must be over 12 in; 15 per angler per day.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.

More Mississippi lakes

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Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.