One of the largest and oldest natural lakes in Mississippi, Lake Washington formed when the Mississippi River changed course more than 700 years ago.
About 25 miles south of Greenville, the ancient oxbow no longer connects directly to the mighty river, so water levels don’t fluctuate as much as “active” oxbows.
At roughly 3,000 acres, Lake Washington averages about 8 to 10 feet deep, but drops to 22 feet deep in places. Houses, camps, and docks line one side. Abundant cypress trees growing in water up to 7 feet deep dominate the other shoreline of the oxbow.
Trees and dock pilings provide cover for multiple fish species include largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, several bream species, catfish, and other fish. In addition to the copious natural cover, the state established numerous fish attractors in Lake Washington. Private citizens also created countless brush piles that hold fish.
“The great thing about Lake Washington is that it has a broad spectrum of cover for the fish,” Mark Hamberlin with DD-214 Guide Service (662-822-6773) in Leland said. “Depending on where someone goes, the cypress trees are in about 1 foot of water to more than 6 feet. If people like to fish docks, it’s a good lake for that.”
Lake Washington can produce good bass numbers with many in the 1 to 3-pound range. It also holds some 4 to 8-pounders. Anglers occasionally catch largemouth topping 10 pounds.
“In the morning, I like to start with a topwater bait, like a frog or a buzzbait,” Gene Bishop, (fish5work2.com) a professional bass angler and guide, said. “Once that slows down, I run a subsurface lure like a bladed jig with a plastic trailer. During the summer, when the sun gets up, fish get easier to catch because they will be in the shade next to the trees or under the docks.”
The lake also produces good numbers of crappie including some huge ones. Lake Washington holds plentiful crappie in the 1 to 2-pound range. Some exceed 3 pounds.
“Lake Washington can produce some giant crappie,” Will Hutto of Crappie Brothers Guide Service (601-906-7360) in Richland said. “The lake is full of shad for crappie to eat and get fat. I watch for baitfish flickering and bigger fish coming up to hit them. That’s the place to fish.”
Depending on where someone goes, the cypress trees are in about 1 foot of water to more than 6 feet. If people like to fish docks, it’s a good lake for that.
Besides bass and crappie, the lake contains an enormous population of bluegills and other bream species. Many people fish the lake for the larger redear sunfish. Much bigger than bluegills, redears can exceed 4 pounds. As a former Mississippi River channel, the lake also holds excellent populations of blue, channel, and flathead catfish including some massive ones.
While in the area, visit the Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Museum (msoutdoorhalloffame.com) in Leland to learn more about the rich outdoors traditions of Mississippi. The museum displays artifacts from many fishing and hunting activities. The museum also includes the Mississippi Outdoors Hall of Fame, honoring men and women who greatly contributed to the knowledge and conservation of that heritage.
