Skip to main content

Mississippi Madness at Cat Island

Mississippi Madness at Cat Island

Cat Island, lying some 8 miles off Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi, in the Gulf of Mexico, is an overlooked angling jewel of our southern coast. It's alive with fish life, from trophy speckled trout over 5 pounds to various species of sharks that provide half-hour battles on medium-power saltwater tackle. Best of all, you fish with rarely another boat in sight, unlike hot spots in Florida and Louisiana.

Cat Island is one of a series of barrier islands in the shallow waters of Mississippi Sound, a highly fertile bay that extends from the Louisiana marshes east toward Alabama. This island has a long and colorful history: as a hideout for rum-runners from Cuba, temporary refuge for privateers like Jean Lafitte who anchored in its labyrinthine canals, and a U.S. army training ground for dogs during World War II.

Last summer, my old friend from Cabela's, Chuck Smock, arranged an exploratory trip to the region, bringing along Mike Jones, a local angling expert and Program Manager for the tourism agency, Visit Mississippi. We stayed on a spacious house on Cat Island and fished with Capt. Sonny Schindler and Capt. Kenny Shiyou of Shore Thing Charters, which offers various fishing packages, including lodging on the island, kayak trips, and inshore fishing.

//www.in-fisherman.com/files/2017/04/Bull-shark.jpg
A bull shark is released to continue feeding on the vast schools of mullet in Mississippi Sound.

In clear, shallow inshore waters, we sight-fished for outsize redfish and trout, and worked topwaters over sandflats on calm summer mornings. Closer to the open waters of the sound, huge Jack Crevalle and sharks ruled the waters, along with pods of dolphins that continually herded vast schools of mullet. We tangled with three species of shark: the acrobatic spinner, speedy black-tip, and powerful bull shark, using cut pieces of ladyfish, always a favorite snack for big toothies.

The area also offers incredible action for big black drum, that live beneath a bridge at the mouth of the Jordan River, where it enters the gulf at Bay St. Louis. Along with my personal best jack of 40 pounds (landed after a harrowing 59-minute battle), I was fortunate to wrestle up a 45-pound black drum. Hiding among the rubble of a bridge demolished by Hurricane Katrina, this fish was landed with just a few remaining strands of 40-pound-test Spectra after a prolonged tug-of-war. Though a change in weather during our visit had the tripletails scarce, the countless old crab pots and navigational markers in the sound represent prime cover for these curious fish that sometimes top 20 pounds here.

With a lack of fishing pressure and bountiful marine life, this area is destined to become a mecca for marine adventurers.

Contact: Shore Thing Charters, 228/32-2206, shorethingcharters.com; Visit Mississippi, visitmississippi.org.

//www.in-fisherman.com/files/2017/04/Smock.Jack_.jpg
Chuck Smock of Cabela's enjoys a hot surface bite for Jack Crevalle.


[navionics zoom="8" long="-89.1" lat="30.2"]




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Classics: Muskie Mechanics and Why We Chase Muskies

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Storyline: Roadtrip Edition, The Jon Bondy Story

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Storyline: Front Porch Edition with Josh Douglas and Shawn Budiac at X2Power

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Storyline Ep11 - Nexus Outdoors Owner Aaron Ambur

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Gear

The ALL-NEW Shimano Vanford A: The Measure in Performance

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Destinations

In-Fisherman Classics: Road Hunting Big Manitoba Pike

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Classics: Understanding Northern Pike Behavior in Warming Water

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Gear

In-Fisherman Classics: Muskie Mechanics and Why We Chase Muskies

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Destinations

In-Fisherman Classics: The Perfect Muskie Spot

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman TV: Ripping Big Rubber on Lake St. Clair with Spencer Berman

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman TV: Late Fall Trolling Tips for Lake of the Woods Muskies

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Classics: Primetime Pike and Peak Periods

In-Fisherman Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the In-Fisherman App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top In-Fisherman stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All In-Fisherman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top In-Fisherman stories delivered right to your inbox.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use