Little Tallahatchie Armon Sardis Lake
What's working on Sardis Lake
- 01Topwater action can still occur on warmer fall afternoons, making a Popping Bug (Bass) an excellent choice for sunfish, bluegill, bream, and aggressive largemouth bass.
- 02Subsurface imitations like the Woolly Bugger (Olive) (Bass), Hellgrammite Fly, and Crayfish (Fly) (Olive/Rust) are crucial for targeting Largemouth Bass, Crappie, and Catfish around rocky structures and submerged cover.
- 03For Crappie and Sunfish, a Mysis Shrimp (Nymph) fished dead-drift along the bottom or a Hare's Ear Nymph as a general searching pattern will be effective subsurface.
- 04As Sardis Lake continues its drawdown, focus efforts on deeper water and creek channels for Crappie (8-12 feet) and main lake points, river ledges, and creek channels for Largemouth Bass.
- 05A key tactical tip is to adjust your retrieve speed to the cooler water; a slower, more deliberate retrieve with subsurface patterns will often be more productive.
What to tie on at Little Tallahatchie Arm
Picked from recent reports for this stretch.
Squirmy Wormy
An effective year-round pattern, especially after any rainfall that might wash aquatic worms into the system, appealing to nearly all species.
Buy at AmazonHare's Ear Nymph
A versatile searching nymph, mimicking various active aquatic insects that are present year-round, appealing to a wide range of species including sunfish, crappie, and bass.
Buy at AmazonOctober Caddis (Dry)
The October Caddis hatch, though regional, can provide topwater opportunities for larger panfish on warmer, calmer fall days.
Buy at AmazonEpoxy Minnow (Mississippi Shad)
Matches the slender profile of threadfin shad which are the primary forage in Sardis; essential for reaching fish in the 15-25 foot depth range during winter.
Weighted Pine Squirrel Leech
Natural squirrel fur pulses with minimal movement, making it deadly for enticing finicky crappie and bass holding near deep timber.
Game Changer (Shad)
The articulated movement mimics a dying or injured shad, a common winter occurrence that triggers predatory instincts in trophy bass and stripers.
San Juan Worm
High-visibility attractor that is particularly effective after late-winter rain events wash earthworms into the reservoir from the banks.
Buy at AmazonBlack Woolly Bugger (Bass)
A slow-stripped black streamer imitates leeches and dark forage active in cold water; the movement triggers strikes even from lethargic winter bass.
Crappie Jig Fly
Spring crappie spawn around structure makes this minnow/invertebrate imitation highly effective for crappie, bluegill, sunfish, and other panfish, as well as opportunistic bass and catfish.
Buy at AmazonMississippi season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.
Fly shops nearby
Local flies, current advice and guided trips.