Pete's Landing, Diamondhead Fishing

Pete's Landing is Diamondhead's public boat and kayak launch on the Jourdan River, with a fishing pier along the bank. It is a comfortable, accessible place to fish the lower river, where salt water from the Bay of St. Louis meets the Jourdan's fresh flow.

• A boardwalk and fishing pier running along the riverbank
• Speckled trout in late fall and winter, plus redfish, black drum and flounder
• An accessible kayak launch, a boat ramp, restrooms and parking
• Free to use: the city opened it as its first public boat launch and its birds

The landing is at the end of Noma Drive in Diamondhead, on the east bank of the Jourdan River a short way north of the I-10 bridge. The City of Diamondhead built and runs it.

• Getting there: leave I-10 at the Diamondhead exit and follow the local streets to the west end of Noma Drive
• Parking: a lot with ADA spaces
• The walk: from the lot onto a 150-foot boardwalk with the fishing pier attached
• Who can use it: the city says it serves residents and visitors, and it described the launch as free to use
• Hours: none published; overnight parking and camping are not allowed

The Jourdan at Diamondhead is brackish but fresher than the bay, so the mix of fish changes with rain and with the season.

• Spring (Mar-May): redfish and black drum along the banks, with flounder moving up from the bay
• Summer (Jun-Aug): catfish, drum and the odd redfish; after heavy rain, bass and bream from upriver
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish and flounder feed along the banks, and the first speckled trout arrive
• Winter (Dec-Feb): the season locals wait for, as speckled trout move up the river into deep holes near the interstate

A medium spinning rod with 10 to 15 lb line and a fluorocarbon leader covers the river.

• Speckled trout in winter: live cocahoe minnows or shrimp on the bottom, or a soft plastic worked very slowly along the bottom in the deep water
• Redfish and black drum: live or dead shrimp on a Carolina rig close to the bank and structure
• Flounder: a live minnow dragged slowly along the edge of the channel
• When the river is fresh after rain, a small soft plastic or a worm catches bass and bream as well
• Bring a landing net for the bigger reds and drum

The lower Jourdan rises and falls with the Bay of St. Louis: one small high and one low on most days, with some days of almost no change. River flow often matters more than the tide; check the nearest NOAA station in the Bay St. Louis area and the river level after rain.

• A moving tide is best, and a falling tide often brings bait down past the landing
• Cold, clear winter days after a front draw trout into the deep water near the interstate
• Heavy rain upstate turns the river fresh and muddy, pushing saltwater fish down toward the bay
• Early mornings are quieter before boat traffic builds

The landing was built with accessibility in mind, but it sits on a busy river.

• The lower Jourdan is popular for fast boats and water sports; keep lines clear of the channel
• Keep away from the boat ramp while boats launch and load
• Leave the pier at the first thunder
• Watch your footing on a wet boardwalk
• Access: ADA parking and an accessible kayak launch, with a boardwalk to the fishing pier

The landing has the basics for a few hours' fishing.

• A fishing pier along the riverbank
• A boat launch and an accessible kayak launch
• Restrooms
• Parking, including ADA spaces
• No bait shop on site; bring shrimp or minnows with you

• Come in late fall and winter for the speckled trout that run up the Jourdan toward the interstate
• Fish slowly along the bottom in cold weather; winter trout here rarely chase
• After a few dry days the river is saltier and better for redfish and trout
• Launch a kayak to reach the bayous and cuts between the river and the bay
• Weekday mornings are quietest on the river

The City of Diamondhead runs Pete's Landing and posts its rules at the site.

• No overnight parking or camping, and no tobacco, alcohol, drugs, firearms, bikes, skateboards or glass containers
• The landing is just north of I-10, where Mississippi requires a freshwater fishing license, not a saltwater one, unless you are exempt
• Downstream, a Mississippi saltwater fishing license is required south of US 90 unless you are exempt; between US 90 and I-10 either a saltwater or a freshwater license will do
• Anglers under 16 are exempt
• Check current MDMR rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything