Bayou Cassotte Pier, Pascagoula Fishing

Bayou Cassotte Pier is a no-frills county pier on the east side of Pascagoula, set on a dredged ship channel among docks and industry. Deep water close to the bank is what brings anglers here.

• A county pier and two-lane boat ramp at the end of Ladner Road
• Deep, salty channel water near the Mississippi Sound
• Trout, redfish, white trout and black drum
• Big-ship traffic to watch for

The pier and ramp are at 5303 Ladner Road on Pascagoula's east side, at the east end of the road on Bayou Casotte. Jackson County lists them as the Bayou Cassotte Pier and Boat Ramp.

• Getting there: from Ingalls Avenue, turn onto Poitevin Street and then onto Ladner Road, and follow it east to the water
• Parking: a lot shared with ramp users
• Fees: none listed by the county
• Hours: none published that we could confirm
• The surroundings are industrial; respect fences and private property

The channel's depth and salinity hold fish when the shallow flats are cold or muddy.

• Spring (Mar-May): trout and redfish move along the channel edges; sheepshead around pilings
• Summer (Jun-Aug): croaker, white trout and catfish on the bottom; jacks chase bait in the channel
• Fall (Sep-Nov): trout, redfish and flounder feed along the edges; black drum move in
• Winter (Dec-Feb): the deep channel is a cold-weather refuge for trout, white trout and black drum

Medium tackle with 15 to 20 lb line handles the depth and the odd big drum.

• Trout and white trout: shrimp on a high-low rig near the bottom, or a soft plastic on a 3/8 oz jig to reach the depth
• Redfish and black drum: cut mullet or crab on a fish-finder rig with a 3/0 to 4/0 circle hook
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp beside pilings and bulkheads
• Flounder: live minnows on a Carolina rig along the shallower shoulders
• In winter, fish slowly and close to the bottom

Bayou Casotte follows the Sound's small, mostly once-a-day tide; its depth makes it fish better than the flats on cold or windy days.

• A moving tide is best; the hours around the turn usually bring the bite
• After cold fronts, trout and drum slide into the deep channel, making this a good winter choice
• Ship wakes stir the water for a while after a vessel passes
• Strong south winds push murky water in from the Sound
• Heavy rain freshens the upper bayou more than the deep channel

This is a working industrial waterway.

• Large ships, barges and tugs use the channel; reel in when they pass and stay back from the edge in their wakes
• Keep clear of the ramp lanes when boats launch
• Bulkheads and pilings can be slick; wear shoes with grip
• Obey any security signs and fences around industrial sites
• Leave at the first thunder

Facilities are basic, so plan as you would for any working launch.

• A county pier (an earlier state inventory recorded two fishing piers)
• A two-lane public boat ramp
• A parking area shared with boat trailers
• An old bait shop by the launch did not appear to be open in the state's last survey
• No restrooms or lights confirmed; stock up with bait, ice and water in Pascagoula first

• Save this spot for cold or windy days, when the deep channel beats the shallow flats
• Watch for ships before you cast across the channel
• Bring heavier jigs than usual to reach the bottom in the current
• Black drum are the reliable winter bite here

Jackson County manages the Bayou Cassotte Pier and Boat Ramp.

• Follow posted county rules, and any security restrictions around the port and industrial sites
• 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
• MDMR (dmr.ms.gov) is the agency for saltwater limits
• Check current MDMR rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything