The Mississippi River forecast continues to look favorable.

If the most recent prediction holds up, we should see a level of about 39 feet toward the end of the coming week.

That’s good news for the local fishermen and ladies.

The live oxbow lakes, waters that are not protected by the levees, at Deer Park, Vidalia, Lake Mary and Yucatan should be loaded with game fish this summer.

The river stage at Natchez today is 43.9 feet and falling. That is a bit high for fishing the Old Rivers, but with a little scouting you can locate and catch the bass, bream and white perch.

When we have a fast fall coming downriver just fish the run-outs; the drains and ditches coming from the barrow pits and backwaters lakes.

The level of the Old Rivers will be lower than the barrow pits and the ditches will be flowing over the next two to three weeks.

Fish stack up near the mouth of the drains. For bass try crankbaits.

Tie on a couple different crnakbaits that will cover different depths.

The Bagley DB3 will cover depths from 12 to 18 feet if you pull the big crank on 12 pound test line.

The thinner the line the deeper the lure will dive.

A three-inch Bandit will cover depths from about eight feet to 14 feet and the 300 series Bandit will get down to about 10 feet.

If the fish are in the ditches you’ll have to go with a smaller lure like a 200 series Bandit.

If you catch a few bass around a ditch with running water don’t leave the area until you fish it thoroughly with a bottom lure like a jig with a plastic trailer or your favorite soft plastic lures.

The bream are holding around the many acres of duck seed.

Try fishing in the flooded woods with live crickets in four to eight feet of water.

Of course as the water level drops the bream will pull out of the woods. You just have to keep following the fish as they move.

The white perch are really scattered out.

The best level for the white perch is around 28 feet but you may find a few near the ditches.

Try tube jigs in various colors and if that don’t work try live shiners.

The fourth annual Bayou Cocodrie Refuge Association Team Bass Night Tournament will cast off on Lake St. John Aug. 2.

Fishing hours are 7 p.m. till 2 a.m. and we’ll be fishing out of Tom Bell’s Landing. The entry fee is $120 per team and proceeds will help fund the annual youth hunt on the refuge. Eddie’s Marine will conduct the weigh-in and that’s where you can pick up an entry form.

Entry forms are available in Natchez at the Sports Center. Night fishing can be good on Lake St. John. The lighted piers will receive the most pressure but that’s not the only place you can catch the bass. The shallow cypress trees, seawalls and the piers with no lights can hold some nice fish as well.