The American lotus is a native aquatic plant found throughout Mississippi. It is easily recognized by its large, round leaves, known as pads, and its prominent yellow flowers.
The plant’s stems provide structural habitat for fish beneath the water’s surface. The pads act as sun umbrellas, shading shallow waters during late summer.
Anglers frequently target fish near the lotus pads, where bass and bream feed on an abundance of frogs, crawfish, and insects, according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.
