LARGEMOUTH BASS

Largemouth Bass Image

Part of a group known as the black basses, including the smallmouth and spotted basses, the largemouth grows the biggest. Common in farm ponds, the largemouth likes shallow, murky water and usually associates with structure such as weeds or submerged timber. Some of the newer reservoirs and smaller lakes with standing timber also provide good largemouth fishing. Of the black basses, the largemouth is the only one with a mouth that extends behind the eye. The world record weighed 22 pounds, 4 ounces. The Kansas record is 11 pounds, 12 ounces.

Fishing Forecast Information

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Updated: 01/17/2025

Lakes

NAME Density Preferred Lunker Big fish Bio rating
  (>12") (>15") (>20") (lbs.) BR
ATCHISON CITY LAKE #23 131.96 81.37 5.29 5.66 G
STERLING CITY LAKE 121.17 28.62 0.00 4.57 G
WILSON SFL 112.33 33.99 1.82 6.14 G
MCPHERSON SFL 106.92 57.98 3.10 5.65 G
ALMA CITY LAKE 101.96 38.37 0.00 3.03 G
PRATT COUNTY LAKE 100.82 62.49 0.00 4.75 G
ALTAMONT CITY LAKE-WEST 97.94 69.82 10.41 6.33 G
OSAGE CITY LAKE 94.00 38.00 4.00 7.16 G
COWLEY SFL 91.06 57.18 0.71 4.69 G
FORT SCOTT-GUNN PARK W POND-#2 86.76 33.13 0.00 4.96 G
WIFA-SALINE CO-AUDUBON 84.00 48.00 0.00 3.84 G
JEWELL SFL 84.00 18.36 4.18 5.71 G
GARNETT CITY LAKE-NORTH 83.83 26.13 1.40 4.91 E
SABETHA-PONY CREEK LAKE 81.18 38.04 0.25 4.77 E
NEOSHO SFL 80.84 40.10 4.42 6.15 E
BUTLER SFL 76.87 37.50 2.25 6.38 G
HOLTON-PRAIRIE LAKE 75.74 45.59 1.96 5.76 G
JOHNSON CO-LEXINGTON PARK LAKE 74.12 4.71 0.00 2.59 E
LYON SFL 73.85 34.79 0.29 4.03 G
GRIDLEY CITY LAKE 73.42 28.16 0.00 4.26 G
MONTGOMERY SFL 72.67 42.07 4.49 6.22 G
THAYER CITY LAKE-NEW 71.00 25.00 0.00 3.21 G
BARBER SFL 69.57 19.05 0.13 5.22 G
GARNETT CITY LAKE-SOUTH 66.03 27.36 0.65 5.26 G
CHANUTE CITY LAKE 62.00 41.00 1.00 4.75 G
SCOTT SFL 60.55 27.26 0.00 4.86 G
GREAT BEND-STONE PARK LAKE 59.68 6.19 0.00 2.27 G
DOUGLAS SFL 59.33 4.67 0.33 6.46 G
MOLINE OLD CITY LAKE-SOUTH 59.02 24.81 0.00 2.84 G
POTTAWATOMIE SFL #1 57.39 5.11 0.50 4.75 G
MEADE SFL 57.18 46.22 1.81 6.07 F
EDNA CITY LAKE 54.00 3.00 3.00 4.89 F
SEVERY CITY LAKE 53.14 13.47 0.00 3.39 G
DOUGLAS CO-LONESTAR LAKE 53.00 14.00 0.67 5.82 G
HORTON-LITTLE LAKE 51.52 31.82 1.52 5.13 G
SHAWNEE SFL 51.13 2.00 0.29 5.01 G
GRAHAM CO-ANTELOPE LAKE 49.46 15.62 0.00 4.60 G
ALTAMONT CITY LAKE-EAST 48.37 33.51 4.00 6.34 G
WASHINGTON SFL 47.11 29.39 1.44 6.65 G
GEARY SFL 46.33 25.33 0.00 5.29 G
OSAWATOMIE CITY LAKE 45.54 8.44 0.00 3.55 F
LAKE OLATHE 43.67 16.04 0.62 4.46 G
PLEASANTON WEST LAKE 43.50 27.00 6.00 7.11 G
WIFA-GRAHAM CO-TREXLER POND 42.87 16.77 0.00 5.22 G
CRAWFORD SFL 42.25 20.75 1.00 5.66 G
NEMAHA WILDLIFE AREA POND 42.25 37.52 0.00 4.96 F
OLATHE-CEDAR LAKE 41.34 19.83 1.29 6.24 G
HOWARD-POLK DANIELS LAKE 39.92 23.29 1.33 5.08 G
LEAVENWORTH SFL 39.47 4.98 0.00 2.59 G
YATES CENTER-SOUTH OWL LAKE 38.07 19.68 0.00 4.43 F
THAYER CITY LAKE-OLD 37.80 23.40 1.20 5.12 G
FORT SCOTT CITY LAKE 37.59 9.02 0.00 2.85 G
YATES CENTER CITY LAKE-NEW 37.51 17.71 0.89 4.96 F
GARNETT-CEDAR CREEK LAKE 36.52 12.18 1.21 6.08 G
PLEASANTON EAST LAKE 36.27 3.92 0.00 2.06 G
GREAT BEND-VETS PARK LAKE 35.32 18.04 2.51 6.31 F
MELVERN RIVER POND 35.14 17.57 0.00 4.44 G
COLDWATER LAKE 34.78 24.57 0.00 4.56 F
MADISON CITY LAKE 33.93 22.62 1.00 5.20 G
LAKE SHAWNEE 33.36 12.00 0.24 5.09 G
CARBONDALE CITY LAKE-EAST 31.67 13.67 0.00 3.68 F
SPRING HILL CITY LAKE 31.34 18.93 1.18 5.28 E
MINED LAND PIT 30F 31.26 13.58 0.32 5.01 G
ELLIS CITY LAKE 30.84 9.96 0.78 5.70 F
HORTON-MISSION LAKE 30.53 16.79 2.21 5.86 F
PAOLA CITY LAKE-LAKE MIOLA 30.37 13.79 0.93 5.20 G
BOURBON SFL 30.37 3.75 0.37 3.91 G
GARDNER CITY LAKE 30.35 7.36 0.64 5.18 G
OSAGE SFL 30.30 9.60 0.30 5.51 F
PLEASANTON WEST LAKE 26.61 15.75 0.00 4.33 G
BONE CREEK LAKE 24.57 16.86 0.29 4.72 G
JOHNSON CO-SHAWNEE MISSION LAKE 24.51 6.86 0.00 2.38 F
BANNER CREEK LAKE 24.47 8.00 0.00 4.33 F
OTTAWA SFL 24.28 10.33 0.28 5.98 F
KIOWA SFL 24.01 9.48 0.00 2.79 F
MARION COUNTY LAKE 22.78 5.78 0.00 4.28 F
LOUISBURG CITY LAKE 22.35 3.53 2.35 4.83 G
WOODSON SFL 21.87 2.12 0.42 5.84 F
POTTAWATOMIE SFL #2 21.76 2.51 0.32 4.67 F
CHASE SFL 21.33 5.33 0.67 4.90 F
POTTAWATOMIE CO LAKE 21.10 5.73 0.00 3.52 F
MINED LAND PIT 20A 21.00 17.00 2.00 4.71 G
ANTHONY CITY LAKE 20.21 11.98 0.00 3.84 P
JOHNSON CO-KILL CREEK PARK LAKE 18.82 1.18 0.00 1.46 E
SHERMAN CO-SMOKY HILL GARDEN 17.99 13.49 0.00 3.39 F
CENTRALIA CITY LAKE 17.04 12.78 1.49 5.99 P
LAKE ATWOOD 16.94 8.55 0.00 5.23 F
LAKE LENEXA 16.34 2.29 0.65 6.06 F
WINFIELD CITY LAKE 16.00 6.71 0.43 7.01 F
EUREKA CITY LAKE 15.85 4.93 0.00 3.31 G
JEWELL CITY LAKE-EMERSON LAKE 15.75 8.25 0.00 3.51 F
BELLEVILLE-ROCKY POND 15.00 6.00 0.00 5.55 P
NEBO SFL 14.81 9.63 0.00 5.02 P
BROWN SFL 14.71 9.56 1.47 4.83 F
WICHITA-KDOT W. BORROW PIT 14.71 10.29 0.00 3.20 F
HORSETHIEF 13.73 7.84 0.00 3.65 F
WICHITA-KDOT E. BORROW PIT 13.45 2.52 0.84 5.64 F
ATCHISON SFL 12.49 7.29 0.00 4.50 F
MIAMI SFL 12.30 8.21 0.98 5.81 G
MINED LAND PIT 26A 11.86 4.86 0.00 2.89 F
LEBO CITY LAKE 11.06 3.37 0.00 2.89 P
LAKE AFTON 10.59 3.92 0.00 3.89 P
WICHITA-CHISHOLM NORTH LAKE 10.46 3.92 0.00 4.35 F
OLPE CITY LAKE 9.77 3.15 0.00 2.50 P
HARVEY COUNTY LAKE-WEST 8.23 6.14 0.00 4.38 P
COUNCIL GROVE CITY LAKE 8.00 3.33 0.00 5.12 P
CLARK SFL 6.66 3.92 0.00 3.38 F
MIDDLE CREEK SFL 6.05 4.42 0.00 4.29 P
HARVEY COUNTY LAKE-EAST 5.39 2.99 0.00 3.28 P
SABETHA CITY LAKE 4.71 1.18 1.18 6.64 P
PARSONS CITY LAKE 3.60 3.00 0.00 2.66 P
JEFFREY ENERGY CENTER-AUXILIARY LAKE 3.50 1.68 0.00 2.79 P
MOLINE NEW CITY LAKE-NORTH 2.69 0.90 0.00 2.26 P
JEFFREY ENERGY CENTER-MAKE UP LAKE 1.87 1.12 0.00 3.41 P
Updated: 01/17/2025

Ponds

NAME Density Preferred Lunker Big fish Bio rating
  (>12") (>15") (>20") (lbs.) BR
EMPORIA-JONES PARK NORTH 129.48 88.11 0.00 2.95 G
SALINA-LAKEWOOD LAKE 95.62 51.52 4.50 6.07 G
OVERBROOK KIDS POND 85.00 10.00 0.00 3.85 G
COFFEYVILLE-LECLERE 79.78 9.19 0.00 2.19 F
EMPORIA-JONES PARK EAST POND 74.43 32.99 0.00 3.61 G
OLPE -JONES PARK POND 60.24 4.02 0.00 1.30 F
FALL RIVER STATE PARK KIDS POND 46.97 12.69 0.00 3.70 F
EMPORIA-JONES PARK WEST POND 45.58 5.70 0.00 1.89 F
BLACK KETTLE SFL 43.87 32.62 3.38 6.26 F
MOUNDRIDGE-PACK PARK POND 42.17 17.41 0.00 3.59 G
GRAND OSAGE #05 38.57 27.71 0.00 2.91 G
OVERBROOK CITY LAKE 37.09 12.73 0.00 4.31 G
EMPORIA-PETER PAN PARK 17.75 7.29 1.82 4.49 P
KANOPOLIS STATE PARK POND 12.00 0.00 0.00 1.61 P
MINED LAND PIT 01D 7.50 1.50 1.50 5.73 F
EDGERTON CITY LAKE 7.06 4.71 0.00 4.89 P
ST FRANCIS-KELLER LAKE 5.26 0.00 0.00 1.01 P
GLEN ELDER STATE PARK POND 3.03 3.03 0.00 2.58 P
MINED LAND PIT 12F 1.50 0.00 0.00 0.67 F
Updated: 01/17/2025

Reservoirs

NAME Density Preferred Lunker Big fish Bio rating
  (>12") (>15") (>20") (lbs.) BR
SEBELIUS 230.02 77.82 0.62 5.24 G
WILSON 42.91 33.66 0.32 5.63 G
WEBSTER 30.51 22.88 0.00 3.80 F
BIG HILL 28.78 10.71 0.89 6.81 G
CEDAR BLUFF 24.79 8.51 0.24 6.52 G
KIRWIN 21.48 18.47 0.00 3.72 G
LACYGNE 16.98 12.54 1.80 7.91 G
MILFORD 8.73 2.29 0.00 4.21 F
GLEN ELDER 7.59 6.51 0.07 3.70 F
MELVERN 7.04 1.43 0.00 2.03 P
WOLF CREEK 6.94 4.78 0.58 5.49 P
EL DORADO 6.23 3.43 0.20 4.42 P
CLINTON 5.52 2.11 0.00 4.75 P
PERRY 4.09 2.12 0.30 6.00 P
HILLSDALE 1.91 1.47 0.00 2.99 P
TORONTO 1.50 1.50 0.00 3.71 P
Stocking Records Information
Largemouth Bass Image

Part of a group known as the black basses, including the smallmouth and spotted basses, the largemouth grows the biggest. Common in farm ponds, the largemouth likes shallow, murky water and usually associates with structure such as weeds or submerged timber. Some of the newer reservoirs and smaller lakes with standing timber also provide good largemouth fishing. Of the black basses, the largemouth is the only one with a mouth that extends behind the eye. The world record weighed 22 pounds, 4 ounces. The Kansas record is 11 pounds, 12 ounces.