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.

Regulations
115-07-08 (PDF - 51.15 kB)

Bass fishing tournaments.

115-18-20 (PDF - 8.80 kB)

Tournament bass pass; requirements, restrictions, and pass duration.

115-07-09 (PDF - 57.25 kB)

Weigh-in black bass fishing tournaments not using tournament black bass pass.

115-18-08 (PDF - 9.48 kB)

Retrieval and possession of game animals and migratory game birds - Requirements

115-17-02 (PDF - 113.59 kB)

Commercial Sale of Fish Bait

Fishing Forecast Information

View Fishing Forecast definitions

 

Updated: 01/19/2023

Lakes

Waterbody Density Preferred Lunker Big fish Bio rating
  LAKES        
BUTLER SFL 149.70 77.91 5.28 7.03 G
COWLEY SFL 146.74 62.42 1.59 4.66 G
GRIDLEY CITY LAKE 121.43 46.40 0.00 4.26 G
ALMA CITY LAKE 107.74 37.85 0.00 4.77 G
LYON SFL 107.15 31.29 0.33 4.03 G
MCPHERSON SFL 106.48 43.62 2.19 5.59 G
GARNETT CITY LAKE-NORTH 104.31 36.55 0.68 4.91 G
ALTAMONT CITY LAKE-WEST 103.96 73.08 12.67 7.08 G
GARNETT CITY LAKE-SOUTH 103.75 36.65 0.23 5.26 G
HOLYROOD CITY LAKE 102.33 40.85 2.56 5.72 G
JEWELL SFL 99.31 52.76 2.76 6.13 G
PLAINVILLE LAKE 98.31 23.22 0.60 6.02 G
WILSON SFL 95.48 36.20 1.36 6.15 G
SABETHA-PONY CREEK LAKE 94.00 55.87 0.28 4.36 E
MONTGOMERY SFL 89.29 31.93 2.10 5.87 G
PRATT COUNTY LAKE 88.40 29.68 0.00 4.75 G
ROOKS STATE LAKE 88.23 22.36 0.00 5.50 G
HORTON-LITTLE LAKE 84.85 48.48 3.03 4.96 G
DOUGLAS SFL 81.10 9.17 0.33 6.46 G
BROWN SFL 80.16 68.99 7.42 7.59 G
YATES CENTER CITY LAKE-NEW 79.60 17.30 0.54 5.52 G
GREAT BEND-STONE PARK LAKE 76.18 6.12 0.00 4.82 G
WIFA-LINCOLN CO-LANG 75.36 75.36 0.00 4.58 G
LOGAN CITY LAKE 72.81 41.20 0.00 3.89 G
STERLING CITY LAKE 71.55 25.07 0.00 4.27 G
PLEASANTON WEST LAKE 70.59 39.22 3.92 5.16 G
SEVERY CITY LAKE 68.83 12.67 0.00 3.74 G
MEADE SFL 68.66 56.68 2.59 6.93 G
OSAGE CITY LAKE 67.06 23.53 0.00 4.68 G
JETMORE CITY LAKE 66.43 10.97 0.00 4.85 G
THAYER CITY LAKE-NEW 64.00 18.00 0.00 3.21 G
DOUGLAS CO-LONESTAR LAKE 62.77 19.69 0.33 4.93 G
NEOSHO SFL 62.02 29.29 2.99 6.15 G
EDNA CITY LAKE 61.76 0.00 0.00 1.22 G
ALTAMONT CITY LAKE-EAST 60.78 43.14 0.98 5.63 G
LEAVENWORTH SFL 59.90 3.30 0.00 3.38 F
JEWELL CITY LAKE-EMERSON LAKE 58.82 32.35 0.00 4.18 G
POTTAWATOMIE CO LAKE 58.17 3.03 0.00 2.54 G
WASHINGTON SFL 58.05 28.21 1.11 6.65 G
BARBER SFL 57.76 21.87 0.00 3.99 G
OLATHE-CEDAR LAKE 56.05 32.57 1.94 6.24 G
MOLINE OLD CITY LAKE-SOUTH 55.55 21.55 0.00 2.84 G
LAKE LENEXA 52.38 10.15 1.27 6.06 G
SHAWNEE SFL 50.97 14.05 1.68 5.80 G
PAOLA CITY LAKE-LAKE MIOLA 50.55 23.97 0.98 5.06 G
POTTAWATOMIE SFL #1 49.64 8.97 0.00 3.49 G
WINFIELD CITY LAKE 48.71 25.52 0.33 6.03 F
SCOTT SFL 48.36 22.45 0.00 4.21 G
PLEASANTON EAST LAKE 48.24 18.82 0.00 3.47 G
GARDNER CITY LAKE 47.04 15.49 1.62 5.71 G
HOWARD-POLK DANIELS LAKE 46.71 26.48 1.06 5.08 G
HORTON-MISSION LAKE 46.64 26.05 5.46 5.86 G
OSAWATOMIE CITY LAKE 45.54 8.44 0.00 3.55 F
GREAT BEND-VETS PARK LAKE 45.19 11.14 1.76 6.31 G
YATES CENTER-SOUTH OWL LAKE 43.10 20.40 0.00 4.52 F
BOURBON SFL 42.48 17.65 0.65 4.62 G
COLDWATER LAKE 39.31 27.99 0.00 4.56 G
MELVERN RIVER POND 39.01 20.95 0.00 4.43 G
LAKE ATWOOD 38.97 16.86 0.00 4.24 G
GRAHAM CO-ANTELOPE LAKE 38.40 21.25 0.00 4.60 G
SEDAN NEW CITY LAKE-SOUTH 37.25 15.69 0.00 3.67 G
ELLIS CITY LAKE 36.53 13.36 0.51 5.70 G
LAKE SHAWNEE 36.35 11.83 0.65 6.83 G
KIOWA SFL 34.90 1.85 0.00 2.49 G
CARBONDALE CITY LAKE-EAST 34.84 10.56 0.00 2.58 G
OSAGE SFL 34.75 6.47 0.27 5.14 G
MARION COUNTY LAKE 34.00 4.50 0.00 2.82 G
ATCHISON SFL 33.70 20.28 0.57 4.57 F
BANNER CREEK LAKE 33.36 12.42 0.00 4.33 G
THAYER CITY LAKE-OLD 33.00 23.00 1.00 4.89 G
HOLTON-PRAIRIE LAKE 32.35 13.24 1.47 5.13 F
GARNETT-CEDAR CREEK LAKE 32.22 12.99 1.03 5.95 G
NEMAHA WILDLIFE AREA POND 32.15 29.00 0.62 5.55 G
SHERIDAN SFL 30.59 3.46 0.27 6.66 F
ANTHONY CITY LAKE 30.58 16.90 0.34 5.69 F
SPRING HILL CITY LAKE 30.44 10.37 0.00 4.50 F
POTTAWATOMIE SFL #2 30.44 3.76 0.00 3.26 F
LOUISBURG CITY LAKE 30.38 0.00 0.00 1.61 F
CRAWFORD SFL 30.27 13.94 1.59 5.66 G
LENORA CITY LAKE 29.41 17.65 0.00 2.02 P
LAKE OLATHE 29.41 11.35 0.60 5.56 F
CHASE SFL 27.50 4.50 0.00 3.50 G
BELLEVILLE-ROCKY POND 24.12 18.41 0.00 5.55 G
SEDAN OLD CITY LAKE-NORTH 23.53 7.35 0.00 3.69 G
GOODMAN SFL 23.20 5.72 0.00 2.22 F
OTTAWA SFL 23.17 8.30 0.00 4.63 F
WELLINGTON-HARGIS CREEK LAKE 22.50 18.00 0.00 3.93 F
MADISON CITY LAKE 22.50 13.32 0.29 6.17 F
KINGMAN SFL 21.78 15.30 0.00 5.48 F
WICHITA-KDOT W. BORROW PIT 21.78 9.28 0.74 5.39 F
EUREKA CITY LAKE 21.24 5.23 0.69 5.07 G
GEARY SFL 20.81 10.55 0.00 4.72 G
MIAMI SFL 20.67 14.71 0.96 5.68 G
BONE CREEK LAKE 19.71 17.14 0.00 3.93 G
MIDDLE CREEK SFL 18.94 9.46 0.00 4.29 F
LEBO CITY LAKE 18.94 8.53 0.00 4.81 F
WICHITA-KDOT E. BORROW PIT 16.98 9.97 2.35 6.06 P
NEBO SFL 16.94 12.23 0.00 5.41 F
HORSETHIEF 16.79 6.43 0.00 4.45 F
CENTRALIA CITY LAKE 16.15 10.20 1.46 5.33 F
HARVEY COUNTY LAKE-WEST 12.49 8.34 0.69 5.04 F
WICHITA-CHISHOLM NORTH LAKE 12.43 8.31 1.84 5.63 F
WOODSON SFL 11.73 5.43 0.51 5.84 F
LAKE AFTON 11.57 6.27 0.59 5.54 P
COUNCIL GROVE CITY LAKE 9.22 3.29 0.65 6.06 F
HARVEY COUNTY LAKE-EAST 4.74 2.76 0.00 3.55 F
JEFFREY EC-AUX. LAKE 3.94 2.08 0.00 3.15 P
WICHITA-K96 CRUISER LAKE 3.92 1.96 0.00 3.29 P
OLPE CITY LAKE 3.13 0.63 0.00 2.04 P
ELWOOD WILDLIFE AREA POND 3.03 3.03 0.00 1.60 P
MOLINE NEW CITY LAKE-NORTH 1.78 1.48 0.00 2.81 P
SABETHA CITY LAKE 1.47 1.47 0.00 3.81 F
Updated: 01/19/2023

Ponds

Waterbody Density Preferred Lunker Big fish Bio rating
  POND        
EMPORIA-JONES PARK NORTH 150.00 71.54 0.00 2.57 G
OVERBROOK KIDS POND 114.72 7.78 0.00 3.85 G
EMPORIA-JONES PARK WEST POND 91.33 7.84 0.00 1.60 G
COFFEYVILLE-LECLERE 79.78 9.19 0.00 2.19 G
EMPORIA-JONES PARK EAST POND 74.22 35.12 0.00 2.87 G
SALINA-LAKEWOOD LAKE 69.51 47.10 0.00 4.79 G
OLPE -JONES PARK POND 60.46 9.09 0.00 2.64 G
OVERBROOK CITY LAKE 52.50 13.55 0.00 4.77 G
EDGERTON CITY LAKE 49.72 30.83 0.00 4.89 G
CITY OF INMAN - COUNTRY PARK POND 44.44 33.33 0.00 3.44 F
BLACK KETTLE SFL 33.66 12.25 0.00 4.36 F
FALL RIVER STATE PARK KIDS POND 23.56 11.52 0.00 3.70 F
EMPORIA-PETER PAN PARK 14.66 9.51 1.82 4.49 F
AGRA CITY LAKE 12.37 1.96 0.00 3.23 F
WALNUT CREEK-TORONTO 9.80 6.86 0.00 3.89 F
GLEN ELDER STATE PARK POND 6.89 6.89 0.00 2.83 F
ST FRANCIS-KELLER LAKE 5.26 0.00 0.00 1.01 P
FALL RIVER 0.98 0.00 0.00 1.10 P
Updated: 01/19/2023

Reservoirs

Waterbody Density Preferred Lunker Big fish Bio rating
LARGEMOUTH BASS          
  (>12") (>15") (>20") (lbs.)  
  RES        
SEBELIUS 219.13 75.16 1.03 5.24 E
WEBSTER 63.81 31.15 0.00 3.99 G
WILSON 61.55 41.11 0.81 5.77 G
LACYGNE 56.15 45.45 3.74 7.70 E
KIRWIN 44.99 35.36 0.00 3.72 G
BIG HILL 38.85 19.20 1.24 5.43 G
CEDAR BLUFF 11.93 4.98 0.04 5.83 G
KANOPOLIS 11.43 1.78 0.26 4.85 F
GLEN ELDER 9.93 6.23 0.12 5.38 G
TORONTO 9.80 5.23 0.00 3.52 F
MILFORD 8.70 2.92 0.00 4.68 F
EL DORADO 5.20 2.45 0.15 3.47 F
CLINTON 3.67 1.67 0.00 4.02 F
WOLF CREEK 3.63 2.73 0.00 3.93 F
MELVERN 3.44 0.86 0.00 2.68 F
LOVEWELL 2.65 2.35 0.00 4.56 P
HILLSDALE 2.38 1.60 0.11 5.16 P
PERRY 1.68 0.83 0.15 6.00 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.

Water Water Type Stocking Date Number Stocked
Bone Creek Lake COML 6/15/2021 6663
Bone Creek Lake COML 6/15/2021 6886
Bone Creek Lake Sum     13549
Cedar Bluff Reservoir RESV 6/3/2021 3202
Cedar Bluff Reservoir RESV 6/9/2021 12711
Cedar Bluff Reservoir RESV 6/9/2021 9630
Cedar Bluff Reservoir Sum     25543
CRAWFORD STATE FISHING LAKE SFLS 6/15/2021 899
CRAWFORD STATE FISHING LAKE SFLS 6/15/2021 2880
CRAWFORD STATE FISHING LAKE SFLS 6/14/2021 60
CRAWFORD STATE FISHING LAKE Sum     3839
El Dorado Reservoir RESV 6/22/2021 10358
El Dorado Reservoir RESV 6/22/2021 8047
El Dorado Reservoir RESV 6/22/2021 14006
El Dorado Reservoir RESV 6/22/2021 17095
El Dorado Reservoir RESV 6/23/2021 7508
El Dorado Reservoir RESV 6/23/2021 3025
El Dorado Reservoir Sum     60039
Hillsdale Reservoir RESV 6/23/2021 4502
Hillsdale Reservoir RESV 6/23/2021 1241
Hillsdale Reservoir Sum     5743
Horsethief Reservoir RESV 6/30/2021 18823
Horsethief Reservoir Sum     18823
Melvern Reservoir RESV 6/16/2021 9941
Melvern Reservoir RESV 6/16/2021 8625
Melvern Reservoir RESV 6/16/2021 12918
Melvern Reservoir RESV 6/16/2021 18144
Melvern Reservoir Sum     49628
Wilson Reservoir RESV 6/9/2021 11947
Wilson Reservoir RESV 6/9/2021 3167
Wilson Reservoir RESV 6/9/2021 6565
Wilson Reservoir Sum     21679
  Grand Total 198843

FRY

Water Water Type Stocking Date Number Stocked
Cedar Bluff Reservoir RESV 5/10/2021 367063

INTERMEDIATES

Water Water Type Stocking Date Number Stocked
Belleville - Rocky Pond COML 09/13/21 411
Belleville - Rocky Pond COML 09/13/21 101
Belleville - Rocky Pond Sum     512
ELLIS CITY LAKE COML 04/27/21 475
ELLIS CITY LAKE COML 09/13/21 755
ELLIS CITY LAKE Sum     1230
OTTAWA STATE FISHING LAKE SFLS 11/16/21 575
OTTAWA STATE FISHING LAKE Sum     575
    Grand Total 2317