Channel Catfish Forecast

Channel Catfish Image

The channel catfish is the bread and butter of Kansas fishing. Found in nearly all waters from large rivers and reservoirs to small prairie streams, good channel cat fishing is never far away. State lakes are also popular places to catch channel cats. Department hatcheries produce millions of channel cats each year. The state record channel cat weighed 36 pounds, 8 ounces. The world record is 58 pounds.

Updated: 01/11/2022

Lakes

WATERBODY Density Preferred Lunker Big Fish Rating 3 yr avg
  (>16”) (>24”) (>28”) (LBS.)   (>16”)
SEDGWICK CO.-LAKE AFTON 11.17 0.17 0.17 8.29 G 6.94
WOODSON SFL 9.80 0.00 0.00 5.14 G 8.40
FORT SCOTT-GUNN PARK W PD-#2 9.67 0.00 0.00 5.88 E 6.50
CHASE SFL 9.50 0.75 0.00 7.72 G 6.13
NEOSHO SFL 8.00 1.00 0.25 12.23 G 7.33
MIAMI SFL 7.83 0.17 0.00 5.83 G 3.50
PLAINVILLE TOWNSHIP LAKE 7.50 3.00 0.00 6.55 G 11.17
GARNETT-CEDAR CREEK LAKE 7.38 0.63 0.00 6.75 G 7.46
CENTRALIA CITY LAKE 7.25 0.75 0.00 5.40 G 3.88
EUREKA CITY LAKE 7.00 2.00 0.50 10.58 E 6.39
BROWN SFL 6.50 1.75 0.25 9.04 G 3.51
COLDWATER LAKE 6.00 0.33 0.00 5.65 G 5.27
WELLINGTON CITY LAKE 5.40 0.40 0.00 5.83 G 2.69
FORT SCOTT CITY LAKE 5.38 0.75 0.13 19.37 G 4.62
MOUND CITY LAKE 5.33 1.00 0.17 8.30 G 6.08
PAOLA CITY LAKE - LAKE MIOLA 5.00 0.33 0.00 5.75 G 3.61
WINFIELD CITY LAKE 5.00 0.20 0.00 8.42 G 4.25
CLARK SFL 5.00 0.17 0.17 10.60 G 2.92
OLATHE - CEDAR LAKE 5.00 0.25 0.00 5.80 G 5.42
PLEASANTON CITY LAKE-OLD 5.00 0.67 0.00 4.76 G 5.00
MIDDLE CREEK SFL 4.67 0.17 0.00 8.86 G 2.89
JETMORE CITY LAKE 4.67 0.33 0.00 5.34 G 3.44
ALTAMONT - IDLE HOUR LK - CL E 4.33 2.00 0.33 8.95 G 4.33
BOURBON SFL 4.33 0.67 0.00 10.07 G 2.67
BONE CREEK LAKE 4.25 0.75 0.25 17.69 G 2.17
WASHINGTON SFL 4.25 1.25 0.00 7.29 G 3.25
SCOTT SFL 4.13 0.13 0.13 8.83 G 1.82
BUTLER SFL 4.00 0.75 0.25 7.38 G 3.38
GRAHAM CO-ANTELOPE LAKE 3.75 1.75 0.25 7.47 G 2.58
GARNETT CITY LAKE-NORTH 3.75 0.25 0.00 5.19 G 3.33
ANTHONY CITY LAKE 3.67 0.00 0.00 5.61 F 3.39
GARDNER CITY LAKE 3.33 0.33 0.17 13.44 G 3.06
PLEASANTON WEST LAKE 3.33 0.00 0.00 4.14 G 6.33
GEARY SFL 3.20 0.20 0.00 6.42 F 2.32
BROWNING OXBOW 3.00 0.50 0.00 5.29 F 3.00
BARBER SFL - LOWER 3.00 0.20 0.00 5.27 F 2.22
RICHMOND CITY LAKE 3.00 0.33 0.33 9.81 G 3.00
OLATHE - LAKE OLATHE 2.83 0.17 0.00 8.09 F 2.28
HARVEY CO. LAKE-EAST 2.80 0.10 0.00 5.50 F 2.24
WELLINGTON-HARGIS CREEK LAKE 2.75 0.25 0.25 7.28 G 2.75
ALTAMONT - IDLE HOUR LK - CL W 2.67 0.33 0.33 12.23 G 2.67
HERINGTON CITY LAKE-NEW 2.60 0.20 0.00 4.30 F 0.93
JEWELL SFL 2.50 0.00 0.00 4.08 G 2.75
SABETHA - PONY CREEK LAKE 2.50 0.75 0.75 16.31 G 1.50
WILSON SFL 2.33 0.00 0.00 3.25 G 1.39
MARION CO. LAKE 2.25 0.25 0.25 9.57 G 2.38
CRAWFORD SFL 2.17 0.17 0.00 8.40 G 1.00
LEBO CITY LAKE 2.00 0.25 0.00 8.92 F 1.33
LEAVENWORTH SFL 1.83 0.50 0.00 4.81 F 1.83
HOLTON-PRAIRIE LAKE 1.75 0.00 0.00 4.09 F 2.25
YATES CENTER CITY LAKE-NEW 1.67 0.50 0.00 7.94 F 1.72
OSAGE SFL 1.50 0.00 0.00 4.08 F 1.58
SHAWNEE SFL 1.50 0.00 0.00 4.39 G 1.78
HOLTON - BANNER CREEK LAKE 1.38 0.38 0.00 7.34 F 2.29
GRIDLEY CITY LAKE 1.33 0.33 0.00 5.46 F 1.33
POTTAWATOMIE CO. LAKE 1.33 0.33 0.33 9.82 F 1.83
HARVEY CO. LAKE-WEST 1.25 0.00 0.00 2.48 P 0.82
POTTAWATOMIE SFL #2 1.25 0.00 0.00 3.37 G 1.75
MONTGOMERY SFL 1.17 0.00 0.00 3.36 G 1.44
MOLINE NEW CITY LAKE - NORTH 1.00 0.17 0.00 5.77 G 1.22
YATES CENTER-SOUTH OWL LAKE 1.00 0.00 0.00 3.13 F 1.17
SPRING HILL CITY LAKE 1.00 0.00 0.00 3.41 F 1.00
PLEASANTON EAST LAKE 1.00 0.00 0.00 4.02 G 1.17
MADISON CITY LAKE 0.83 0.17 0.00 5.51 G 0.50
MCPHERSON SFL 0.80 0.00 0.00 4.49 F 1.00
NEBO SFL 0.75 0.00 0.00 2.35 F 0.36
JEFFREY EC - AUX. MAKEUP LAKE 0.75 0.00 0.00 3.51 F 1.54
HOWARD-POLK DANIELS LAKE 0.75 0.50 0.00 9.70 G 5.42
OTTAWA SFL 0.67 0.00 0.00 10.34 F 1.06
LENEXA LAKE - LENEXA 0.67 0.00 0.00 1.38 F 1.00
OLPE CITY LAKE 0.50 0.25 0.00 11.46 G 0.25
LYON SFL 0.50 0.33 0.17 16.20 G 2.22
KIOWA SFL 0.50 0.00 0.00 2.03 F 0.33
HORSETHIEF 0.50 0.33 0.17 10.01 G 0.32
KINGMAN SFL 0.33 0.17 0.00 8.32 F 2.11
JEFFREY EC-MAKE UP LAKE 0.33 0.00 0.00 1.29 F 0.67
ATWOOD - LAKE ATWOOD - MAIN 0.33 0.00 0.00 1.44 F 0.11
ELLIS CITY LAKE 0.33 0.00 0.00 3.84 F 0.42
POTTAWATOMIE SFL #1 0.33 0.00 0.00 1.29 P 0.44
SHERIDAN SFL 0.17 0.17 0.17 11.96 F 0.22
COWLEY SFL 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.93 G 0.83
GREAT BEND-VETS PARK LAKE 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.29 F 0.00
MEADE SFL 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.34 F 0.22
GREAT BEND-STONE PARK LAKE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.72 F 0.00
MOLINE OLD CITY LAKE - SOUTH 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.27 F 0.42
LOGAN CITY LAKE 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.92 F 0.56
ROOKS STATE LAKE 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.02 F 5.58
EDNA CITY LAKE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.86 F 0.00
Updated: 01/11/2022

Ponds

WATERBODY Density Preferred Lunker Big Fish Rating 3 yr avg
  (>16”) (>24”) (>28”) (LBS.)   (>16”)
PARKER CITY LAKE 0.67 0.00 0.00 2.54 G 0.67
TUTTLE CREEK RIVER POND 0.50 0.25 0.00 5.41 G 0.50
STERLING CITY LAKE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.97 P 0.17
Updated: 01/11/2022

Reservoirs

* - Designates waters that were not tested during the current year.

WATERBODY Density Preferred Lunker Big Fish Rating 3 yr avg
  (>16”) (>24”) (>28”) (LBS.)   (>16”)
LOVEWELL 7.56 0.69 0.06 9.19 G 7.19
BIG HILL 5.70 0.90 0.00 8.61 G 6.23
HILLSDALE 5.08 0.17 0.00 7.57 G 5.08
MARION 5.00 0.20 0.00 5.48 G 4.93
LACYGNE 3.50 0.07 0.00 7.27 G 2.71
ELK CITY 3.25 0.33 0.00 5.65 G 2.78
CLINTON 2.94 0.19 0.00 6.73 F 2.69
PERRY 2.90 1.05 0.35 12.71 F 2.18
WILSON 2.73 0.53 0.03 8.57 G 2.81
GLEN ELDER 2.59 0.52 0.17 15.30 F 1.95
MELVERN 2.40 0.53 0.07 8.33 F 2.88
CHENEY 2.28 0.34 0.00 8.87 G 1.83
KANOPOLIS 2.10 0.30 0.00 6.54 G 4.64
WEBSTER 1.92 0.08 0.08 10.65 G 1.19
TUTTLE CREEK 1.45 0.25 0.20 14.33 G 0.88
POMONA 1.42 0.08 0.08 8.80 G 2.10
COUNCIL GROVE 1.20 0.20 0.00 5.24 F 1.22
KIRWIN 1.17 0.50 0.17 11.24 G 1.16
WOLF CREEK 1.17 0.00 0.00 4.12 G 0.88
TORONTO 1.08 0.92 0.08 10.44 G 3.36
CEDAR BLUFF 1.00 0.17 0.04 12.38 G 0.60
FALL RIVER 1.00 0.92 0.50 14.54 G 1.50
JOHN REDMOND 0.89 0.28 0.11 12.35 F 0.96
EL DORADO 0.20 0.00 0.00 2.29 F 0.42
MILFORD 0.20 0.05 0.05 9.24 P 0.30