Fishing Reports
For up-to-date information, look up the fishing report for the lake of your choice. Field staff update the fishing reports each week through the fishing season, reporting on fishing success, lake levels, water temperatures, and other important information.
You also can get helpful information from the Fishing Forecast.
Below are links to Google .kmz files for all fish attractors statewide.
All statewide fish attractors' GPS (KMZ)
All artificial statewide fish attractors' GPS (PDF)
Listing of Downloadable Bathymetric Maps
Fishing reports provide general angling information from KDWPT staff. The department cannot update the reports on a regular, frequent basis. Many factors determine angling success, and fishing conditions and individual fishing success may vary from the report. Anglers are responsible for deciding what species to fish for, what methods to use, and where and when to fish. You can help fellow anglers by sharing successful fishing notes at http://www.facebook.com/kdwpt.
OTTAWA STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/13/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 10-18 inches | Bass fishing should begin to improve as the water continues to warm. Anglers can possibly catch some fish by focusing on the warmest water that gets the most sunlight where the fish can be caught using swim baits, soft plastics, and slow rolling spinnerbaits. |
| Bluegill/Sunfish | Fair | 4 to 6 Inches | Look for bluegill around the rocks on the piers and around any brush in the water. Worms and small jigs are a good bet. These guys can be caught throughout the year using a variety of techniques. Some anglers prefer to fly fish with small nymphs or dry flies fished on the surface. We stocked approximately 3,500 adult bluegill in September to help boost this population! |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | 12-25 inches | If there is any inflow, catfish will normally congregate there to feed. Shad sides, shad gizzards, shrimp, and chicken livers are all good baits to try for catfish. Early spring offers anglers the opportunity to catch cats in good numbers. |
| Saugeye | Fair | 15-24 inches | In the spring saugeye tend to move toward the shoreline and anglers should concentrate their efforts there. Specifically, in 4 to 5 feet of water near the dam and off the rock jetties. Jig and crawler, large shiners, crankbaits, and swim baits are all good options to use for catching saugeye now. |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | Most 8-14 inches | The fall crappie sample was very good in October and there is currently a nice population in the lake. Anglers should target their efforts around the two marked fish attractors using small jigs and minnows throughout the early spring. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water Temperature--40ºF CAUTION: LONGER BOAT TRAILERS MAY FALL OFF EDGE OF BOAT RAMP WHEN WATER IS LOW The cabin can now be rented - call the Hays Regional Office - 785-628-8614 - for reservations or more information. | |||
CEDAR BLUFF RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 15 inches | Fish are still being caught vertically fishing minnows, jigs, and spoons over the fish attractors. As the water warms, fish will scatter from deep, winter habitat and begin staging in pre-spawn areas. Vertically fishing jigs and minnows around flooded brush and timber in moderate water depths at the mouths of coves is often best at this time. |
| Walleye | Fair | Up to 28 inches | Fish are spawning and can be caught by casting floating rapalas along the face of the dam at night or on cloudy days. Anglers reported catching mainly short male walleye last week. But a few female fish at or near the legal length limit were also reported. A 21 inch minimum length limit and 5 fish/day/angler creel limit is in effect to regulate walleye harvest. |
| White Bass/Wipers | Good | Whites up to 17 inches Wipers up to 13 lbs. | Casting white jigs over sun-warmed shallows of larger north shore coves has been good for white bass and wipers. |
| WATER TEMPERATURE-43 degrees F SURFACE ELEVATION- 2134.48-9.52' below conservation pool ATTENTION: An established zebra mussel population has been documented at this water making Cedar Bluff an ANS designated water. With this designation, regulations are in effect primarily aimed at discouraging water containing microscopic zebra mussel larvae from leaving the property and establishing in new waters. Any time one leaves the reservoir it is best to clean mud, vegetation, or attached zebra mussel adults off of boats and other equipment, drain any thing on a boat or other equipment that holds water, and allow boats and other equipment to dry completely before using them at another body of water. It is now illegal to use wild-caught bait from Cedar Bluff at any other water. Live fish are not to be taken off the property. And all livewells and bilges must be drained prior to leaving the property. It is illegal to release fish into public water unless it was taken from that water. So please discard any leftover bait in a trash can. Cedar Bluff District Newsletter: A biannual newsletter detailing fishing related prospects and activities in the Cedar Bluff District, which includes such waters as Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Sheridan and Scott State Fishing Lakes, Antelope Lake, and other public fishing waters in northwest Kansas are available. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. The link is: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Cedar-Bluff-Fishing-District | |||
GLEN ELDER RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/13/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 9-14 inches | Anglers have been catching fair numbers of crappie on the main lake brush piles including Swim Beach, Campground 3, and Walnut Creek. There have also been some fish caught on the river channel drops in 30 to 35 feet of water. |
| Trout | Excellent!!! | 10-16 inches | Trout are routinely stocked in the park pond just east of the church in the state park. Stocking dates will be updated on this report so anglers know the best times to fish. Best success for catching these trout comes with using Powerbait, corn, salmon eggs, and Velveeta cheese fished on the bottom with small hooks. Anglers can also catch some trout casting a variety of small inline spinners such as Mepps, Roostertails, and Panther Martins. The latest trout stocking consisted of 400 pounds of rainbow trout on February 27th. Anglers have been catching good numbers of fish using cheese, corn, and salmon eggs. The next stocking will occur near the end of the month. |
| Walleye | Fair to Good | 14-22 inches | Look for these fish around Walnut Creek, along the dam, and along the river channel in the middle portion of the reservoir. These fish can usually be found in 5 to 10 feet of water in the evening and early morning and head to deeper water throughout the day. There are a few male walleye moving toward the dam now in preparation for the spawn but that is still likely a week or so away before things really pick up. |
| Black Bass | Fair | 12-20 inches | Bass fishing will slowly improve as the water temperature warms up toward the 50's. Anglers should target areas that receive the most sunlight and warm the quickest including the back ends of coves and water next to rocky banks which warm up fastest. Fishing along the dam and in the state park coves might be your best bet. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 15-30 inches | Anglers have been catching fair to good numbers of channel catfish near the mouth of Oak Creek, off the Cawker City dike and golf course, and in Mill Creek. Best baits for these fish now include shrimp, cut shad, shad gizzards, and chicken liver. Remember, there is a 35 inch length limit on blue catfish at Glen Elder. |
| White Bass | Fair | 11-18 inches | White bass can be caught on the west end of the reservoir near the Cawker City causeway and up the river channels using slab spoons, crankbaits, and Kastmasters. There are also some fish to be caught along the dam and in the Walnut Creek area. |
| All outflows from Glen Elder have been shut down for several weeks for maintenance on the outlet tube and gates. The outlet has been pumped nearly dry and there will be no fishing opportunities below the dam until releases resume. Anglers can now find GPS locations for each of the brush piles located in the reservoir. Simply click on this link Good Fishing Spots and select the individual brush pile. As we enhance these brush piles throughout the year, we'll make a note under each individual location. Current Water Temperature: 42°F Current Water Level: 0.5 feet below conservation Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water! | |||
JEWELL STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/13/2020 Print
KANOPOLIS RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | 16 - 21" | No reports. |
| Crappie | Good | 10 to 14 inches | There are reports of 10-13" crappie being caught on light jigs and minnows in 15 - 20 feet depths in brush piles now that the lake is normalizing again. Try 1/8 or 1/16 oz. jigs on light line with small plastic trailers. |
| Trout | The last trout stocking of the season occurred on Friday, March 13th. If you haven't been trout fishing yet this year, go get a trout stamp and head down to the seep stream. The bite has been hot. | ||
| Saugeye | Fair | 14 - 22" | Fair. Anglers have started wading for Saugeye and a few are being caught. Try hard and plastic jerkbaits with slow presentations towards evening and at night. |
| White Bass | Good | All sizes - up to 17 inches | Good. Whites are being caught near brush and river channel breaks. Try castmasters and jigs with slow presentations. |
| Wiper | Poor | All sizes | Poor. |
| General Comment | |||
| Elevation: 0.5 feet below conservation pool. The lake is being kept low for silt removal around the outlet tower. Water Temperature: 46 - 48 degrees Current lake elevation and water temperature is available on the location page linked to this fishing report. It is updated daily by the Corps of Engineers. | |||
KEITH SEBELIUS RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 12/12/2019 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | 7 to 16 inches | Crappies are concentrating around deeper brush, the artificial brush piles under private boat slips, and the fish attractor structures close to the public fishing dock near the mouth of Leota Cove. Just a few reports received, but the anglers able to access these locations have been successful using jigs, small slab spoons, and minnows. |
| Saugeye/Walleye | Fair | 13 to 27 inches | Did not have any reports of fish being caught, however, would concentrate on areas along the Dam and point on the east side of Leota Cove, up by the Marsh Dike and point south of the swim beach using jigs, or jigs tipped with live baits. An 18" minimum length limit is in effect. |
| Wiper | Fair | 10 to 28 inches | Did not have any reports of fish being caught, however, would concentrate on areas around Monkey Island and the RR bridge abutments on the south side using jigs and slab spoons. Five (5) fish daily creel limit. |
| Catfish | Fair | 10 to 30 inches | Did not have any reports of fish being caught, however, would concentrate on the shallow areas during warm sunny days using shad and stink bait on the bottom. |
| Largemouth/Spotted Bass | Fair | 10 to 20 inches | Did not have any reports of fish being caught, however, would concentrate on areas along the Dam and breakwater using crankbait's and plastic imitations. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 38° SURFACE ELEVATION- 2299.68 ---- 4.62' below conservation Due to the time of year, this fishing report will probably not be updated regularly and only when conditions change and new information is received. Currently, the water level is 6.07 feet higher than it was one year ago, at this time. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water. Please discard leftover bait in a trash can. Now Available: A Webster District newsletter that includes fisheries related information about Webster, Kirwin and Keith Sebelius Reservoirs is available. If you would like to subscribe to this spring and fall newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. | |||
KIRWIN RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 12/12/2019 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | 7 to 17 inches | Anglers have been fishing the north and south shore fish attractors. Crappies are being caught using jigs and slab spoons around the brush piles. Just finished adding new trees to the south two fish attractors this summer. |
| Walleye | Fair | 14 to 29 inches | Did not have any reports of fish being, however, would concentrate on areas along the Dam, along the river channel and outside of the fish attractors. Best methods are using jigs with twister tail's, crank baits and slab spoons. |
| White Bass/ Wiper | Fair | 10 to 26 inches | Did not have any reports of fish being caught, however, would concentrate on areas around the fish attractors and along the dam using jigs with twister tails, road runners and crank baits. Vertical jigging slab spoons could also be productive. |
| Catfish | Fair | 10 to 30 inches | Did not have any reports of fish being caught, however, would concentrate on shallow areas on warm sunny days using shad and stink bait on the bottom. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 12 to 20 inches | Did not have any reports of fish being caught, however, would concentrate on areas off the Dam and rocky area using jigs and crankbaits. Remember there is a 15-inch length limit on bass. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 38° SURFACE ELEVATION- 1729.11 ---- 0.14' below conservation pool Due to the time of year, this fishing report will probably not be updated regularly and only when conditions change and new information is received. Currently, the water level is 1.37' lower than it was one year ago, at this time. Irrigation releases were shut off on 8-26-2019 and 30 cfs is being released to the river to stabilize the lake's elevation. Fish cleaning station is NO LONGER on the NE corner of the square in Kirwin. The USFWS, BOR and KDWPT constructed a new facility just West of the water tower. The fish cleaning station has been shut down for the winter. If you have any questions regarding Kirwin Reservoir and the surrounding public lands, contact the USFWS at 785-543-6673 or stop by their office at 702 Xavier Road. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water. Please discard leftover bait in a trash can. Now Available: A Webster District newsletter that includes fisheries related information about Webster, Kirwin and Keith Sebelius Reservoirs is available. If you would like to subscribe to this spring and fall newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. | |||
LOVEWELL RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/13/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Fair | 16-25 inches | This time of year walleye are most often found off the north points along the state park including Cedar Point, Cabin Point and Walleye Point. Fish are beginning to move toward the dam for the annual spawn and anglers may start catching some fish after dark. This pattern should slowly improve over the next couple of weeks with the peak near the end of March. A variety of crankbaits and swimbaits should work best for catching fall walleye. We stocked 9,000 intermediate walleye (8 to 10 inches) last fall which will really provide a boost to the current walleye population! |
| White Bass/Wipers | Fair to Good | 7-14 inches 15-25 inches | Whites and wipers offer fair to good spring angling as they move in shallow to feed and can be caught throughout the day. Anglers can look for them nearly lakewide, but there are often very good numbers off Cedar Point in 5 to 10 feet of water and also off Walleye Point in 15 to 20 feet of water. Crankbaits, roadrunners, and slabs are often the best baits for winter fishing. There is a big year class of wipers between 12 and 14 inches. They look very similar to white bass so make sure and carefully identify your catch. The daily creel limit on wipers is 2! |
| Crappie | Good | 8-14 inches | As the water continues to warm the crappie fishing will pick up. The best location is the Cedar Point brush pile as well as the deep brush piles off Cabin Point and east of the state park. There are also several Georgia Cube piles that could offer some good fall fishing. The crappie move in shallow in the evening and anglers may have a chance to catch them off the bank around the marina and Cedar Point. We found excellent numbers of both white and black crappie during our fall sampling with plenty of fish greater than the 10 inch length limit. |
| Catfish | Fair to Good | 16 to 35 inches | Channel catfish can be caught nearly lakewide right now as fall netting revealed very high numbers of fish across the reservoir. Anglers may want to target these fish off Oak Hill, the Cross area, and toward the upper end of the reservoir using shad sides, shrimp, and chicken liver. Remember there is a 35 inch minimum length limit on blue catfish in Lovewell. All blue catfish less than 35 inches must be released immediately. |
| Comments | |||
| The inlet will be closed to ALL fishing between September 16, 2019 and April 15th, 2020. ATTENTION ANGLERS: The crappie regulations at Lovewell changed in January 2019. There is a new creel limit of 20 fish per day and a minimum length limit of 10 inches for all crappie. These regulations are intended to improve the quality and quantity of crappie in Lovewell and will be strictly enforced. Anglers can now find GPS coordinates, descriptions, and histories of some of the major brush piles in Lovewell. Simply follow this link Good Fishing Spots and select the individual brush pile to find out more information. Current water temperature: 43°F Current water level: 1.3 feet low Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water! | |||
ROOKS STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 12/12/2019 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| CURRENT FISHING | |||
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 6-18 inches | Anglers are catching fish lake wide using crankbait's and plastic imitations. |
| Bluegill | Fair | 3-9 inches | Anglers are catching fish lake wide use worms under a bobber. |
| Catfish | Fair | 10-25 inches | Would try using worms, stinkbait and shrimp on the bottom. |
| Black Crappie | Good | 5-8 inches | Catching them lake wide using jigs, jigs with worms and jigs with minnows. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water Temp. 36 Degrees Due to the time of year, this fishing report will probably not be updated regularly and only when conditions change and new information is received. Lake is currently full. Now Available: A Webster District newsletter that will include Webster, Kirwin and Keith Sebelius Reservoir's will be coming out soon. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. The link is: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Webster-Reservoir-Fishing-District | |||
SHERIDAN STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 13 inches | Look for fish to move shallow to spawn around flooded vegetation and brush in mid to late-April. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair/Good | Up to 5 lbs. | Casting swimbaits and soft plastics around shoreline brushpiles, along the dam, around the fishing piers, and around laydown trees. |
| Saugeye | Fair/Good | Up to 3 lbs. | Fish may still be spawning and thus may be caught fishing brightly colored jigs, jerk-baits, and swim-baits along the dam at night. They will soon transition into post-spawn feeding mode where they can be caught drifting or casting and retrieving jigs tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers along edges of drop-offs and creek channels |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber along deeper, rocky shorelines or around deeper brush. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | Up to 19 lbs. | Cut bait and shrimp fished lakewide. |
| Wiper | Fair/Good | Up to 2 lbs. | Fishing liver, worms, or minnows off the bottom can be good this time of year. |
| Comments | |||
| It is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water, so please discard any unused bait in a trash can. Cedar Bluff District Newsletter: A biannual newsletter detailing fishing related projects and activities in the Cedar Bluff District, which includes such waters as Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Sheridan and Scott State Fishing Lakes, Antelope Lake, and other public fishing waters in northwest Kansas are available. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. The link is: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Cedar-Bluff-Fishing-District | |||
WEBSTER RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 12/12/2019 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | 7 to 17 inches | Have not had any reports of fish being caught, however, this time of the year would concentrate on the deeper water around the North and South Breakwaters and around the fish attractors. Jigs, small slab spoons, or minnows fished in or near the submerged cedar trees should produce. |
| Walleye | Fair | 14 to 26 inches | Have not had any reports of fish being caught, however, would concentrate on the deeper areas along the Dam, drop offs and outside edges of the fish attractors vertical jigging slab spoons. |
| White Bass/Wiper | Good | 8 to 24 inches | Have not had any reports of fish being caught, however, would concentrate on the windward side of the Reservoir casting rattle traps or twister tails. While the Reservoir remains ice free, trolling diving lures could be productive. |
| Catfish | Fair | 12 to 30 inches | Did not have any reports of catfish being caught, however, would try fishing in the shallow on warm sunny days using shad and stink bait on the bottom. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 12 to 20 inches | Did not have any reports of bass being caught, however, would concentrate in the coves and also by the culvert below the Bait Shop using jig's, plastic bait's and spinner baits until ice up. |
| Rainbow Trout | Fair | 8 to 18 inches | The second load of trout was stocked on Dec. 6th. They are being caught on flies, salmon eggs, power bait and little spinners. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 38° SURFACE ELEVATION- 1892.70 ---- 0.25' above conservation pool Due to the time of year, this fishing report will probably not be updated regularly and only when conditions change and new information is received. The water level is 0.20' lower than it was one year ago at this time. High-water boat ramps usable at this level are Old Marina, Goose Flats & Rock Point. Water is being released from the reservoir thru the irrigation canal at a rate of 100 cfs at this time. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water. Please discard leftover bait in a trash can. Now Available: A Webster District newsletter which includes informative fisheries information about Webster, Kirwin and Keith Sebelius Reservoirs is currently available. If you would like to subscribe to this spring and fall newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. | |||
WILSON RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Striped Bass | Fair | 2-25 pounds | Fair. Few reports but stripers typically move to shallower water in Horseshoe Bend, Hell Creek, and other cove areas as the water starts to warm. Try large bucktail jigs and swimbaits with slow presentations. |
| Walleye | Fair | 18-25 inches | Fair. Not much activity yet but Walleye are moving shallow on rocky shorelines and along the dam. Try hard or plastic jerkbaits with slow presentations in the evening and throughout the night. |
| Blue/Channel Catfish | Good | 2-20 pounds | Channel Catfish) Channel cats are biting very well. Try cut bait or live minnows along shallow, wind-blown shorelines. Hell Creek has been good. Blue Catfish) Some blue catfish are being caught near duvall to the north and the bluffs to the south of the reservoir. Try cut shad or bluegill. NEW REGULATION FOR 2020: Release all Blue Catfish between 32 - 40 inches. Two can be kept outside this range but only one can be kept over 40 inches. |
| White Bass | Fair | 12-18 inches, up to 3 pounds | Fair. Try 1/16 oz. jigs on windblown points near Lucas and even in the upper reservoir near Elm Creek and Duvall. No reports of Whites running up the river, yet. |
| Black Bass | Fair | 12-20 inches | Fair/Poor. Water temps in the low 40s makes bass fishing difficult. Smallmouth will start becoming more active in a few weeks, especially when water temps approach 50 F. Try slow presentations along bluffs and rocky points with bucktail jigs and jerkbaits. |
| White Perch | Poor | 4 to 12 inches | White Perch are still deep but some are moving into the upper end of the reservoir as temperatures slowly rise. Try 1/16 oz. colorful jigs with small plastic grubs. - IT IS ILLEGAL TO HAVE A WHITE PERCH ALIVE IN YOUR POSSESSION - IF YOU CATCH IT AND WANT TO KEEP IT - IT HAS TO BE DEAD IN A COOLER OR LIVEWELL. THEY ARE NO LONGER LEGAL AS LIVE BAIT FOR STRIPERS OR OTHER FISH!!!!! |
| General Comments | |||
| Lake Elevation = 0.7 feet below conservation pool. Surface Temperature = 46 - 48 degrees. BOAT RAMP UPDATE: All boat ramps are useable. WEAR YOUR LIFE JACKETS and be courteous at boat ramps! We have two Aquatic Nuisance Species - white erch and zebra mussels and have joined Cheney and El Dorado as lakes with both species. The law now says that if anyone leaves the lake with water in your livewell or boat, you are subject to a ticket for transporting Zebra Mussels since they will spawn and the microscopic little mussels will probably be in every drop of water in the lake. Make sure you drain all water from the boat before you leave the boat ramp area!!! We have been taking veliger samples and the samples were high so be sure to drain and dry everything!!!!!! | |||
Fishing reports provide general angling information from KDWPT staff. The department cannot update the reports on a regular, frequent basis. Many factors determine angling success, and fishing conditions and individual fishing success may vary from the report. Anglers are responsible for deciding what species to fish for, what methods to use, and where and when to fish. You can help fellow anglers by sharing successful fishing notes at http://www.facebook.com/kdwpt.
ATCHISON STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 2/5/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perry Newsletter | Good to Excellent | 4 pages (lots of pics) | Twice a year I will be publishing a newsletter with Perry and other waters in my district. If you would like the newsletter e-mailed to you click here and fill in the blanks. |
| Black Crappie | Fair | up to 0.9 lbs | For best luck, try a jig and minnow next to rocky areas along the shoreline or near brush piles. |
| Bluegill | Fair to Good | up to 0.5 lbs | Bluegill can be caught with a nightcrawler under a bobber near brushpiles. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | up to 7.7 lbs | Channel catfish can be caught from shore using cut shad, dough balls, or chunks of worm. Lots of fish up shallow right now. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | up to 2.0 lbs | Spinnerbaits or plastics worked around brush piles and rocks. |
| Redear Sunfish | Fair | up to 0.75 lbs. | Redear can be caught jigging a chunk of worm near shoreline structure. |
| General Comments | |||
| If you have information that you would like to contribute to the fishing report contact Nick Kramer at 785-246-4514 | |||
BROWN STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 2/6/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perry Newsletter | Good to Excellent | Twice a year I will be publishing a newsletter with Perry and other waters in my District. If you would like the newsletter e-mailed to you click here and fill in the blanks. | |
| Black Crappie | Fair | up to 1.0 lbs. | Crappie can be caught from shore using a jig or minnow, either casting or sitting under a bobber. |
| Bluegill | Fair - Good | up to 0.3 lbs. | Bluegill may be caught using a chunk of worm and jigging it over brush piles. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 5.5 lbs | Catfish can be caught from shore using cut bait, dough baits, or chicken livers. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | up to 4.0 lbs. | Spinnerbaits or plastics working the shallows, along the face of the dam and the brush piles. |
| Redear Sunfish | Fair | up to 0.4 lbs. | Redear may be caught using a chunk of worm near shoreline structure. |
| General Comments | |||
| If you have information that you would like to contribute to this fishing report, contact Nick Kramer at 785-246-4514 | |||
CENTRALIA CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 3/6/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Fair | Up to 12 pounds | The lake has a great channel catfish population. Wind swept banks can be great this time of year on a warm afternoon. |
| White Bass | Fair | 1/2 to 1 lb. | Not a lot of white bass this year but the fish are nice sized. |
| Wiper | Fair | Up to 26" | Wiper were introduced to help control the gizzard shad population. There are moderate numbers of wiper in the lake. Wiper creel limit is 2 a day. To determine if it is a wiper or white bass, you can look at the tooth patch on the tongue. Wiper has two tooth patches. White bass has only one tooth patch. The fishing regs has good pictures for identification. |
| Crappie | Fair | 1/2 to 1 pound | The crappie population has come down from the historically high numbers seen in 2017, but the lake is still has a good crappie fishery. The current population of crappie is dominated by fish less than 10 inches, but there are still larger fish available. |
| Saugeye | Fair | 2 to 8 lbs. | The saugeye population can be classified as good, but sample numbers have come down from the exceptional numbers seen in 2017. From the fish collected last fall, 65% of the saugeye were over the 18 inch minimum length limit. |
| Largemouth Bass | Poor | 1/2 to 5 pounds | Bass are few and far between at this lake, but they are big. Best places are the rock piers, standing timber and around the West boat ramp. Bass are covered by an 18 inch minimum length limit. |
| General Comments | |||
| Centralia Lake is a 400 acre lake that is noted for good channel cat, saugeye and crappie fishing. The lake facilities include multiple ramps, picnic tables, plenty of camping pads and many sites with electricity. Centralia is enrolled in the CFAP program, which means a City permit is not required for fishing visits. Perry Reservoir has zebra mussels and with Centralia Lake being close it is at high risk. Please, always clean your boat when moving to different water bodies. Do you want some more information on fishing in the Manhattan area? You can subscribe to the free Manhattan Fisheries Newsletter by clicking the link. | |||
CLINTON RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zebra Mussels are present at Clinton Reservoir Be sure to CLEAN, DRAIN and DRY all equipment that comes in contact with the water to keep from spreading them to another lake. | |||
| Current Fishing Conditions | |||
| Blue Catfish | 35 inch minimum length limit and 5 daily creel limit went into effect January 1, 2016. This regulation was implemented to protect brood fish, so that the population could have a chance to improve. | ||
| Smallmouth Bass | 18 inch minimum length limit went into effect Jan. 1, 2016. This regulation change makes smallmouth bass regulations the same as those for largemouth bass. | ||
| Crappie | Fair-Good | 0.33-1.5 lbs | Crappie are in 10-20 feet scattered over channel breaks and brush. Most anglers are using small chartreuse jigs. |
| Channel catfish | Slow-Good | 0.5-7 lbs | Some action using shad and cut bait, but best action is during periods of inflow using nightcrawlers. |
| Walleye | Slow | 0.5-8 lbs | Walleye should be moving to the dam to spawn within the next 2 weeks. Typically fish are caught using suspending crankbaits, and some will be taken on jigs. |
| Trout | Fair | 0.5-1 lbs | In Lake Henry, anglers are using a variety of baits including: small spinners, jigs, worms, and trout powerbait. Note: Lake Henry received its last load of trout this spring March 2. Come on out and catch some trout! |
| District Newsletter | If you want to keep up with what is going on with Clinton Reservoir (including GPS coordinates to any newly placed brush piles) and other lakes in DG, SN, and OS Counties sign up for the Lawrence District Newsletter by clicking this link: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Larkwrence-Fishing-District | ||
| General Comments | |||
| Lake was 1.83' above normal, water temperature = 46 F, release = 7 cfs (March 19). Boat Ramp # 1 and 2 (Marina) are open in the State Park. The west ramps (#3) in the State Park are closed as is Campground 3 for repairs. Also, the Bloomington Ramps are open, but some of the docks may not be in. The dock is in on the north Bloomington Ramp. Be sure to Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat when you leave, to keep from spreading Zebra mussels to other lakes. | |||
DOUGLAS COUNTY-LONE STAR LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Fisheries Newsletter | If you want to keep up with fisheries developments at Lonestar (including GPS coordinates for any newly placed brush piles), sign up for the Lawrence District Newletter at the following link: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Lawrence-Fishing-District | ||
| Crappie | Slow-Fair | 0.33-0.75 lbs | Using jigs over deep water brush piles. |
| Channel catfish | Slow-Good | 0.5-6 lbs | Mostly slow on cut bait, but during periods of inflow can be good on nightcrawlers. |
| LM Bass | Slow-Fair | 0.5-2.5 lbs | Some action casting jigs. |
| General Comments | |||
DOUGLAS STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
| Crappie | Slow-Fair | 0.5-1 lbs | A few crappie have been caught vertically fishing jigs around brushpiles. |
| Channel catfish | Slow-Good | 0.5-4 lbs | Mostly slow, except during periods of inflow using nightcrawlers. |
| LM Bass | Slow-Fair | 0.5-2 lbs | Casting jigs along shoreline cover. |
| Fisheries Newsletter | If you want to keep up with what's going on at Douglas State Fishing Lake sign up for the Lawrence District Newsletter at the following link: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Lawrence-Fishing-District | ||
| General Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
GARDNER CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 2/17/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Slow | Up to 8 inches | Livebait under a bobber fished near structure. |
| Channel Catfish | Slow | Up to 14 lb. | Channel catfish can be taken now on a variety of live or prepared baits. Fishing near the feeder and by docks is producing some fish. |
| Crappie | Slow | Up to 12 inches | Use minnows and jigs near docks and vegetation edges. Crappie appear to be spread out in open water. Some success has been reported trolling. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | Up to 4 lbs | Finesse plastics, jigs, or spinner-baits target docks and deeper structure. |
| White Bass | Slow | 14 to 17 inches | A good population of white bass exists in this lake. White bass can be taken in open water on shad imitation lures. |
| General Comments | |||
GEARY STATE FISHING REPORT - Last Updated: 3/16/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | near brush/rock drop offs and channel ledges 10 ft deep on jigs, minnows, and spinners | |
| Catfish | Fair | near wind blown flats on cut bait and worms | |
| Saugeye | Fair | near dam and rock points on jigs, worms, and crankbaits | |
| Black bass | Slow/Fair | near rock and brush on jigs and crankbaits | |
| Bluegill | Fair | on small jigs and worms in coves and near brush | |
| General Comments | |||
| This deep clear lake offers a diverse fishery. Best for 2020 should be for saugeye, crappie, and largemouth bass. WARNING..ZEBRA MUSSELS NOW PRESENT!!! | |||
HERINGTON CITY LAKE (NEW) - Last Updated: 3/16/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | Fair | near wind blown flats and creeks on cut bait and worms | |
| Crappie | Fair | near points, brush, and rock 10ft deep on jigs and minnows | |
| Walleye | Fair | along the dam and edges of flats and points on jigs, worms, and spoons | |
| White Bass/Wipers | Fair | along creeks, dam and points on spinners, jigs, and crankbaits | |
| General Comments | |||
| This lake provides a diverse fishery, but best in 2020 should be crappie, wiper, and white bass. | |||
HERINGTON CITY LAKE (OLD) - Last Updated: 3/16/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | Fair | near wind blown flats and creeks on cut bait and worms | |
| Crappie | Fair | near brush and rock 5ft deep on jigs and minnows | |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow/Fair | ||
| Bluegill | Fair | near brush/rock 5ft deep on jigs and worms | |
| White Bass | Slow/Fair | along creeks and dam on spinners and crankbaits | |
| General Comments | |||
| This shallow lake has the best fishing for crappie and channel catfish which are stocked annually. Blue-Green Algae: Current advisories and warnings are listed here: http://www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/algae_advisories.htm | |||
HILLSDALE RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 2/17/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Slow | Up to 9 lbs. | Some fish are being found on shallow rocky points and adjacent mud flats. Crankbaits and jigs are the most productive lures right now. |
| Crappie | Fair | Most fish are 8 to 10 inches and few up to 13 inches | Crappie are being caught in trees and brushpiles in 20 feet of water. Crappie are also biting well at the marina heated dock. Many >10 inch crappie are being caught. Jigs and minnows are productive baits right now. |
| White Bass | Fair | Up to 2 lbs. | Target white bass off wind blown points. Jigs and shad imitation lures are the best baits right now. |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | Up to 4 lbs. | Changing weather pattern should have fish on the move to deeper structure. Plastic baits are producing the most fish. |
| Newsletter | Good | 4 pages | Click the following link to sign up for the newsletter http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Kansas-City-Fishing-District |
| Channel Catfish | Slow | Up to 10 lbs. | Channel catfish can be taken on a variety of baits lakewide using prepared or live baits. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER LEVEL: As of February 17th the water level is 1.0 feet below conservation pool. You can check current water conditions at http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Locations/DistrictLakes/HillsdaleLake/DailyLakeInformation.aspx Zebra mussel infestation has been confirmed at Hillsdale Reservoir. As of 6/17/16 the lake has been designated an Aquatic Nuisance Species water. Fish may not be transported alive from ANS designated waters. Please remember to CLEAN, DRAIN, and DRY your boats and equipment before using another waterbody. Dispose of all bait on dry land. Please search ksoutdoors.com for more information about zebra mussels.
| |||
HOLTON - BANNER CREEK - Last Updated: 2/6/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Contour Map | Pretty Good | 8.5"x11" Color | Banner Creek has been mapped by the Kansas Biological Survey and there is a map available at Contour Map |
| Perry Newsletter | Good to Excellent | Twice a year I will publish a newsletter discussing Perry and other waters in the district. If you would like the newsletter emailed to you click here and fill in the blanks. | |
| Black Crappie | Fair | up to 1.25 lbs. | Crappie can be caught by vertical jigging minnows over brush piles or standing timber. |
| Bluegill | Fair | up to 0.5 lbs. | Bluegill can be caught over brush piles using chunks of worm or small jigs. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 12.5 lbs. | Catfish can be caught from shore using cut bait, stink bait, or livers. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | up to 3.5 lbs. | Crankbaits, spinners or plastics along the shoreline, rip rap and structure. |
| Walleye/ Sauger | Slow to Fair | Walleye up to 6.25 lbs. Sauger up to 2 lbs. | Some anglers are having luck catching Walleye along the dam or off of submerged humps. |
| White Bass | Fair | up to 2.5 lbs. | Cast a jig along the rocks or along the dam to target them. Some anglers have been catching a good number of nice sized fish. |
| General Comments | |||
| If you would like to contribute to this fishing report, contact Nick Kramer at 785-246-4514 The locations of fish habitat placed in this lake can be found here Please leave all habitat at these locations. Do not drag these to your own secret locations. | |||
JEFFREY ENERGY CENTER - MAKE-UP LAKE - Last Updated: 3/6/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | Slow to Fair | 1 to 5 pounds | The lake has traditionally had a good smallmouth bass population, but the current population abundance is well below the historical average. Hopefully, the population rebounds in the near future. The corners of the dam and along the East bank are the best places for smallmouth. The lake has very few largemouth bass. |
| Crappie | Slow | 1/2 to 1 pound | Crappie numbers have been low the last three years but are starting to trend upwards due to recent spawning success. There is a brushpile just south of the dock. |
| Channel Catfish | Slow to Fair | 1/2 to 6 pounds | The lake supports a good channel catfish harvest rate. The south west corner of the lake and the Northern 2 coves tends to be good spots. |
| Walleye | Fair | 1 to 5 pounds | 2019 was an exception year for walleye fishing at the lake as there were a lot of walleye in the lake due to some excellent year-classes being produced from stocking efforts. However, all the fishing pressure in 2019 put a damper on the population with the highest harvest rate ever recorded at the lake. The 2019 fall gill net samples and electrofishing samples indicate there is still a decent walleye population available to anglers with the majority of fish being over the minimum length limit. Walleye regulations are 2 a day and a 15 inch minimum length limit. |
| White Bass | Fair | 1/2 to 2 pounds | The lake has an exception white bass fishery, with 94% of the fish collected last fall were over 12 inches. Be a great year! |
| Wipers | Fair | Up to 12 pounds | Wiper are doing great and numbers are up. Most of the fish seen last fall were 18 to 20 inches long. |
| General Comments | |||
| Anglers need to check into the Jeffrey Energy Center Guard House located north of St. Mary's, then west off K-63 Hwy. You can call the Guard House to check on availability at (785) 456-6149. The Jeffrey Energy Center allows 30 anglers to fish at any one time. If the inlet is flowing, then good fishing can usually be found there. Make-Up Lake has zebra mussels which makes the lake designated as a Aquatic Nuisance Species water. It is illegal to transport alive fish from ANS designated waters. To help prevent the spread of invasive species, please CLEAN, DRAIN & DRY all equipment when changing water bodies and dump your bait. Do you want some more information on fishing in the Manhattan area? You can subscribe to the free Manhattan Fisheries Newsletter by clicking the link. | |||
JEFFREY ENERGY CENTER AUX. LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | Fair | 1 to 4 lbs | The 2019 sample documented that smallmouth bass numbers continue to trend downwards with the lowest abundance seen in 10 years. The lake continues to provide decent smallmouth fishing, but the current population will be less than what anglers have come to expect for this lake. All of the West bank holds smallmouth, especially the dam. The lake has a low level largemouth bass population dominated by smaller fish. The population has improved some with 33% of the fish seen in spring of 2019 were over 15 inches. The East bank, South cove and around the island are usually the best largemouth spots. |
| White Bass | Good | Up to 3 lbs | The white bass population is well above average for abundance with 88% of the fish sampled last fall being over 12 inches and 4% were over 15 inches. |
| Wiper | Fair | Up to 12 lbs | There are fair numbers of wiper in the lake with most of the fish sampled last fall being 20 to 24 inches. |
| Walleye | Fair | Up to 5 lbs | The walleye population has been trending up the last few years and the lake should provide decent harvest rates again in 2020. Walleye regulations are 2 a day and a 15-inch minimum length limit. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 1.5 lbs | Crappie numbers have been improving the last three years and the population is offering decent numbers of fish over 10 inches. There is some habitat cubes along the dock. |
| General Comments | |||
| Anglers need to check into the Jeffrey Energy Center Guard House located north of St. Mary's, then west off K-63 Hwy. You can call the Guard House to check on availability at (785) 456-6149. The Jeffrey Energy Center allows 30 anglers to fish at any one time. Auxiliary Lake has zebra mussels which makes the lake designated as a Aquatic Nuisance Species water. Fish may not be transported alive from ANS designated waters. To help prevent the spread of invasive species, please CLEAN, DRAIN & DRY all equipment when changing water bodies and dump your bait. | |||
LAKE SHAWNEE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Fisheries Newsletter |
If you want to keep up with what's going on at Lake Shawnee (including GPS coordinates for any new brush piles placed into the lake) sign up for the Lawrence District Newsletter at the following link: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Lawrence-Fishing-District | ||
| Zebra Mussels were | found | in Lake | Shawnee during the summer of 2013. Lake users should Clean, Drain, and Dry boats, trailers, and any equipment that comes in contact with the water to keep from moving zebra mussels elsewhere. |
| Crappie | Poor-Fair | 0.3-1 lb | Using mainly jigs, but some minnows also around structure. |
| Channel catfish | Poor-Good | 0.5-6 lbs | Mostly slow, but during periods of inflow actions can be good using nightcrawlers. |
| LM Bass | Fair | 0.5-2 lbs | Casting jigs along patches of aquatic vegetation, some also being caught along rocky shorelines using jigs or crawdad crankbaits. |
| Trout | Fair | 0.5-5 lbs | Anglers are using small spinners, jigs, worms and powerbait. 7,000 lbs of trout were stocked Feb. 22. |
| General Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Brushpiles were constructed and placed at 5 locations in April 2010. Locations were marked with GPS using datum NAD83: 1) N38.99217 W095.63188, 2) N39.00736 W095.62968, 3) N38.99254, W095.63210, 4) N38.99619 W095.632202, 5) N39.01043, W095.63014. November 07 locations were marked with GPS using datum WGS84 in decimel degrees: 1) N39.00740 W095.62978; 2) N39.00819 W095.63046; 3) N39.00810 W095.63055; 4) N39.00806 W095.63043; 5) N39.00638 W095.62261; 6) N39.00247 W095.62495; 7) N38.99622 W095.63205; 8) 39.00274 W095.63202. | |||
LEAVENWORTH STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 2/6/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive Species Alert | Not Good | Brittle Naiad has been found near the boat ramp. Please inspect your boat and trailer before leaving to ensure you are not transporting this invasive plant. | |
| Perry Newsletter | Good | Twice a year I will be publishing a newsletter with Perry and other waters in the district. If you would like the newsletter e-mailed to you click here and fill in the blanks. | |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | up to 2.5 lbs | Bass are being caught by anglers using jigs or plastics along the shoreline and in & around brush piles, rip-rap, and fallen trees. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 2.5 lbs | Channel Catfish may be taken occasionally from shore using cut bait or livers. |
| Flathead Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 30 lbs | This lake has a decent number of Flathead Catfish. They can be caught using a small sunfish along the dam or other rocky areas. |
| Bluegill | Fair | up to 0.4 lbs | Bluegill can be caught using a chunk of worm jigged over brush piles and weed beds. |
| Crappie | Slow to Fair | up to 1.25 lbs | The best bet for crappie would be to fish a jig and minnow along the shoreline. |
| Redear Sunfish | Slow to Fair | up to 0.75 lbs | This lake has a good population of shellcrackers. Redear can be caught using a small chunk of worm near brushpiles and shoreline habitat. Best luck would come from a boat or kayak in the coves further up each of the arms. |
| Wiper | Fair | up to 4.0 lbs | Wiper can be caught near points in the lake using baits that resemble shad. Schools can also be located by shad breaking the surface. More Wiper were sampled this year than in previous years. |
| Walleye | Slow | Up to 3.25 lbs | Fish a jig and minnow along the dam. |
| General Comments | |||
| If you have information that you would like to contribute to this fishing report, contact Nick Kramer at 785-246-4514. Special note: The lake has non-native aquatic plants! Please inspect your trailer and fishing gear before leaving the lake to ensure you are not transporting these plants to any other lakes. Please pick up and take home any trash that you may have brought with you.
| |||
LOUISBURG-MIDDLE CREEK SFL - Last Updated: 2/17/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Slow | 1/2 to 11 lbs. | Channel catfish can be taken right now on a variety of baits lakewide. |
| Flathead Catfish | Slow | Most 4-10lbs. But some up to 30lbs. | Target structure and vegetation edges with live bait. Boulders south of the dam also hold some flathead catfish. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 12 inches | Minnows and jigs are producing the most fish right now. Majority of the population is 8-10 inches, but some nicer ones can be found. |
| Saugeye | Slow | Up to 3 lbs. | Saugeye are being caught near submerged roadbed and flats adjacent to the dam. Jigs are the best producing bait right now. Most of the saugeye being caught right now are shorts, but some keepers (> 18 inches) are being found as well. |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | Up to 3 lbs. | Largemouth can be taken on finesse plastics and spinnerbaits fished near trees in the coves and at vegetation edges. Some are being taken on the flats with crankbaits. |
| Wiper/White Bass | Fair | Up to 4 lbs. | Crankbaits and shad imitation baits fished near submerged road also target near schools of gizzard shad. |
| General Comments | |||
MIAMI STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 2/17/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | 0.5-4 lbs | Plastic finesse baits along vegetation edges are producing the best right now. |
| Bluegill | Slow | Up to 0.33 lbs | Jigs or worms fished near shoreline structure. |
| Channel Cat | Slow | 1-10 lbs | Channel cats can be taken now on a variety of live or prepared baits. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 13 inches | Crappie can be taken on jigs near culvert and rock jetties. Crappie are being caught on both sides of the culvert at this time. |
| White Bass | Slow | 14-17 inches | A good population of white bass exists in this lake and is not often targeted. White bass can be taken on shad imitation lures and white marabou jigs. |
| General Comments | |||
| The curly-leaf pondweed stand is gone for the year. It will begin to grow early next April. | |||
MILFORD RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/16/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | Fair | Channel catfish can be caught on cut bait, worms, and stink bait. Blue catfish are typically caught on fresh cut bait. Target wind blown flats and river channel ledges for catfish. LOOK FOR RECENTLY TAGGED BLUE CATS!!! Blue Catfish...all between 25"-40" must be released...creel limit is still 5, but only 1 can be 40" or longer | |
| Crappie | Fair | 10-20ft deep suspended near points, flooded brush, and ledges on jigs and minnows | |
| Walleye | Fair | Target rocky or wind-swept mud banks with jigs, crankbaits, or bottom bouncers 21" minimum length limit, 2/day creel limit. | |
| White Bass/Wipers | Fair | along windy banks and points using jigs on reservoir or target river on north end of the reservoir Wiper creel limit is now 5/day | |
| Smallmouth Bass | Slow/Fair | ||
| Largemouth Bass | Slow/Fair | ||
| Outlet | Slow/Fair | Catfish on cut bait; walleye, white bass, and wipers on jigs. | |
| General Comments | |||
| LOOK FOR RECENTLY TAGGED BLUE CATS!!! Wiper...creel limit is 5/day Blue Catfish...all between 25"-40" must be released...creel limit is still 5, but only 1 can be 40" or longer CAUTION: DO NOT TRANSFER LIVE BAIT FROM ONE BODY OF WATER TO ANOTHER!!! ALONG WITH ZEBRA MUSSEL INFESTATION, ASIAN CARP ARE IN DRAINAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE KANSAS RIVER AND CAN EASILY BE MISTAKEN FOR SHAD!!! Blue-Green Algae: Current information listed here: http://www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/algae_advisories.htm WARNING! ZEBRA MUSSELS NOW IN RESERVOIR AND OUTLET! Sign up for the most recent Milford district fisheries newsletter today! Daily water info Daily Lake Information | |||
NEBO STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 2/6/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perry District Newsletter | Good to Excellent | Twice a year I will be publishing a newsletter with Perry and other waters in my district. If you would like to have the newsletter e-mailed to you click here and fill in the blanks. | |
| Bluegill | Slow to Fair | up to 0.3 lbs. | Bluegill can be caught using a small chunk of worm or small ice jigs over brush piles |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 5.0 lbs | Channel catfish can still be caught using worms, cut shad, or doughballs. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | up to 7.0 lbs | The lake contains a nice population of larger fish for a small State Fishing Lake. They can be caught using spinnerbaits, plastics, or crankbaits around the brush piles. |
| White/ Black Crappie | Fair | up to 1.0 lbs. | Tube jig or minnow along shoreline and around the brush piles. Water is cloudy so choose baits that will make a lot of noise both in color and in sound. Best luck would come near the islands on the north shore. |
| Comments | |||
| If you have information that you would like to contribute to this fishing report, contact Nick Kramer at 785-246-4514. | |||
OLATHE - LAKE OLATHE - Last Updated: 2/17/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Slow | Up to 8 inches | Nightcrawler under a bobber fished near shoreline structure. |
| Channel Catfish | Slow | Up to 5 lbs. | Channel catfish are being taken on live and prepared baits. The bite is very good in the upper end. |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | Up to 6 lb. | Largemouth bass have moved shallow. Largemouth bass can be found at edges of water willow, rock edges, and shallow brush. Plastic and topwater baits are producing best right now. |
| Saugeye | Slow | Up to 3 lbs. | Jigs tipped with a nightcrawler fished on the flat. |
| Wiper | Slow | Up to 11 lbs. | Jigs and shad imitation baits fished near mainlake points. Some nice sized wiper (14-19 inches) have been being taken on the north end of the reservoir. |
| White Crappie | Fair | Most fish around 7 inches, but some are greater than 10 inches. | Jigs or minnows fished near brushpiles. |
| General Comments | |||
| Caution!!! Asian Carp have made their way up stream to below Lake Olathe dam. Remember it is illegal to move fish from below dam to above the dam or use fish captured below dam for bait above the dam. | |||
PAOLA CITY LAKE - LAKE MIOLA - Last Updated: 2/17/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | 0.5-4 lbs | Finesse plastics fished near vegetation edges and structure. |
| Channel catfish | Slow | 0.5-6 lbs | Chicken liver or worms fished near mainlake points. |
| Crappie | Fair | 0.5-1 lbs | Minnows fished near brushpiles. |
| Saugeye | Slow | Up to 22 inches | Saugeye can be found drifting or trolling mudflats using jigs tipped with nightcrawler or jigging spoons. |
| Wiper | Slow | Up to 24 inches | Use shad imitation baits fished near main lake points. |
| Bluegill and Redear Sunfish | Slow | Up to 10 inches | The bluegill and redear sunfish populations are in really good shape right now with many fish in the 7-9 inch length range. Use piece of nightcrawler or small jig at vegetation edges and rocky structures to target the panfish. |
| General Comments | |||
| Zebra mussels have been found at Paola City Lake (Lake Miola). The lake has been designated as an Aquatic Nuisance Species water. Fish may not be transported alive from ANS designated waters. To help prevent the spread of invasive species, please CLEAN, DRAIN & DRY all equipment when changing water bodies and dump your bait. More brushpiles were added on 3/21/19. Some new brushpiles were created and some brush was added to some of the existing 2018 structures. Many of the new brushpiles can also be accessed by casting from the shore. GPS Coordinate locations for all brushpiles. N 38.58540, W 094.84338 N 38.58954, W 094.84549 N 38.58493, W 094.84037 N 38.59411, W 094.84538 N 38.58334, W 094.84544 N 38.58928, W 094.85039 N 38.58596, W 094.84532 | |||
PERRY RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 2/6/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zebra Mussels | Invasive! | up to 3/4" | Since the infestation was discovered in Oct. of 2007 these mussels have spread throughout the lake. It's up to all of us to make sure these are not spread to other area lakes, Clean-Drain-Dry everything that is taken out of Perry. Mussels will start spawning as the water temperature rises to around 54 degrees. Please do not move water from Perry Reservoir. |
| Perry District Newsletter | Good-Excellent | We publish a newsletter for Perry and other waters in the district twice a year. If you would like the letter e-mailed to you click here and fill in the blanks. | |
| Channel Catfish | Good | up to 10.0 lbs | Channel Catfish bite has been pretty slow, that or anglers haven't been targeting them. Some fish could be found in the creek and river channels. |
| Sauger | Slow | up to 2.6 lbs. | There are good numbers in the reservoir but are difficult to target. Try trolling crankbaits along the dam. Casting a jig or crankbait in areas under a light may produce some fish during the night. |
| Smallmouth Bass | Fair Fair | up to 5.0 lbs. up to 5.0 lbs. | Lots of small 8-10 inch bass were seen all throughout the spring. Fishing should be great as these fish continue to grow. |
| White Bass | Fair | up to 1.5 lbs. | White Bass can be caught using any bait resembling a shad or even from crappie jigs. Try casting around rocks or look for schools of fish breaking up the balls of shad. There are A LOT of 6-9 inch fish out there but some larger 14-16 inch fish can still be found. |
| White Crappie | Slow to Fair | up to 1.5 lbs. | Crappie have begun moving deeper and can be found in the old creek and river channels. |
| Blue Catfish | Fair | up to 25.0 lbs. | Some fish can be caught following the river and creek channels and dropping cut-bait down when you find shad balls. A few nice fish in the 35 inch length limit range can be taken, many fish are below the length limit, with a few blue catfish over the 35 inch minimum length limit. Remember blue cats look similar to channel catfish, so be careful with identification. |
| Comments | |||
| As of February 6th, the current lake elevation is at 889.59 (1.91' below conservation pool) and staying relatively steady with a release of 100 cfs. For current lake conditions click here and for the lake forecast click here. Most boat ramps are back open except for Longview, Devils Gap, and Lake Perry Yacht & Marina. Most have the docks pulled for the winter. If you would like to place habitat in Perry Reservoir or contribute to the fishing report, please contact the Fish Biologist, Nick, at 785-246-4514 to obtain a permit. 39 Georgia Cube fish habitat structures were placed in the reservoir last spring. Their locations can be found here. This is a generic report and will be updated as information becomes available. | |||
POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | Fair | 1/3 to 1 lb. | Crappie numbers have been improving. |
| Bluegill | Fair | 6 to 10 inches | The lake has a nice bluegill population. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | 1/2 to 6 lbs. | The lake contains good numbers of catfish for a small lake. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 1/2 to 4 lbs. | The lake has a great largemouth bass population. Bass 13 to 18 inches long are protected. |
| General Comments | |||
| This small 49 acre lake is located in northeast Pott. County. The fishing conditions are very similar to that of a large farm pond. The lake is noted for good catch and release largemouth bass fishing due to the abundance of the species. | |||
POTTAWATOMIE STATE FISHING LAKE NO. 1 - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 9 inches | The bluegill population offers good numbers of 6 to 8 inch fish. |
| Channel Catfish | Slow | 3/4 to 5 pounds | The lake has a low level catfish population. |
| Crappie | Fair | 1/2 to 1 pound | Crappie abundance is starting to improve but there are still few fish over 10 inches. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 1/2 to 5 pounds | The 2019 annual sampling effort documented that the lake continues to provide a very high abundance of largemouth bass. The average fish size is currently smaller than normal, with most of the fish seen this spring were below 15 inches. The lake is known for being a good spot for catch and release bass fishing. |
| General Comments | |||
| This small 24 acre lake is similar to pond fishing. The lake is known for catch and release of largemouth bass and harvest of nice bluegill. The lake's channel catfish are protected by a 15 inch minimum length limit. Do you want some more information on fishing in the Manhattan area? You can subscribe to the free Manhattan Fisheries Newsletter by clicking the link. | |||
POTTAWATOMIE STATE FISHING LAKE NO. 2 - Last Updated: 3/6/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | Fair | 1/2 to 4 pounds | The lake has good numbers of largemouth bass and a low level smallmouth bass population. A 6.2 pound smallmouth bass was sampled at the lake last spring. Bass in this lake can be tough to catch because they have all seen a lot of lures. Trying something different may be helpful if you are having a slow day at the lake. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | 3/4 to 3 pounds | The lake is in the Urban Stocking Program and is frequently stocked with 12 to 18 inch channel catfish. The lake received 3,300 pounds of channel catfish in 2019. Channel catfish creel at the lake is 5 per day. |
| Crappie | Fair | 1/4 to 1 pound | The lake supports a fair crappie population. |
| Bluegill and Redear Sunfish | Fair | less than pound | The lake has struggled to grow sunfish to a size large enough that anglers want to keep them for frying. The population receives high angling pressure from both panfish anglers and from anglers targeting sunfish to use for catfish bait. To hopefully continue to please both angler bases and help increase the overall size structure of sunfish, the lake is being implemented with a special sunfish regulation starting in 2019. This new slot limit requires the release of sunfish species from 6 to 9 inches. The creel limit of fish over 9 inches is five per day and there is still unlimited daily harvest of fish less than 6 inches. This regulation change will be evaluated over time to verify if it will continue into the future. |
| General Comments | |||
| Pott. # 2 is noted for family outings, scenic views, catch and release bass fishing, harvest of small crappie and channel catfish. Do you want some more information on fishing in the Manhattan area? You can subscribe to the free Manhattan Fisheries Newsletter by clicking the link. | |||
ROCKY FORD FISHING AREA - Last Updated: 3/6/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | Fair | 1 to 20+ pounds | Channel can be caught on worms, cut bait or prepared bait. Flathead can be taken on live bait or lures. Blue catfish are usually caught on fresh cut bait. Please check any blue catfish for a yellow tag in its back as we have been tagging some to collect more information on the species in Tuttle Creek Lake and the Big Blue River. Feel free to harvest or release the fish, but please report the tag number and the general location of the catch to (785) 539-7941 or ely.sprenkle@ks.gov A big THANK YOU to all who report their catch! |
| White Bass and Wipers | Fair | 1/2 to 8 pounds | A few whites and wiper are being caught. Fishing has been best when release rates are below 5,000 cfs. Jigs, crankbaits or minnows. To distinguish between the two species you can look at the tooth patch on the tongue. Wiper has two tooth patches. White bass has only one tooth patch. The fishing regs has good pictures for id. Starting in 2018: Wiper daily creel is 5 per day. |
| Drum | Fair | 1/2 to 5 lbs. | Drum are an abundant species at Rocky Ford and can be caught on worms, minnows, and jigs. |
| Saugeye | Fair | 3/4 to 5 pounds | Lots and lots of saugeye were flushed out of Tuttle Creek in 2019 and most of those fish end up at Rocky Ford. Best baits have been brightly colored jigs, swimbaits, crankbaits or jerkbaits. Starting in 2017, the statewide 15-inch minimum length limit for walleye, sauger and saugeye does not apply to rivers, streams and tailwaters. |
| General Comments | |||
| Rocky Ford , a river fishery, is located just south of the Tuttle Creek Dam on the Big Blue River. Anglers have the opportunity to harvest fishes generally associated with moving water. Saugeye, white bass, the catfishes, drum, crappie and carp can be harvested. Angler access and success is affected by release rates from the nearby Tuttle Creek Reservoir. You can check current conditions HERE Zebra mussels were found in Tuttle Creek on August 16, 2017. This makes the Reservoir, River Pond and Rocky Ford as designated Aquatic Nuisance Species waters. Fish may not be transported alive from ANS designated waters. To help prevent the spread of invasive species, please CLEAN, DRAIN & DRY all equipment when changing water bodies, do not move fish and dump your bait. Do you want some more information on fishing in the Manhattan area? You can subscribe to the free Manhattan Fisheries Newsletter by clicking the link. | |||
SABETHA PONY CREEK - Last Updated: 2/6/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perry District Newsletter | Good to Excellent | Twice a year I will be publishing a newsletter with Perry and other waters in my district. If you would like the newsletter e-mailed to you click here newsletter and fill in the blanks. | |
| Black Crappie | Good | up to 1.5 lbs | Some anglers have been having luck catching fish through the ice. |
| Bluegill | Fair to Good | up to 0.5 lbs | Bluegill may be caught using a chunk of worm or a small jig over brush piles. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 17.0 lbs | There are some nice sized Channel Catfish in this impoundment. They can be caught from shore using cut bait or livers |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | up to 5.0 lbs. | Best success for bass is coming by using soft plastic worms near structure in 3-10 ft or water or just off of the many ledges. |
| Walleye | Slow to Fair | up to 5.5 lbs. | Walleye should be along the dam and off of points. |
| Wiper | Great | up to 7.5 lbs. | Wipers can be caught by fishing along points in the lake using any lure that resembles a shad. Luck could also be had by trolling along the dam and open areas. |
| General Comments | |||
| Attention anglers, If you fish this water body and would like to contribute your knowledge to the fishing report give me a call at 785-246-4514. Thanks! This is a generic report and will be updated as information becomes available. | |||
SHAWNEE MISSION PARK LAKE - Last Updated: 2/17/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Slow | Up to 8 inches | Livebait under a bobber fished near shoreline structure. |
| Crappie | Slow | Up to 15 inches | Worms and minnows near structure are producing the best. |
| Channel Catfish | Slow | Up to 6 lbs. | Some being caught lake wide using dough-bait and cut bait. |
| Wiper | Slow | Up to 9 lbs. | Live bait and shad imitation baits along the dam are producing the best. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | Up to 4 lbs. | Finesse plastics are working best right now fished near deeper structure. |
| Trout | Fair | Catchable | Trout are biting and powerbait seems to be the most productive bait right now. |
| General Comments | |||
| In addition to a state fishing license, a Johnson County fishing permit is required. If you plan to fish for trout, a Johnson County trout permit is also required. Johnson County fishing/trout permits are available through Johnson County Parks and Recreation District and other select vendors. | |||
SHAWNEE STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/13/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 1/2 to 5 pounds | The lake maintains a very good population of largemouth bass with an excellent size structure. Fish starting to get more active with water temperatures creeping up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crappie | Fair | 1/2 to 1 pound | The crappie size structure has finally started to improve with 75% of the crappie sampled in 2019 were over 8 inches. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Channel Catfish | Fair | 1/2 - 4 pounds | The lake is in the Urban Stocking Program and is frequently stocked with 12 to 18 inch channel catfish which leads to good catch rates of fish in this size range. The lake received a total of 4,200 channel catfish in 2019. The first stocking of 2020 was completed on March 12th of 700 pounds of channel catfish. Channel catfish daily limit is 5. The two fish feeders have been repeatedly vandalized and the program has been suspended at the lake. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| General Comments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Located north of Silver Lake, Shawnee State Fishing Lake is the site of good catch and release largemouth bass fishing. The lake is also noted for channel catfish harvest since the lake receives frequent stockings of harvestable sized catfish from March through September. The Jeffrey Energy Center Lakes and Perry Reservoir both have zebra mussels and with Shawnee State Lake being close it is at high risk. Please, always clean your boat when moving to different water bodies. Do you want some more information on fishing in the Manhattan area? You can subscribe to the free Manhattan Fisheries Newsletter by clicking the link.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TUTTLE CREEK - Last Updated: 3/3/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 1/2 to 2 pounds | Crappie fishing has been very good this winter ever since the water levels have stabilized. Boat anglers have been catching all sizes of fish in standing timber 15 to 25 feet deep. Jigs or minnows. |
| White Bass | Slow | 1/2 to 2 pounds | White bass numbers continue to be low due to poor spawning success the last six years. |
| Catfish | Fair | Up to 40 pounds | The lake and the connected river system maintains a good channel catfish population and is one of the best places around to catch channel over 8 pounds. The blue catfish population is finally starting to get established. The vast majority of the fish are below 28 inches and not sexually mature yet. To protect these fish until they have a chance to spawn, a new 35-inch minimum length limit is in place starting January 1, 2018. The plan is to only have a length limit on blue catfish for a few years until the population can sustain itself through natural reproduction. Please check any blue catfish for a yellow tag in its back as we have been tagging some of these fish to collect more information on the species in Tuttle Creek Lake. It is up to you if you wish to release the fish or harvest it (if legally applicable), but please report the tag number and the general location of the catch to (785) 539-7941 or ely.sprenkle@ks.gov A big THANK YOU to all who report their catch! |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | 1 to 5 pounds | Coves in southern third of the Reservoir have some locally good largemouth bass populations. The McIntyre Cove area tends to produce the best fishing with Carnahan Cove a distant second best. |
| Saugeye | Fair | Up to 6 pounds | The high release rates have moved a lot of saugeye from the Reservoir downstream which has led to some good fishing in the River Pond, the river below the dam or at Rocky Ford. Starting in 2017, the minimum length limit does not apply to saugeye in the River Pond or at the "tubes". The 15-inch minimum length limit is still in effect in the Reservoir. |
| Rainbow Trout | Good | Up to 5 pounds | The sixth stocking of rainbow trout for Willow Lake was completed on March 3rd. So far this trout season, Willow Lake has been stocked with 7,730 trout. Anglers have been doing well with traditional trout baits or power baits. A trout permit is required for fishing at Willow Lake during the trout season. |
| General Comments | |||
| Fishing has been getting back to normal as the water levels have come down. You can check current water conditions HERE Zebra mussels were found in Tuttle Creek on August 16, 2017. This makes the Reservoir, River Pond and Rocky Ford as designated Aquatic Nuisance Species waters. Fish may not be transported alive from ANS designated waters. To help prevent the spread of invasive species, please CLEAN, DRAIN & DRY all equipment when changing water bodies and please do not move fish you have caught or your bait. Do you want some more information on fishing in the Manhattan area? You can subscribe to the free Manhattan Fisheries Newsletter by clicking the link. | |||
WASHINGTON STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/6/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 1/3 lb | The lake has a decent bluegill population. Just North of the boat ramp is usually a good spot for bigger gills. |
| Channel catfish | Fair | Up to 7 lbs | The lake supports of population of good sized channel catfish. The North bank is a popular spot to fish for cats. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 1lb | The size of the crappie in the lake has been improving nicely, with the most recent fish sample having the highest proportion of the population above 10 inches in over a decade. Along the dam or East bank tends to be the best spots. |
| Largemouth bass | Fair | Up to 4 lbs | The largemouth bass population has been really improving the last few years and the 2019 sample recorded the highest abundance in over a decade. The size structure is starting to improve too with 44% above 15 inches. |
| Saugeye | Slow | Up to 3 lbs | Saugeye numbers are low and harvest is expected to be low until the population rebounds from stocking efforts. |
| General Comments | |||
| Do you want some more information on fishing in the Manhattan area? You can subscribe to the free Manhattan Fisheries Newsletter by clicking the link. | |||
WYANDOTTE COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 12/11/2019 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | Up to 12 inches | ||
| Bluegill | Up to 8 inches | ||
| Channel Catfish | Up to 10 lbs. | ||
| Largemouth Bass | Up to 5 lbs. | ||
| Smallmouth Bass | Up to 2 lbs. | ||
| Wiper/White Bass | Up to 6 lbs. | ||
| Walleye | Up to 2 lbs. | ||
| Rainbow Trout | Catchable | ||
| General Comments | |||
| A Wyandotte County fishing permit is required to fish this property. A Wyandotte County trout permit is required for trout fishing. Please contact Wyandotte County Unified Government Parks and Recreation Department at 913-573-8327 for more information. Wyandotte County Lake is closed for the winter. Look for it to reopen early March 2020. | |||
Fishing reports provide general angling information from KDWPT staff. The department cannot update the reports on a regular, frequent basis. Many factors determine angling success, and fishing conditions and individual fishing success may vary from the report. Anglers are responsible for deciding what species to fish for, what methods to use, and where and when to fish. You can help fellow anglers by sharing successful fishing notes at http://www.facebook.com/kdwpt.
BARBER STATE FISHING LAKE - LOWER - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | No report | Up to 12 inches | Crappie should be starting to move out of deep water. Fish any brush ou can find especially in the creek channels or around a drop-offs. Use minnows, small slab spoons, or jigs. |
| Channel catfish | No report | Up to 5 lbs | Try fishing any areas of inflow from recent rains. Try prepared stink bait, cut bait or liver under a bobber or on the bottom. Also try night crawlers. |
| Largemouth bass | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Try jigs and soft plastic later in the day around wood or vegetation. |
| Bluegill | No report | Up to 8 inches | Try small jigs & worms under a bobber around brush, the dam and rock piles. |
| Walleye | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Walleye should soon be on the rocks near the dam. Try small jigs with plastic swimbaits, wobble jigs tipped with worms, minnows or leaches or trolling small minnow type crank baits. |
Water temperatures are warming up and should be in the mid 40's. Most fish should be starting to feed in preparation to spawn. Go to the KDWPT Fisheries page on Facebook for a recent post about general spawning temperatures of fish in Kansas.
You may call the Dodge City Regional office as 620-227-8609 to make a report.
Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!
A Dodge City District newsletter is available. Information about fishing and fisheries management throughout southwest Kansas will be updated at least twice each year. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Dodge-City-Fishing-District
CLARK STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | No report | Up to 12 inches | Crappie should be starting to move out of deep water. Fish any brush ou can find especially in the creek channels or around a drop-offs. Use minnows, small slab spoons, or jigs. |
| Channel catfish | No report | Up to 5 lbs | Try fishing any areas of inflow from recent rains. Try prepared stink bait, cut bait or liver under a bobber or on the bottom. Also try night crawlers. |
| Largemouth bass | No report | Up to 6 lbs | Try jigs and soft plastic later in the day around wood or vegetation. |
| Bluegill | No report | Up to 8 inches | Try small jigs & worms under a bobber around brush, the dam and rock piles. |
| Walleye | No report | Up to 7 lbs | Walleye should soon be on the rocks near the dam. Try small jigs with plastic swimbaits, wobble jigs tipped with worms, minnows or leaches or trolling small minnow type crank baits. |
| White bass | No report | Up to 1.5 lbs | Small twister tail jigs, spoons and crankbaits on windblown areas. |
Water temperatures are warming up and should be in the mid 40's. Most fish should be starting to feed in preparation to spawn. Go to the KDWPT Fisheries page on Facebook for a recent post about general spawning temperatures of fish in Kansas.
The repair work is completed. Boats are being put on the water only at 1 ramp on the south east side.
Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!
A Dodge City District newsletter is available. Information about fishing and fisheries management throughout southwest Kansas will be updated at least twice each year. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Dodge-City-Fishing-District
HORSETHIEF RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | No report | Up to 12 inches | Crappie should be starting to move out of deep water. Fish any brush ou can find especially in the creek channels or around a drop-offs. Use minnows, small slab spoons, or jigs. |
| Channel catfish | No report | Up to 5 lbs | Try fishing any areas of inflow from recent rains. Try prepared stink bait, cut bait or liver under a bobber or on the bottom. Also try night crawlers. |
| Largemouth bass | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Try jigs and soft plastic later in the day around wood or vegetation. |
| Bluegill | No report | Up to 8 inches | Try small jigs & worms under a bobber around brush, the dam and rock piles. |
| Walleye | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Walleye should soon be on the rocks near the dam. Try small jigs with plastic swimbaits, wobble jigs tipped with worms, minnows or leaches or trolling small minnow type crank baits. |
Water temperatures are warming up and should be in the mid 40's. Most fish should be starting to feed in preparation to spawn. Go to the KDWPT Fisheries page on Facebook for a recent post about general spawning temperatures of fish in Kansas.
Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!
A Dodge City District newsletter is available. Information about fishing and fisheries management throughout southwest Kansas will be updated at least twice each year. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Dodge-City-Fishing-District
MEADE STATE LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | No report | Up to 12 inches | Crappie should be starting to move out of deep water. Fish any brush ou can find especially in the creek channels or around a drop-offs. Use minnows, small slab spoons, or jigs. |
| Channel catfish | No report | Up to 5 lbs | Try fishing any areas of inflow from recent rains. Try prepared stink bait, cut bait or liver under a bobber or on the bottom. Also try night crawlers. |
| Largemouth bass | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Try jigs and soft plastic later in the day around wood or vegetation. |
| Bluegill | No report | Up to 8 inches | Try small jigs & worms under a bobber around brush, the dam and rock piles. |
Water temperatures are warming up and should be in the mid 40's. Most fish should be starting to feed in preparation to spawn. Go to the KDWPT Fisheries page on Facebook for a recent post about general spawning temperatures of fish in Kansas.
Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!
A Dodge City District newsletter is available. Information about fishing and fisheries management throughout southwest Kansas will be updated at least twice each year. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Dodge-City-Fishing-District
PRATT COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
The fish salvage condition is no longer in place at Pratt County Lake. The repairs have been completed and the lake is filling. On July 2, 2019, 700 pounds of channel catfish averaging 1.5 pounds each were stocked to begin building fish populations back up. Largemouth bass, walleye and wipers, as well as more channel catfish, will be stocked when they are available.
Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!
A Dodge City District newsletter is available. Information about fishing and fisheries management throughout southwest Kansas will be updated at least twice each year. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Dodge-City-Fishing-District
SCOTT STATE LAKE - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
| Channel Catfish | Slow/Fair | Most in the 13 to 18 inch range | Cut bait fished in the shallows on warmer days. |
| Crappie | Fair/Good | Up to 13 inches | Vertically fishing jigs around the deeper brushpiles or drifting jigs from a boat on the main lake. Look for fish to move shallow to spawn in early April as the weather and water warms up some more. Spawning fish can be caught fishing jigs under a bobber along riprapped shorelines and around shallow brush and vegetation. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | Up to 5.5 lbs. | Casting soft plastics and swim baits around shoreline habitat and brush piles. |
| Rainbow Trout | Good/Excellent | Up to 2.5 lbs. | The sixth and final stocking of the season was conducted March 13, 2020 as approximately 500 trout were released into Barrel Springs Pond. Stillfishing powerbait, corn, marshmallows, worms off the bottom, alone or in various combinations, is a popular approach. Active fishing methods such as casting small in-line spinners and spoons with light spincasting tackle or fishing slow-sinking nymphs with a fly rod can be effective too. |
| Sunfish | Good | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished around deeper brush. |
| Saugeye | Fair | Up to 7 lbs. | Bouncing brightly colored, curly-tailed jigs or fish imitating swimbaits along the dam face at night can be good for spawning fish. Fish in post spawn feeding mode can be caught casting swim-baits and jigs tipped with minnows over shallow points and shelves, and along edges of cattails. |
| General Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release all walleye/saugeye less than 18 inches and largemouth bass less than 15 inches. Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water! Cedar Bluff District Newsletter: A biannual newsletter detailing fishing related projects and activities in the Cedar Bluff District, which includes such waters as Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Sheridan and Scott State Fishing Lakes, Antelope Lake, and other public fishing waters in northwest Kansas are available. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. The link is: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Cedar-Bluff-Fishing-District | |||
Fishing reports provide general angling information from KDWPT staff. The department cannot update the reports on a regular, frequent basis. Many factors determine angling success, and fishing conditions and individual fishing success may vary from the report. Anglers are responsible for deciding what species to fish for, what methods to use, and where and when to fish. You can help fellow anglers by sharing successful fishing notes at http://www.facebook.com/kdwpt
MCPHERSON STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/11/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel catfish | Fair | 1 - 5 lbs. | Fair. Catfishing has picked up a bit. They're biting on cut bait near the boat ramp and near the dam in 1-8' of water. | |
| Crappie | Fair | 8-13" | Fair. The crappie bite is moderate to good. Try using 1/16 oz. jigs with pink or chartreuse grubs in 3-10 feet of water near or within brush or pvc cubes. | |
| Largemouth bass | Fair | Up to 6 lb. | Fair. Slow, but as water temps move over 50 degrees the bite should heat up. Currently, the bass are moving to their pre-spawn pattern. Try square-bill crankbaits, vibrating jigs, and rattletraps with slow presentations. | |
| Saugeye | Poor | 15-26" | Poor. Only a few Saugeye have been reported. Try dragging chartreuse, white, or pink jigs tipped with an earthworm around points. Remember: the minimum-length limit for Saugeye is 21 inches and only 2 can be kept per day. | |
| General Comments Water temperature: 47 degrees | ||||
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ANTHONY CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel catfish | Fair | up to 28" | Try fishing cut bait, worms, or stink bait near deep water. |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | Up to 14" | Try jigs or minnows near structure. |
| Bullhead Catfish | Fair | Up to 12" | Anthony City Lake has a good population of Bullhead Catfish. Bullheads are easy to catch and there is no length or creel limit on Bullheads. Try fishing worms or stink bait near the bottom for best results. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | Up to 18" | Try fishing slow moving artificial baits near structure. |
| General Comments | |||
| Fish should get more active on warm weather days | |||
BLACK KETTLE STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 5/3/2017 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Poor | 6" to 10" | Fish with small minnows and jigs around brush. There are a few nice crappie in the lake although most are fairly small. |
| Bluegill | Poor | Worms under a bobber or very small jigs. | |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | 2-6 lbs. | Fish with cut bait, stink bait, or chicken livers lakewide. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 12" to 20" | Fish shallow brush with Texas rigged softbait, jigs, and spinnerbaits. The water here is typically murky so try darker colored lures (black & blue, dark purple, green pumpkin). |
| General Comments | |||
BUTLER STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishing Newsletter | We have created a fishing newsletter that can be sent out to all that want it. This newsletter is for fishing information for the El Dorado District (Sumner, Cowley, Butler, Chase, & Marion counties) only. To subscribe, click HERE . | ||
| Channel Catfish | Creel limit 2/day Length Limit 15-inches Few recent reports. Cats will be cruising shallow water during warmer days. Fish areas where the wind is blowing in. Shad sides, stink baits, or fresh cut baits are all good selections. | ||
| Largemouth Bass | Not many bass reports yet for 2020. Larger plastics are always a good bet at Butler. Suspending stick baits and large spinner baits are also good choices for early bass. | ||
| Crappie | The majority of the crappie in the lake are small and the crappie population density needs to be reduced. Take those smaller crappie home (as long as you don't exceed the 50/day creel limit!) as they won't get much bigger in Butler if you throw them back. Overpopulation of the crappie has created slow growth rates so don't feel bad about taking home a nice bucket of smallish crappie...you'll be doing the lake a favor! | ||
| Bluegill | Few recent reports. Look for bluegill near shallow structure on warmer days. | ||
| General Comments | |||
CHASE STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zebra Mussels Have Been Discovered in Chase State Fishing Lake. | Chase SFL is an ANS designated water. Read the news release HERE. Zebra mussel veligers (larval zebra mussels) are too small to be seen with the unaided eye and they can be found in boat livewells, minnow buckets, boat bilges, and anything else that is capable of holding even a small amount of water. Be sure to drain all equipment before leaving the lake to avoid moving veligers to other waters. THIS INCLUDES MINNOW BUCKETS AND BOAT LIVEWELLS AND BILGES!!! CLEAN DRAIN & DRY Every Lake, Every Time! Click HERE to learn how to prevent the spread of zebra mussels. | ||
| Channel Catfish | Fair | up to 22 inches | Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. Stink baits on windy shorelines. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | up to 16 inches | There is a 13 to 18 inch slot limit on Largemouth Bass in effect at the lake. Plastics or spinner baits in shallow areas of the coves during warmer days. |
| Saugeye | Fair | up to 22 inches | Small crank baits or jig and plastics off the points and along the dam. |
| Spotted Bass | Fair | up to 15 inches | Crankbaits along rocky shorelines and points. |
| Bluegill | |||
| Crappie | Fair | up to 12 inches | Jigs or minnows fished in 10 to 14 feet of water near breaks or brush. |
| General Comments | |||
CHENEY RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| SPECIES | RATING | SIZE | BAITS, LOCATION, METHODS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishing Newsletter | All KDWPT fisheries districts are offering a fishing newsletter that can be sent out to all that want it. The newsletters are aimed at keeping anglers informed about fishing opportunities and information in their areas of interest. The first few editions of the Cheney Fisheries District have been completed and are ready for distribution. | ||
| Zebra Mussels | Zebra mussels can be found attached to rocks lakewide. Zebra mussel veligers are too small to be seen with the unaided eye and they can be found in boat livewells, minnow buckets, boat bilges, water toys, and anything else that is capable of holding even a small amount of water. Be sure to drain all equipment before leaving the lake to avoid moving veligers to other waters. THIS INCLUDES MINNOW BUCKETS, BOAT LIVEWELLS, AND BILGES!!! Click HERE to learn how to prevent the spread of zebra mussels. | ||
| White Bass and Wiper | Fair | Up to 25" | Look for fish in water deeper than 10' near points and drop offs. Vertical jigging spoons, swim baits, and flukes near the bottom. |
| Walleye | Fair | Up to 25" | Try using jigs, and large crank baits. Walleye should start to move into their spawning patterns soon. |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | Up to 17" | Crappie should be dispersed in 10'-15' of water. Try using live minnows, jigs, or a combination of both. Crappie should start to move shallower as the weather gets warmer. |
| Blue Catfish | Fair | Up to 25 lbs | Fish with live or cut bait near wind blown points. If you aren't getting bites within 30 minutes, move to another location. Blue cats will move to shallow flats on warm days as water temperatures reach upper 40's. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | Up to 28" | Try fishing cut bait or stink bait on the windy side of the lake. If you aren't getting bites within 30 minutes, move to another location. |
| White Perch | Fair | Up to 12" | White perch are being caught using similar methods for Wipers and White bass. White perch cannot be used as live bait, but they do make good cut bait. For tips on identifying a white perch from a white bass, wiper or striped bass click HERE. All white perch in your possession must be dead. It is illegal to posses live white perch. |
| COMMENTS | |||
COUNCIL GROVE CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 3/16/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zebra Mussel | Zebra mussels have been discovered in Council Grove City Lake. Click HERE for more information. | ||
| New Video | Large natural concentrations of black crappie, white crappie, and bluegill with channel catfish and walleye captured on video in a Kansas reservoir. See the video at https://youtu.be/2GMXXdcsj3g . | ||
| Bluegill | Fair | near gravel banks and vegetation on small jigs and worms | |
| Crappie | Fair | 10 ft deep near ledges on jigs and minnows | |
| Channel catfish | Fair | near windy flats and flooded brush on cut bait and worms | |
| Black bass | Slow/Fair | on jigs, spinnerbaits, or crankbaits 5-15ft deep near docks, points, and brush | |
| Walleye | Fair | along dam and deeper points/banks on jigs and spoons | |
| White bass | Slow/Fair | along dam and points on spinners and jigs | |
| General Comments | |||
| The City of Council Grove requires Aquatic Nuisance Species certification of anglers and boaters at Council Grove City Lake. Go to ANS Certification to obtain the certificate. You must have this certificate in your possession while fishing and/or boating at Council Grove City Lake. | |||
COUNCIL GROVE RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/16/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zebra Mussels | Zebra mussels have been discovered in Council Grove Reservoir. Zebra mussel veligers (larval zebra mussels) are too small to be seen with the unaided eye and they can be found in boat livewells, minnow buckets, boat bilges, water toys and anything else that is capable of holding even a small amount of water. Be sure to drain all equipment before leaving the lake to avoid moving veligers to other waters. THIS INCLUDES MINNOW BUCKETS AND BOAT LIVEWELLS AND BILGES!!! CLEAN DRAIN & DRY Every Lake, Every Time! Click HERE to learn how to prevent the spread of zebra mussels. | ||
| New Video | Large natural concentrations of black crappie, white crappie, and bluegill with channel catfish and walleye captured on video in a Kansas reservoir. See the video at https://youtu.be/2GMXXdcsj3g . | ||
| Channel Catfish | Fair | near wind blown flats and creek channel ledges on cut bait and worms | |
| Saugeye | Fair | near dam and gravel/rock points on jigs and worms | |
| White Bass | Fair | along deep rock points and ledges on spinners and jigs | |
| Wiper | Slow/Fair | a few in with white bass | |
| Crappie | Fair | 10-20 ft deep on minnows and jigs near points, brush, and ledges Creel limit 20/day | |
| General Comments | |||
| Outlet fishing is slow/fair for catfish, white bass, and saugeye Click HERE for water level information. | |||
COWLEY STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Slow | up to 8 inch | Fishing for panfish will be improving as water temps increase. Look for fish in shallow areas with habitat and structure during warmer days. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | up to 18 inch | 15-inch minimum length limit 5/day creel limit Stink baits, worms, and fresh cut bait off the piers and points. |
| Largemouth Bass | Few reports so far in 2020 | ||
| Redear Sunfish | Slow | up to 11 inch | Same as bluegill |
| General Comments | |||
| Roughly 38 new brushpiles were added to Cowley this winter. You can find the locations HERE, just zoom in on the map to see Cowley SFL. | |||
EL DORADO RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zebra Mussels | Zebra mussel veligers (larval zebra mussels) are too small to be seen with the unaided eye and they can be found in boat livewells, minnow buckets, boat bilges, water toys and anything else that is capable of holding even a small amount of water. Be sure to drain all equipment before leaving the lake to avoid moving veligers to other waters. THIS INCLUDES MINNOW BUCKETS AND BOAT LIVEWELLS AND BILGES!!! CLEAN DRAIN & DRY Every Lake, Every Time! Click HERE to learn how to prevent the spread of zebra mussels. REMEMBER!! Zebra Mussels are also present in the Trout Area below the dam!! | ||
| Trout Area Update | Poor | No more planned stockings | Trout were last stocked December 19, 2019. Trout fishing has been poor recently. Recent downstream lake releases have displaced the trout. Trout cannot be restocked until a maintenance project conducted by the US Army Corps of Engineers has been completed. The previous trout stocking occurred on December 5th. |
| Wiper | Be sure to properly ID your catch as there is there is an 21-inch minimum length limit and 2/day creel limit on wiper.. Click HERE for tips on identifying wipers. Near breaks or humps early in the day and moving towards shallower points and shorelines as the water warms up during the day. Jig and plastic or crankbaits work well. There are a lot of 4 inch shad in the lake that most game fish are feeding on so match the size of your baits to this 4 inch size. | ||
| White bass | Wipers can be caught along with white bass so it is important to properly identify your catch before putting it on a stringer. Click HERE for tips on identifying wipers. Same as wiper | ||
| White Perch | Click HERE for info on properly identifying white perch. Few recent reports on white perch | ||
| Crappie | Slow | 20/day creel limit effective January 1, 2018. Crappie have scattered from their wintertime patterns and catching has been very spotty recently. | |
| Catfish | Fair | up to 36 inches | There is a 25 to 35 inch protective slot limit on blue catfish and a 5/day creel with no more than 2 blue catfish over 35 inches. Some blue catfish being caught on shallow windy points or shorelines with an incoming wind. Fresh cut bait has been best. |
| Walleye | Fair and Improving | up to 28 inch | THE WALLEYE LENGTH LIMIT IS 21-INCHES WITH A 2/DAY CREEL LIMIT. Walleye spawn is picking up speed. Lots of males on the spawning grounds throughout the day. Females coming in after dark. Jerk baits are great choices this time of the year, but walleye can also be caught on jigs and live bait. Water temperature was 45F on March 18th near the middle of the dam. |
| General Comments | |||
| 2.1 feet above Normal Pool, releasing 1503 CFS. Click Here for the most up to date lake level information. ZEBRA MUSSEL & WHITE PERCH WARNING! El Dorado Reservoir and the Walnut River below the reservoir contain zebra mussels and white perch. Take zebra mussel control precautions when leaving the lake, Trout Area, and Stilling Basin. For information on Zebra Mussels click Here. | |||
HARVEY COUNTY EAST LAKE - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Fair | up to 22" | Try fishing cut bait, worms,or stink bait on the windy side of the lake. |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | up to 13" | Try a jig and minnow fished near deeper structure. Crappie should start to move shallower as the weather gets warmer. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | up to 21" | Try fishing soft plastics and jerk baits near structure. |
| Saugeye | Fair to Good | up to 24" | Fish with jigs or large crank baits near drop rocky structure. Saugeye should be in their spawning patterns. |
| General Comments | |||
| Warm weather days should make the fish more active. | |||
KINGMAN STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel catfish | Fair to Good | Up to 28" | Try using cut bait or stink bait on the windy side of the lake. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | Up to 5lbs | Fish near vegetation and rocks with soft plastics, jerk baits, or other slow moving baits. |
| Northern Pike | Fair | Up to 35" | Pike should be dispersed throughout the lake during the early spring. Try using large spinning baits or spoons near vegetation throughout the lake. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 6" | Use worms under a bobber near structure, or a small jigs. |
| General Comments | |||
MARION COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | No fishing reports available this week. | ||
| Crappie | New 20/day creel limit effective January 1, 2018 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 13 inch to 18 inch slot limit effective January 1, 2018 | ||
| Saugeye | |||
| Bluegill | |||
| White Bass | |||
| Wiper | |||
| General Comments | |||
| New crappie creel limit of 20/day effective January 1, 2018. New largemouth bass 13 inch to 18 inch slot length limit effective January 1, 2018. Boat and bait inspections are MANDATORY at Marion County Lake to prevent the spread of Zebra Mussels and other Aquatic Nuisance Species. Protect our waters... don't forget to CLEAN, DRAIN, and DRY! | |||
MARION RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | A 21-inch minimum length limit on walleye became effective at Marion Reservoir on January 1, 2020. | ||
| Boat Ramp Update | 03/19/2020 | The Marion Cove boat ramp is the only open boat ramp in COE areas. Broken Bridge and Durham Cove boat ramps remain open. If any questions arise, please direct them to the Marion Reservoir Corps of Engineers Office at 620-382-2101 | |
| Zebra Mussels | Zebra mussels can be found attached to rocks lakewide. Zebra mussel veligers are too small to be seen with the unaided eye and they can be found in boat livewells, minnow buckets, boat bilges, water toys and anything else that is capable of holding even a small amount of water. Be sure to drain all equipment before leaving the lake to avoid moving veligers to other waters. THIS INCLUDES MINNOW BUCKETS, BOAT LIVEWELLS AND BILGES! | ||
| Channel Cat | No recent reports | ||
| White Crappie | Slow | 20/day creel limit effective January 1, 2018 Crappie have scattered with the warming water temperatures and action is slow right now. Crappie activity will soon pick up with continued warming water. | |
| Walleye | 21 inch minimum length limit became effective on walleye January 1, 2020. Walleye are spawning and will continue to do so for the next several weeks. Best spawn fishing is along the dam and shallow rocky points and shorelines. Suspending jerk baits, swim baits, jig and plastic, or jig and minnow are good baits. Low light periods are best. Fish can be shallow all day during cloudy conditions. | ||
| White Bass | |||
| Wiper | Fair to Good | 18 to 22 inches | Plastics, jigs, and lipless crankbaits near structure or breaks. |
| Coordinates for habitat cubes | 4 cubes N38 22.450’ W 097 04.669’ 4 cubes N38 22.455’ W 097 04.664’ 4 cubes N38 22.426’ W 097 04.694’ 3 cubes N38 22.757’ W 097.05.227’ 3 cubes N38 22.763’ W 097 05.211’ 3 cubes N38 23.407’ W 097 05.460’ 2 cubes N38 23.467’ W 097 05.384’ 2 cubes N38 23.478’ W 097 05.399’ 4 cubes N38 23.481’ W 097 05.408’ | ||
| Coordinates for brushpiles and cubes. | The first 3 coordinates are for one large brushpile. | Coordinates mark areas with multiple habitat structures in the area. | N 38 21.907' W 097 05.562' N 38 21.912' W 097.05.560' N 38 21.920' W 097.05.557' N 38 22.425' W 097 04.697' N 38 22.767' W 097 05.208' N 38 22.757' W 097 05.227' N 38 23.250' W 097 05.491' N 38 23.357' W 097 05.470' |
| Coordinates for brushpiles | Near shore brushpile placements fishable from shore in Cottonwood Cove. | N 38 23.438' W 097 05.398' N 38 23.436' W 097 05.404' N 38 23.428' W 097 05.402' N 38 23.426' W 097 05.405' N 38 23.499' W 097 05.393' N 38 23.489' W 097 05.399' N 38 23.480' W 097 05.401' N 38 23.472' W 097 05.398' | |
| Coordinates for brushpiles constructed March 2018 | N 38 24.459' W 097 06.907' N 38 24.450' W 097 06.975' N 38 22.685' W 097 06.279' N 38 22.680' W 097 06.279' N 38 22.216' W 097 06.065' | ||
| Coordinates for historical habitat sites that had brush added to them in March 2018. | N 38 21.911' W 097 05.569' N 38 22.426' W 097 04.702' N 38 22.776' W 097 05.220' | ||
| Coordinates for new brushpiles constructed April 2019 | N 38 23.464' W 097 05.412' N 38 23.149' W 097 05.476' N 38 23.169' W 097 05.516' | ||
| General Comments | |||
| 0.23 feet above Normal Pool, releasing 1 CFS | |||
SEDGWICK CO. - LAKE AFTON - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zebra Mussels | Adult Zebra Mussels were found 7/31/08 at Lake Afton. The zebra mussels reproduce during the warmer summer months and veligers (larval zebra mussels) are present in the water column. Zebra mussel veligers are too small to be seen with the unaided eye and they can be found in boat livewells, minnow buckets, boat bilges, water toys and anything else that is capable of holding even a small amount of water. Be sure to drain all equipment before leaving the lake to avoid moving veligers to other waters. THIS INCLUDES MINNOW BUCKETS, BOAT LIVEWELLS AND BILGES!!! Click HERE to learn how to prevent the spread of zebra mussels. REMEMBER!! Zebra Mussels are also present in Clearwater Creek below the spillway! | ||
| White Perch | Fair | 5"-9" | Use a small hook with a small piece of worm, or a small spinning lure. Remember that white perch may not be possessed or transported alive. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 20" | Try cut bait, worms, or stink bait on the windy side of the lake. The next stocking of Channel Catfish is scheduled for mid April. |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | up to 13" | Crappie will start to spread out as water temperatures rise. Try using minnows or jigs around structure. |
| Bluegill | Fair | up to 8" | Try a small piece of worm under a bobber around structure. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | up to 20" | Try soft plastics, jerk baits, and crank baits near structure. |
| General Comments | |||
WELLINGTON CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | |||
| Wiper | |||
| Crappie | |||
| Saugeye | |||
| General Comments | |||
WELLINGTON HARGIS CREEK - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | No recent reports available | ||
| Crappie | |||
| Largemouth Bass | |||
| Saugeye | |||
| General Comments | |||
WICHITA - URBAN FISHING REPORT - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Fair | Up to 3 lbs | Chisholm North, Watson, Emery Park, the KDOT lakes and the other lakes in the Wichita Metro Area are excellent for Catfish. The first stocking was on March 10th. Try fishing with cut bait, worms, or stink bait near deeper water. |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | Up to 12" | Crappie fishing is best at the KDOT Lakes, Watson Park, K-96 lake and Chisholm North lake. Try using minnows or a small jig near deep structure. |
| Largemouth Bass | Poor to Fair | Up to 18" | Bass fishing in Wichita can be found at any of the lakes, but the best reports come from the KDOT lakes, Emery Park, Blackbird and Sunflower Ponds and Chisholm north lake. Try fishing slow using artificial lures near deep structure. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 8" | Bluegill are present in every lake in the area, but are especially good at Blackbird and Sunflower ponds, Chisholm North lake, and Emery Park Pond. Try a small piece of worm or a small jig around deeper structure. |
| Rainbow Trout | Good | up to 20" | Rainbow are stocked into KDOT East, Vic's Lake, and Slough Creek. The final stocking for the season was on Mar 5th. This is the time of year where stocked waters will have the most trout in them! Try using floating dough baits, worms, spoons, or small spinning baits. Anglers must use artificial flies only on Slough Creek. Remember that KDOT East, Vic's Lake, and Slough Creek are Type 1 trout waters and all anglers fishing those waters November 1st - April 15th must have a trout permit. |
| General Comments | |||
WINFIELD CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zebra Mussels | Zebra mussels were verified in Winfield City Lake in December 2006. Lake users should follow recommended control practices found HERE . Be sure to drain all equipment before leaving the lake to avoid moving veligers to other waters. THIS INCLUDES MINNOW BUCKETS AND BOAT LIVEWELLS AND BILGES!!! | ||||
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 12+ inches | In standing timber on minnows and jigs 8 to 12 feet deep. | ||
| Channel catfish | Few recent reports | ||||
| Black bass | Few recent reports | ||||
| White bass | Few recent reports | ||||
| Wiper | Few recent reports | ||||
| Walleye | Fair | up to 25 inches | Walleye minimum length limit 18 inches. Walleye are spawning and are concentrating along the dam and other rocky areas. Suspending stick baits, crank baits, and jigs are popular lure choices. Most spawning activity occurs during the over night hours, but fish can be caught throughout the day. Fish will remain shallow during cloudy, overcast, and windy days. | ||
| General Comments | |||||
| The City of Winfield requires additional permits for anglers using the lake. Stop in to the lake office before fishing at the lake. | |||||
Fishing reports provide general angling information from KDWPT staff. The department cannot update the reports on a regular, frequent basis. Many factors determine angling success, and fishing conditions and individual fishing success may vary from the report. Anglers are responsible for deciding what species to fish for, what methods to use, and where and when to fish. You can help fellow anglers by sharing successful fishing notes at http://www.facebook.com/kdwpt.
LYON STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 10/30/2019 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill and Redear | fair | 42% 4-7" 51% 7-9" 7% 9-11" | Use worm or very small jig or worm around brush piles and channel breaks. |
| Channel Catfish | fair | 30% 11-16" 67% 16-24" 0% 24-28" 3% 28-36" | Use worms, shad sides, or stink bait along channel breaks. |
| Largemouth Bass | fair | 37% 8-12" 45% 12-15" 16% 15-20" 2% >20" | Use spinners or jigs around brush piles. |
| Crappie | fair | 4% 5-8" 17% 8-10" 42% 10-12" 38% 12-15" | Use small jigs or minnows around brush piles and deep channel breaks. |
| General Comments | |||
| ATTENTION! This lake has zebra mussels. Live fish may not be transported away from this lake. Clean, drain, and dry all boats. Size structure listed for largemouth bass is from May 2019 electrofishing. The size structures listed for crappie, bluegill, redear, and channel catfish are from October 2018 test netting. To view a map of brush pile locations, copy this file into Google Earth and zoom into the lake. ezembed For more information about the Fall River/Toronto Fisheries District, click here to access newsletters. | |||
TORONTO RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 10/30/2019 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| channel catfish | fair | 5% 11"-16" 57% 16"-24" 29% 24"-28" 10% 28"-36" | Use a worm, stink bait, or shad sides on channel breaks. |
| largemouth bass | poor | 20% 8"-12" 25% 12"-15" 50% 15"-20" 5% 20"-25" | The main body of the reservoir doesn't have the necessary largemouth bass habitat to support a high density bass population. However, the flooded timber and clearer water in the backwater section of Walnut Creek produces a fair density bass population. There were 20 bass per hour of electrofishing sampled in Walnut Creek. The ideal catch rate would be 100 bass per hour. Use a jig, spinner, worm, or crank bait around stumps and brush in river and Walnut Creek. The high water this spring resulted in a large year class of small bass that are fun to catch all along the shoreline. |
| white bass | poor | 11% 6"-9" 47% 9"-12" 40% 12"-15" 2% 15"-18" 0% 18"+ | Use a spinner or jig on rocky points. |
| white crappie | fair | 53% 5"-8" 28% 8"-10" 11% 10"-12" 8% 12"-15" 1% 15"+ | Use a jig or minnow around deep channel breaks. |
| General Comments | |||
| Link to USACE reservoir water level: http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/TORO.lakepage.html To view a map of Toronto Reservoir brush piles, copy this file into Google Earth and zoom into the reservoir. The size structure listed for largemouth bass is from May 2018 electrofishing. The size structure for crappie, white bass, and channel catfish is from October 2019 test netting. Sign up to receive a copy of the Fall River/Toronto District Fisheries Newsletter. For more information about the Fall River/Toronto Fisheries District, click here to access newsletters. | |||
BIG HILL RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/9/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 6-12" | Crappie fishing has been good. Crappie have been caught at the bridge as well as in the flooded timber. Look for them to still be suspended in deeper water, but should start to move into the shallows as the water warms. Minnows under a bobber and vertical jigging spoons have been working best. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | 16-24" | Catfishing has been slow. Look for catfish to move into shallower water on warm days. Shad sides are working best. |
| Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass | Fair | 12-20" | Largemouth bass fishing remains slow. Swim baits and soft plastics around the submerged trees and the vegetation have been producing fish. |
| Bluegill and Redears | Good | 5-7" | Look for bluegill and redear near deeper water structure. Vertical fishing small jigs has been working well. |
| General Comments | |||
| Release all Largemouth Bass 15-21" in Length, daily creel remains 5/day. We have created a fishing newsletter that can be sent out to all that subscribe to it. This newsletter is for fishing information for the Independence District (Chautauqua, Labette, Montgomery, and Wilson counties) only. | |||
BONE CREEK RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/13/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill / Redear Sunfish | Good | 2-4" -- 72% 4-6" -- 24% 7-9" -- 4% | Bluegill and redear sunfish, or "shellcrackers", can be found lakewide near the shoreline. Anglers should focus their efforts along the shoreline in depths less than 6' deep near submerged trees and edges of aquatic vegetation. Areas to pursue will be on the north and south ends of the dam, coves, and rocky habitats. A bobber and worm, fly rod with small flies, and 1/16 ounce jig with a twister tail will be good baits to try. During the spring and early summer months, redear sunfish and bluegill will build nests during the spawn and can provide a memorable angling experience. |
| Channel catfish | Good | 10-15" -- 36% 16-24" -- 36% 24-27" -- 14% > 28" -- 14% | The channel catfish population is flourishing across all sizes and anglers may just find the rod tip bending and the drag peeling on their next fishing trip to Bone Creek. Anglers should focus on flats in the fall and winter months where the gizzard shad congregate, if utilizing a boat, in 12-14'. Anglers from the shoreline should focus on the coves, both the north and south side of the dam, and the handicap access on the south side of the lake near the boat ramp. Prepared baits, shrimp, chicken liver, and shad will be good baits to try. Fall sampling indicated a variety of sizes of channel catfish with 14% of the population above 28", so be sure to set the drag loose and experience the chance at reeling in a trophy channel catfish at Bone Creek. |
| Crappie | Fair | < 8" -- 93% 10-12" -- 3% > 12" -- 3% | Lots of submerged trees, high water clarity, and adequte forage (i.e., gizzard shad).... the perfect recipe for a crappie population to flourish! Crappie can be found at Bone Creek in a variety of habitats. Anglers should focus on submerged trees that are in 15-20' that are in close proximity to depth changes, or creek channels. There are a variety of coves that will hold crappie during the spawn in the spring time. Live minnows under a bobber, spinners, or 1/8-1/16 ounch jigs with twister tails will all be good options. Fall sampling indicated a successful spawn and strong year class of Age-0 crappie, as well as crappie up to 14". |
| Largemouth bass | Good | 8-12" -- 13% 12-15" -- 26% 15-20" -- 65% | Bone Creek provides a high quality largemouth bass angling experience. They can be found lakewide in a variety of habitats that are available at Bone Creek. Anglers should focus on the edges of vegetation that can be found along the shoreline and coves, as water begins to warm up this spring. There is an abundance of submerged trees in a range of depths that will also hold fish. The water clarity will affect fishing, depending on time of day, so don't hesitate to fish the trees that can be found in deeper water. Casting swimbaits, jigs, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits will be your best bet. Don't hesitate to throw the classic "ned rig" in the summertime when fish will be deeper and provide a chance at a strike. Approximately 215,000 Largemouth Bass fry were stocked in early April of 2019 to bolster the younger year classes of the population for anglers. |
| Saugeye | Good | 7-9" -- 13% 14-16" -- 83% > 18" -- 4% | Saugeye were stocked in Bone Creek in 2013. Since then, the saugeye population has established and provides another sportfish opportunity for anglers. They are managed under a 18" and daily creel of 2. Fall sampling provided that there is a high percentage of fish in the 14-16" range as well as a few that can be caught over the 18" minimum length limit. Saugeye can be found on flats of 10-14 ft that is near deeper water of 20 feet and deeper at this time of the year. Any depth changes, or structure, will hold fish and can be caught by a variety of methods, such as trolling or vertical jigging. The minimum length for Saugeye at Bone Creek is 18 inches and a daily creel of 2 fish per day! Please take precaution in measuring Saugeye that you catch as the majority of Saugeye currently are 16-17 inches. It is critical as these fish are establishing a population. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water temperature: 48 degrees, March 13, 2020 As District Fisheries Biologists, we send out a newsletter to inform anglers of fish sampling result, aquatic outreach events, fish stockings, and habitat improvement projects, for example. We have a spring and fall edition of our newsletters that you can subscribe to. This is sent directly to your email. If you would like to stay up to date on what is happening on Neosho State Fishing Lake (Lake McKinley), Crawford State Fishing Lake (Farlington Lake), Bone Creek Lake, CFAP and FISH properties, and the Mined Land Wildlife Area strip pits, you can subscribe to the Pittsburg District Newsletter at the following link: https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Pittsburg-Fishing-District Be sure to Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat, bait buckets, and recreational watercraft before and after launching your boat. It is important to remove your drain plug on your watercraft upon departure to drain live wells and water inside of your boat; it will protect our natural resources in Kansas for current anglers and future generations to enjoy. Eurasian watermilfoil is an invasive aquatic vegetation that can be found in nearby water bodies. Be sure to inspect your boat, boat trailer, and bait buckets prior to launching at Bone Creek to prevent the spread. Zebra mussels, white perch, and asian carp are all invasive species that can be found in Kansas. Be sure to stay up to date on information regarding Aquatic Nuisance Species. The following link will provide you with information on Aquatic Nuisance Species in Kansas: https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Aquatic-Nuisance-Species If you would like to provide a fishing report for Bone Creek Lake, don't hesitate to contact Connor Ossowski, District Fisheries Biologist, at (620) 231-3173. | |||
BOURBON COUNTY CEDAR CREEK - Last Updated: 3/1/2020 Print
| species | ratings | size | baits, methods, locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 8 to 12 inches | crappie are moving into staging areas for spawning, usually close to structure and breaks. Try jigs, minnows. Recent sampling show a nice population of 10 - 14 inch crappie, some nice reports lately. |
| Channel catfish | Good | varies, | The water is clear with a little color. Go fishing, the fish have to eat. Try along dam and shoreline, use cut shad, worms, prepared baits, |
| Largemouth bass | Excellent | most bass in the 13 to 16 inch range | some bass are suspended in deeper water, some are in the feeder creeks and shallow water, with jigs, spinners, gizzard shad plugs, most about 13-16 inches, around structure. 5 to 7 pounds are fairly common |
| General Comments | |||
| Crappie have been starting to pick up on minnows or dark jigs. Largemouth bass can be good but fish the deeper water in the trees for suspended fish. The catfish in this impoundment are active and ready for action- Try liver, shad, or live bait fish. Channel catfish are great after a rain in the north end where the creek comes in. For largemouth bass try fishing some of the standing timber and weedbeds with spinners and buzzbaits. Zebra Mussels have recently been found in Hillsdale Lake, and we'd like to remind you to stay aware and take all precautions necessary to prevent the spread into uncontaminated waters! This includes cleaning and rinsing your boat, motor, trailer and equipment, draining any excess water from previous outings, and allowing your boat to dry before using it in a different body of water. Sign up for the Mound City Fishing District Newsletter today! Remember to "CLEAN, DRAIN AND DRY" your boats and equipment. For tips on spring bass fishing check out the KDWPT video at the following link! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpIJaiyW32k For crappie anglers, watch this 25-minute video that covers Kansas crappie fishing during spring, summer, fall, and winter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sazyEuIT_bk NO special permits required, this is a Community Fisheries Assistance Program Lake. Use caution, this lake has quantities of standing and submerged trees and limited shoreline access. This is a 220 acre lake with approximately 180 acres of standing trees. Fishing only lake. The lake has a boat ramp, parking lot, security light, floating dock, and vault toilet on the east side of the lake and a boat ramp and parking lot on the west side.. | |||
BOURBON COUNTY ELM CREEK LAKE - Last Updated: 3/1/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel catfish | Excellent | varies | The water is clear. Go fishing, the fish have to eat. try bluegill chunks, chicken livers or cut shad, lake wide. Fish population sampling lots of nice channel catfish from 3 - 8 pounds. Fish feeders are OFF | ||
| Largemouth bass | Good | varies | lake wide, use silver crank and spinner baits, or dark jigs, | ||
| Bullheads | Slow | varies | use worms,or liver lake wide | ||
| Bluegill | Good | varies | small baits and worms under floats, along weedbeds around fish attractors | ||
| Walleye | POOR | varies | also try the dam and rocky structure in the south half of the lake with jigs or minnows | ||
| Crappie | GOOD | some small fish but some real good ones also, with 50 limit | fish are moving into staging areas for spawning, usually along dam and brush piles on the windy side, use minnows and dark jigs, recently bigger fish over 11 inches reportedly caught, fish the windy side. | ||
| Comments | |||||
| The lake is full pool and the water is clear. Go fishing, the fish have to eat. Remember the length and creel limits. Due to a leak in the dam water levels can be low and will remain low until financing and approval for repair are made. The channel catfish population in this lake is doing well. Also there have been some very sizeable largemouth bass (up to 6 lbs) caught- try deeper weedbeds and brush piles with your spinners, jigs. This is a great family fishing lake with good shoreline access and bathrooms. Remember the special length/creel limits. Get the kids, get your friends and Go Fishing. Remember to "CLEAN, DRAIN AND DRY" your boats, trailers and equipment. Sign up for the Mound City Fishing District Newsletter today For tips on spring bass fishing check out the KDWPT video at the following link! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpIJaiyW32k For crappie anglers, watch this 25-minute video that covers Kansas crappie fishing during spring, summer, fall, and winter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sazyEuIT_bk With questions about this lake call Donald George, Fisheries Biologist, at 913-795-2218, or Bourbon County at 620-223-3800. | |||||
BOURBON STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/1/2020 Print
| tillSpecies | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass ( Largemouth and Spotted Bass) | Slow | Fish 10 to 19 inches dominate the population | try the deep side of the weed beds and piers, close to the brushpiles and plastic cubes. Use spinners, plastic baits, crankbaits, lakewide along cover in and around the piers. |
| Bluegill/redear sunfish | Slow | all sizes | Nice redear are available by slow fishing along the piers with jig, worm under a float. Bluegill are also available but are smaller in size. |
| Walleye | Poor | varies | Fish drop offs and at the head of the inflow areas using crank baits, jigs and or minnow |
| Channel Catfish | Slow | 12-22 inches | Use cut bait, stink baits, chicken liver, worms,the fish feeders are OFF, lakewide. After hard rains fish the south end where the water comes in. |
| Crappie | Good | 8 - 12 inches and up | the crappie have been found at the edge of the weed beds and then moving to deeper water, usually close to structure. try using minnows, jigs under a 6ft float, along the piers. The population is low but most are over 10 inches. |
| General Comments | |||
| The water is normal and clear. The boatramp is fine. In the spring of 2018, another 95 Georgia cubes have been placed to attract fish to shoreline areas. Shoreline fishing can be good in deeper water around the lake. This lake produces some nice crappie each year. Recent sampling indicates that there are many good crappie to catch. The bass population at this impoundment consists of spotted and largemouth bass. Spotted bass tend to hang near rocks and the dam, whereas on the south end of the lake your more likely to catch only largemouth bass. The fish feeders are OFF for the season. | |||
COFFEY COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Methods, Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| largemouth bass | Fair | 8 in to 21 inches | Fishing around shallow cover near the hot water area will be the best bet. Use jerkbaits, swimbaits, crankbaits, or rattletraps. Recent sampling showed some nice sized fish, just not a high density of them. |
| walleye | Slow-Fair | 14-25 inches | crankbaits, rattletraps, twister-tail grubs worked along rocky shoreline |
| channel catfish/blue catfish | Fair | 1/2-5 lbs, Blues up to 50lbs. | Working wind blown banks with various baits should be productive or try creek channel swings and humps. We have tagged some blue catfish in the lake, if you catch one please take note of the tag number and report it to the gatehouse. |
| smallmouth bass | Fair | 10-20 inches | Crankbaits, swimbaits, and finesse plastics around rocky habitat. Don't be afraid to go offshore and fish deeper around humps and dropoffs, using drop shot rigs. Recent sampling continues to show lower density than previous years; however, we also sampled some size classes that haven't been seen before. A 5 lb+ fish and a 4 lb.+ fish was sampled along with several in the 3 lb. range. |
| white bass/Wipers | Fair-Good | up to 5lbs. | Use shad imitation lures like small spinners, crankbaits or bucktail jigs. and look for schools of shad or focus on wind blown flats or points. Vertical jigging slab spoons is also a good technique. Fishing in or near the hot water should be most productive. |
| crappie | Fair | 11-15 inches | Vertical jigging around the standing timber or channel swings is probably best technique if bite is slow try live minnows. There are some nice crappie available just have to find the right area holding fish. |
| General Comments | |||
| Entrance gate phone number is 620-364-2475 call for lake conditions. A large brush pile was created north of the boat ramp in the old creek channel and is marked with a fish attractor buoy. There were also several trees sunk at the end of the hot water dike and should be easily marked on your locator. These spots should be really good in the fall and winter months. ZEBRA MUSSELS have been confirmed in Coffey County Lake! Please help stop the spread. Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat and livewell after leaving this lake. It is illegal to transport live fish, bait, and water from this lake. For more information on waters in Anderson, Allen, Coffey, and Woodson counties click the following link to sign up for the New Strawn District Fisheries Newsletter. http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/KDWPT-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-New-Strawn-Fishing-District | |||
CRAWFORD STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/13/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method &Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill / Redear sunfish | Poor | 2-4" -- 66% 4-6" -- 34% > 6" -- 0% | There is an abundance of bluegill and redear sunfish up to 6" in good numbers. Panfish are a wonderful species to get someone hooked to fishing! They can be caught readily using a simple bobber and worm, 1/16-1/32 ounce jighead, and a fly rod and small fly to name a few tactics. Locations to try would be near the swim beach in the northwest corner, coves where shallow water and aquatic vegetation can be found, and marina cove. |
| Saugeye | Fair | Up to 21" | The fall sample indicated a low-density, high-quality population of saugeye up to 21". A variety of ways to target saugeye are trolling with swimbaits and Rapalas, or vertical jigging. Anglers can also find saugeye up shallow in the fall, winter, and spring when water temperatures are cooler and where they can be found feeding on the flats and shallow habitat. |
| Wiper (White bass x Striped Bass hybrid) | Fair | 5-10" -- 58% 14-16" -- 21% 20-22" -- 21% | Wiper have been stocked in Crawford State Lake and provide a quality sportfish for anglers to target. Wipers are pelagic, or open water, predators lurking in deeper water during the day, but come up shallow to feed in the morning, evening, and during the night. Some baits to try would be jerkbaits, swimbaits, jigs, and live bait. Trolling and vertical jigging over schools of gizzard shad may yield a fish, or two. The fall sample indicated good numbers above the 18" minimum length limit and a quality population for anglers to utilize. Anglers are reporting Wiper up to 6 pounds being caught on the windblown side of the reservoir. South winds will congregate wipers on the dam and spillway area. 1/16-1/4 ounce jig heads with a twister tails is a good lure to try. |
| Channel catfish | Good | < 10" -- 26% 10-15" -- 53% 16-24" -- 18% > 25" -- 3% | Channel catfish can be found throughout all portions of the lake. Anglers can target the whiskered fish in coves on the upper end of the lake, especially during periods of inflow, main lake where submerged trees and Georgia Cubes have been placed, and jetties and docks that can be fished from shore. Prepared baits, gizzard shad, live bait, and chicken liver are all popular baits that anglers might give a try. |
| Flathead catfish | Fair | All sizes | Flathead catfish can be found in deep water next to submerged trees and structure. There have been reports of flathead catfish being caught up to 30 lbs. Live bait and fresh cut bait are two tactics to try. |
| Crappie | Good | < 8" -- 35% 8-10" -- 63% > 11" -- 2% | The crappie population has a slightly improved size structure with fish sampled up to 12". However, the majority of the crappie that anglers may find at the end of their line will be in the 8-10" size range. Georgia Cubes, an artificial habitat structure placed by KDWPT staff, are present in Crawford State Lake and the link in the "General Comments" section will provide you with GPS coordinates. Eight brushpiles were created and added. GPS coordinates are listed below in the comments section. Crappie will congregate near the Georgia Cubes, submerged trees, structure, and docks. Anglers should try live minnows under a bobber, jigs with a twister tail, and streamers with a fly rod. |
| Largemouth bass | Good | 8-12" -- 51% 12-15" -- 19% 15-20" -- 29% | Largemouth bass densities and size structure is improved, since being infected with LMBV (Largemouth Bass Virus) in 2007. Strong year classes in the 8-12" size category indicate good numbers that haven't been as prominent since 2007. Quality fish up to 20" were sampled and anglers will benefit from the improved numbers and quality of largemouth bass in Crawford State Lake. Anglers should focus on coves and jetties using a variety of methods, which include spinnerbaits, top-water lures, plastic lures, and jerkbaits. An often overlooked method, the "Ned Rig" can also be utilized during all times of the year, but specifically in the summer months, when largemouth bass don't seem as willing to bite other types of lures. |
| General Comments | |||
| KDWPT Fisheries and State Park staff submerged nearly 100 cedar trees and 40 "Georgia Cubes" were added to the lake in spring of 2019. Cedar trees were placed on existing brushpiles. The GPS coordinates for those existing brushpiles are as follows: 16 trees @ N 37.642683, W 094.806843 (Northeast corner dock) 13 trees @ N 37.641414, W 094.807232 (East cove dock on west side of cove) 17 trees @ N 37.640050, W 094.809163 (Middle arm, east side) 24 trees @ N 37.637126, W 094.811680 (East fishing pier) Cedar trees were placed on new brushpiles. The GPS coordinates for the new brushpile locations are as follows: 18 trees @ N 37.642581, W 094.808307 (North point) 8 trees and stumps @ N 37.644641, W 094.810386 (North boat ramp) 11 trees and stumps @ N 37.643394, W 094.811154 (Marina northeast dock) 7 trees @ N 37.641860, W 094.812640 (Marina Cove southwest dock) Georgia Cubes were added to six new locations. The GPS coordinates for the Georiga Cubes are as follows: 16 Georgia Cubes @ N 37.642602, W 094.808321 (North point) 6 Georgia Cubes @ N 37.642695, W 094.806880 (Northeast corner dock) 7 Georgia Cubes @ N 37.641402, W 094.807221 (East cove dock on west side of cove) 5 Georgia Cubes @ N 37.637147, W 094.811688 (East fishing pier) 3 Georgia Cubes @ N 37.643472, W 094.811373 (Marina northeast dock) 3 Georgia Cubes @ N 37.644663, W 094.810369 (North boat ramp) As District Fisheries Biologists, we send out a newsletter to inform anglers of fish sampling result, aquatic outreach events, fish stockings, and habitat improvement projects, for example. We have a spring and fall edition of our newsletters that you can subscribe to. This is sent directly to your email. If you would like to stay up to date on what is happening on Neosho State Fishing Lake (Lake McKinley), Crawford State Fishing Lake (Farlington Lake), Bone Creek Lake, CFAP and FISH properties, and the Mined Land Wildlife Area strip pits, you can subscribe to the Pittsburg District Newsletter at the following link: https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Pittsburg-Fishing-District Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism fisheries staff recently undertook a project to produce lake maps, or bathymetric maps, for public waters statewide. The lake map for Crawford State Fishing Lake can be found at the following link: https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Where-to-Fish-in-Kansas/Bathymetric-Lake-Maps.This link will provide you with a link for all bathymetric lake maps for the state of Kansas. Scroll down to find Crawford State Fishing Lake. This will allow for anglers to view the depths of the lake to choose different habitats and lake depths to fish for different species, year-round. You will also find current GPS locations of habitat structures placed by KDWPT fisheries staff to easily input into your sonar unit, or find if you are fishing from shore. Be sure to Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat, bait buckets, and recreational watercraft before and after launching your boat. It is important to remove your drain plug on your watercraft upon departure to drain live wells and water inside of your boat; it will protect our natural resources in Kansas for current anglers and future generations to enjoy. Zebra mussels, white perch, and asian carp are all invasive species that can be found in Kansas. Be sure to stay up to date on information regarding Aquatic Nuisance Species. The following link will provide you with information on Aquatic Nuisance Species in Kansas: https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Aquatic-Nuisance-Species. If you would like to provide a fishing report for Crawford State Fishing Lake, don't hesitate to contact Connor Ossowski, District Fisheries Biologist, at (620) 231-3173. | |||
CRITZER LAKE - Last Updated: 3/1/2020 Print
| Recent repiSpecies | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | 13 to 18 inches with a few at 22 inches | Recent reports indicate the bass are stratified in the timber over deep water. Some are staging along the feeder streams coming into the lake. Currently the lake is at full pool, water clarity is great at this time. Work the deeper drop offs and rocky areas,some larger fish available up to 6 pounds, best luck with dark colored jipnpigs, plastic worms, crank baits in close to cover. The majority of fish are in the 12 inch to 4 pound range. |
| Smallmouth Bass | Slow | 13 to 15" | A limited fishery exists some are taken on jigs, spinners, along the dam and rocky areas. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 15" to 8 pounds | This is a good catfish population with a lot of fish in the 3 pounds and up to 15 pounds range. Use cut shad, cut sunfish, worms, liver, prepared baits, lakewide or along the piers along the parking lot. The fish feeder is Off for the season but around the feeder is a flat and catfish like to hang around that area. Makes a good spot for shoreline fishing. |
| Crappie | Good | any size | Sampling indicates good numbers of nice fish (9 to 12 inches) use minnows and jigs, lakewide. Fish are moving into staging areas for spawning. |
| Walleye | Slow | most between 15 to 17 inches | Recent sampling indicates good numbers of fish (17.5 to 22 inches) are available. Some are taken on jigs tipped with worms, spinners, dam and upper creek channel |
| General Comments | |||
| Water levels are normal. Go fishing, the fish have to eat. Some good bass and catfish were caught this week. There are a lot of nice channel catfish at the feeder, majority are 3 to 5 pounds. This is a great Kayak or small craft lake. Critzer Lake is one of Kansas' newest lakes and was opened to fishing in August of 2011. Many anglers use kayaks or tubes to float into the cover and are very successful. There is a double lane boat ramp. The floating dock is finished and compliments this great fishing lake. The lake is primarily a boat lake but there is shoreline access east of the boatramp where anglers can set up on the two piers and be very close to the parking lot. This 220 acre lake offers 180 acres of standing timber so there is a no-wake speed limit. There is a second, smaller access area located at the south west part of the lake, from 800 rd. and Gorman, north 1/4 mile. This area makes it easier for anglers in small craft to launch and paddle/fish the more timbered areas. There is a parking lot and gravel ramp and provides shoreline angling also. This lake was sampled on 5/23/2018, and many largemouth bass were caught and released, varying in size (nothing over 4 lbs.), as well as a few smallmouth bass. There is a lot of cover in this lake and electrofishing may not catch bigger fish. There is a great channel cat population, with a lot of fish in the 2 to 8 pound range. There are a few walleye between 14 and 21 inches were seen as well. White crappie are abundant and caught close to cover, with light colored jigs. The water is clear unless there have been heavy rains. Zebra Mussels have recently been found in Hillsdale Lake, and we'd like to remind you to stay aware and take all precautions necessary to prevent the spread into uncontaminated waters! This includes cleaning and rinsing your boat and motor, trailer, and equipment, draining any excess water from previous outings, and allowing your boat to dry before using it in a different body of water. Remember CLEAN, DRAIN, DRY! We have improved the area with a floating dock, located just west of the boat ramp. For tips on spring bass fishing watch this KDWPT video at the following link! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpIJaiyW32k Check out this video from Brent Chapman fishing for bass in Critzer Lake! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngvw2uz3oH0 | |||
ELK CITY RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/16/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 8-14" | Crappie fishing has been good on the reservoir and in the river. Crappie have been found near the dam on the main lake and in brush piles and pools in the Elk River. Look for crappie to start moving shallower in the coming weeks and as water temps rise. Minnows under a bobber have been working as well as vertical jigging small tube baits and spoons. |
| Blue and channel catfish | Good | 18-26" | Catfishing has picked up. Look for catfish to move into the shallows on warm days. Shad sides are the preferred bait. |
| White Bass | Fair | 10-14" | The white bass fishing is still slow. Look for white bass to start biting in river in the coming weeks as water temps rise. |
| Outlet | Good | 12-20" | Water release has increased from the past week, and fishing has picked up. Look for fishing to improve with warmer water. Shad sides have been working best. |
| Blue catfish are currently managed with a 35-in minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit in hopes that they will establish a self-sustaining population. Water Level Current water levels and discharge can be viewed HERE. District Newsletter We have created a fishing newsletter that can be sent out to all that subscribe to it. This newsletter is for fishing information for the Independence District (Chautauqua, Labette, Montgomery, and Wilson counties) only. Youth/Mentor Pond The Elk City State Park Youth/Mentor pond is now open. The pond is open to anglers 15 and younger as well as their mentor. A mentor may take more than one youth fishing, but only one mentor may fish per youth they accompany. Two channel catfish can be harvested daily, but largemouth bass are catch and release only. See the park office for more information. | |||
FALL RIVER RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 10/30/2019 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| channel catfish | fair | 0% 11"-16" 57% 16"-24" 29% 24"-28" 14% 28"-36" | Use a worm, stink bait, or shad sides on channel breaks. |
| crappie | fair | 75% 5"- 8" 17% 8"-10" 1% 10"-12" 7% 12"-15" 1% 15"+ | Use a jig or minnow on deep channel breaks. |
| largemouth bass | poor | 37% 8"-12" 16% 12"-15" 42% 15"-20" 5% 20"+ | The main body of the reservoir doesn't have the necessary largemouth bass habitat to support a high density bass population. However, the flooded timber and clearer water in the backwater section of the river produces a fair density bass population. There were 19 bass per hour of electrofishing around the Ladd Bridge section of the river. The ideal catch rate would be 100 bass per hour. Use a jig, worm, spinner or crank bait around stumps and brush in the river. The high water this spring resulted in a large numbers of small bass that are fun to catch all along the shoreline. |
| white bass | poor | 4% 6"- 9" 19% 9"-12" 54% 12"-15" 24% 15"-18" | Use a spinner or jig on rocky points. |
| General Comments: | |||
| The east side of the outlet/spillway area is closed for repairs. No fishing is allowed at this time. Link to USACE reservoir water level: http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/FALL.lakepage.html To view a map of brush piles in Fall River Reservoir and the old sunken Ladd Bridge in the river, copy this file into Google Earth and zoom into the reservoir. FLRR brush piles 1.52 kB The size structure listed for largemouth bass is from May 2018 electrofishing. The size structure listed for crappie, white bass and channel catfish is from October 2018 test netting. Sign up to receive a copy of the Fall River District Fisheries Newsletter. For more information about the Fall River Fisheries District, click here to access newsletters. | |||
FT. SCOTT LAKE - Last Updated: 3/1/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| black and spotted bass | Slow | varies | water level is good, bass are slower and still feeding, good results with shad crank baits, soft plastic baits close to fish structure, the deeper side of weed beds and along rocky points. always try the sunny areas first. |
| channel catfish | Good | varies, some very nice | Very good population of channel catfish improves success. lakewide and around the feeders, use cut shad, sponge baits, worms. Recent fish population sampling indicates a great population of channel catfish in the 2 - 5 pound range. Fish the South end where creek comes in during or after a rain. |
| walleye | Slow | varies | use dark jigs and crankbaits, along flats and drop-offs. most fish are above the 18 inch length limit. |
| crappie | Good | varies, many over 11 inches | Crappie are moving into staging areas for spawning, usually close to structure and breaks. There are a high percentage of fish over 10 inches. Try black and white jigs under a float. |
| bluegill | Slow | varies | use small baits, such as worms, jigs suspended under a float, in deeper water |
| General Comments | |||
| Ft Scott Lake has a good reputation for producing good stringers of channel catfish. Channel catfish from the rearing pond are stocked into this lake each fall. Recent tree/habitat placements, In 2014, 2015 and 2016, 2017 about 900 xmas trees were placed at each end of the dam and along Sciortino Park. The tree placement along the dam are very accessible for shoreline anglers. This project is will improve angler success for bass and crappie. Remember- Wear a Lifejacket and Reach - Throw - Don t Go. Buy your state fishing license and have fun. Please remember the special length/creel limits. Get the kids, get your friends and Go Fishing. Remember to "CLEAN, DRAIN AND DRY" your boats, trailers and equipment. Sign up for the Mound City Fishing District Newsletter today! For tips on spring bass fishing check out the KDWPT video at the following link! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpIJaiyW32k For crappie anglers, watch this 25-minute video that covers Kansas crappie fishing during spring, summer, fall, and winter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sazyEuIT_bk This is a Community Fisheries Assistance Lake Cooperator,no city permits for fishing and boating while fishing. City permit required for recreational boating. | |||
GARNETT NORTH - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | 8-14 inches | Crappie should be schooled up around brush or sharp dropoffs. Jigs usually work well this time of year. |
| Channel catfish | Fair | 8-30 inches | Livers, shad sides, or other prepared baits along ledges or windy banks. Upper end during rain events can be good. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | up to 4lbs. | With warming water temperatures, bass will start to feed more aggressively. Throw red or orange crankbaits, rattletraps, big spinnerbaits, or swimbaits around the sunny banks. |
| Wipers | Slow | up to 6 lbs | Chicken livers or crankbaits fish around wind blown banks and dropoffs. |
| Walleye | Slow | curly tailed jigs or crankbaits along the bank near deeper water. | |
| General Comments | |||
| Please remember to help STOP AQUATIC HITCHHIKERS! CLEAN, DRAIN, and DRY your boat and livewell when leaving water bodies. Four Georgia Cube Fish Attractors were placed by the fishing dock (2on the East end and 2 on the West end) on the north end of the lake. DO NOT MOVE FISH OR BAIT TO DIFFERENT WATERS! For more information on waters in Woodson, Coffey, Anderson, and Allen counties, click the following link to sign up for the New Strawn District Fisheries Newsletter.http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/KDWPT-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-New-Strawn-Fishing-District | |||
GARNETT SOUTH - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Methods, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Fishing Opportunity | |||
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | up to 5lbs. | Swimbaits, suspending jerkbaits, or lipless crankbaits are good choices this time of year as the water temps. slowly start to warm. |
| Bluegill | Fair | up to 8 inches | Small jigs or flies, also bobber with a worm |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | 8-24 inches | chicken livers, cut bait or other prepared bait lakewide. |
| Crappie | Fair | 6-10 inches | Jigs or live minnows fished around structure or the rocky banks. |
| Trout | Good | small spinners or jigs or trout bait | |
| Comments: This is a Type 1 trout water, which means all anglers 16 years or older need a trout permit regardless of species targeted. Trout season runs from Nov. 1-April 15. Please remember to CLEAN, DRAIN, and DRY your boats and livewells to help stop the spread of ANS species. For more information on this lake and other lakes in Anderson, Allen, Coffey, and Woodson Counties, click on the link below to subscribe to the New Strawn District Fisheries Newsletter. |
JOHN REDMOND RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Size | Rating | Bait, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | up to 15lbs. | Fair | Fishing is good drifting fresh shad all around the lake should be best bet. Blue cats are present but most of them are small. A 35" minimum length limit and 5/day creel is now in effect for Blue Catfish. |
| White Bass | up to 3lbs. | Fair-Good | Various lures should work small spinners, bucktail jigs, or shad imitations. In the lake look for white bass along the dam or windy shorelines. Early Spring fishing can be good up in the river or along the dam or windy flats. Below the dam during low to moderate releases may also be good. |
| Crappie | up to 15" | Fair | Crappie are going to be holding in deeper water near dropoffs such as along the dam or dredged area. As the water temps. warm they will push shallow into the flooded timber or up into the creeks and river. |
| Comments - THE BOAT RAMP IS OPEN. Use caution and look for floating debris. Fishing below the dam during low to moderate releases should be good for most species. For current lake level and release information click the following link http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/JOHN.lakepage.html. ALERT! This lake contains Zebra Mussels please help stop the spread Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat and equipment after leaving this water body. It is Illegal transport live fish, bait, and water from this lake. For more information on lakes in the New Strawn district click the following link. http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/KDWPT-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-New-Strawn-Fishing-District | |||
LA CYGNE RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/1/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel, blue and flathead catfish, |
Good | all sizes, | La Cygne has some bigger blue cat, and stockings have increased the density. Sunfish or cutshad, worms, prepared baits, liver are usually good baits. Fish sampling indicates that this lake has lots of channel catfish, big flathead and blues to catch. Some fish have been caught that are over 50 pounds. Catfishing can be very good at night, some anglers really target large blue cats now at drop offs close to the creek channel. Fish feeders are OFF for the season. There was a 88 pound bluecat caught in early November. | |||||||
| Crappie | Good, picking up | 9 - 12 inches | The crappie are moving into staging areas for spawning, usually close to structure. Some fish have been caught off the wall gates where water is released at the dam. Some fish caught off of marina coves and its usually good at the hot water outlet area.. There are good numbers of fish 10- 12 inches long. Best lures to use are jigs/ minnows, near structure. Try any of the brushpiles or Georgia cubes placed for fish habitat. | |||||||
| Largemouth Bass | Good | varies but 16 to 20 inches is common | Largemouth bass fishing is good. Fish the deep side of the riprap areas and weed beds, use cranks, plastic worms, lizards or spinner baits like shad imitations. Bass over 10 and close to 11 pounds have been caught in this lake. | |||||||
| white bass | Fair | varies, some 1.5 pound | Use shad imitations, silver spoons. Most of the fish caught in the area of the hot water outlet have been the 1 to 2 pound range. White bass can be found on the surface chasing gizzard shad, and can produce some fantastic action. | |||||||
| wiper | Slow | some up to 12 pounds | Most fish are in the 4 - 6 pound range with a few larger. Some fish caught out over the bridge. Gizzard shad are on the surface and the wipers are chasing them. | |||||||
| carp | Good | all sizes | along the shoreline in weedbeds | |||||||
| General Comments | ||||||||||
| The water level is good. All boat ramps are open. BASSMASTERS has recognized LA CYGNE RESERVOIR in its TOP 10 bass lakes of the Midwest. We know La Cygne Reservoir is a great bass lake but its nice to receive this type of recognition from Bassmasters. For more information check out these two sites. there was a 6 pounder and a 7 pounder caught last week. Near the hot water outlet. http://www.cjonline.com/sports/20180707/kansas-la-cygne-reservoir-named-one-of-nations-top-100-bass-lakes https://www.hayspost.com/2018/07/15/kansas-lake-is-one-of-the-countrys-top-100-bass-fishing-lakes/ For information on the Linn County Marina boat ramps call 913 757-6633. Fishing at La Cygne produces a mixed bag of fish from big blue, channel or flathead catfish, to white bass and wipers or crappie and largemouth bass. Good shoreline angler access is provided by the Linn County Park on the west side of the lake. HOT WATER ACCESS. On the east side of the lake access to the hot water return, where a lot of fish are caught when its cold, is: at 69 HWY and Ks HWY 152, go east and drive across the dam on E.2200 Rd., turn north at Young Rd. and go West at E. 2400 Rd. to the parking lot. Anglers walk from the parking lot west on the path to the hot water return area. But this is a great place to fish. This lake has had a reproducing blue catfish population for many years, fingerling blue cats were stocked this fall to supplement that population. Another goal for this lake is to improve blue cat angling. Call the Linn County Park at 913-757-6633 for more information or camping, and cabins reservations. Zebra Mussels have recently been found in Hillsdale Lake, and we'd like to remind you to stay aware and take all precautions necessary to prevent the spread into uncontaminated waters! This includes cleaning and rinsing your boat, motor, trailer and equipment, draining any excess water from previous outings, and allowing your boat to dry before using it in a different body of water. Get the family, get your friends and Go Fishing. Remember to "CLEAN, DRAIN AND DRY" your boats, trailers and equipment. Don't move water from any lake. Habitat improvement and shoreline enhancement continue to improve by adding Georgia cubes. I have added Georgia cubes to several areas to enhance angling especially along shoreline areas. The gps coordinates are: Location La Cygne Reservoir Habitat longititude latititude description date
| ||||||||||
MARAIS DES CYGNES WILDLIFE AREA - Last Updated: 3/1/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, &amp;amp;amp; Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| blue, channel catfish | Slow | varies | fish in the river are concentrated below riffles, stink baits, cut shad, liver, |
| white bass/wipers | Slow | varies | minnows, jigs, work the pools below the rifles, |
| crappie | slow | varies | on the river use jigs just below riffles |
| General Comments | |||
| The river and streams on the state wildlife area are open to fishing. The Marias des Cygnes River is a great place to float and fish. Some of the wildlife area pools are flooded or draining and contain fish trapped by the recent flooding. Rough and some game fish are available. Access to the river is at the Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area. For additional opportunities call 913-352-8941 for accurate information on wildlife pool drainage. Get the kids, get your friends and Go Fishing. Remember to "CLEAN, DRAIN AND DRY" your boats and equipment. The Marais des Cygnes River is confirmed to contain zebra mussels. Please take extra precaution by not removing fish and placing them in another body of water (bait fish included), and cleaning, draining, and drying boats motors trailers and all equipment before entering another body of water. This helps prevent the spread to unc | |||
MELVERN RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Crappie | Fair-Good | 0.25-1 lbs | Crappie being caught at the Marina using jigs and minnows. | |
| Trout | Fair | 0.5-1 lb | In the Eisenhower State Park Pond. Anglers are catching fish on small spinners, jigs, worms and powerbait. Last stocking for the spring occurred March 3. Come out and catch them! | |
| Walleye | Slow-Fair | 0.5-1.5 lbs | Walleye should be coming to the dam to spawn within the next couple of weeks. Rapalas, rogues and jigs usually account for fish every year. | |
| Fisheries Newsletter | If you would like to receive additional information about this lake a couple of times a year, sign up for the newsletter at the following link http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Lawrence-Fishing-District | |||
| Blue Catfish | 35 inch minimum length limit and 5 fish daily limit went into effect January 1, 2016. This regulation change is to protect adult brood fish which hopefully will allow increased production of young blue catfish, translating into increased numbers of blues in Melvern. | |||
| Sauger | 18 inch minimum length limit went into effect Jan. 1, 2016. This change makes sauger and walleye have the same regulations at Melvern Reservoir. | |||
| Spotted Bass | 18 inch minimum length limit went into effect Jan. 1, 2016. This change makes all black bass (i.e. largemouth, smallmouth and spotted) have the same regulations at Melvern Reservoir. | |||
| General Comments | ||||
| Lake level was 0.23 feet below normal, water temp was 46 o F, and release rate was 20 cfs (March 19). Melvern Reservoir has Zebra Mussels, Remember to clean, drain, and dry your boat and fishing equipment when leaving the lake to keep from spreading them to other lakes. | ||||
MINED LAND WILDLIFE AREA - Last Updated: 3/13/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill / Redear / Warmouth | Good | All sizes | Bluegill and Redear Sunfish up to 9 inches are common on the strip pits on the Mined Land Wildlife Area. Focus your efforts around structure, slopes, and shallow water. Try worms or small jigs and spinners fished slowly near the bottom. Fly fishing opportunities are also present; hook sizes of 10-12 with a floating fly or popper may yield fish up to 8 inches. The "Whitmore Pits" on Units #7 and #8 are two units that have panfish up to 10 inches. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | All sizes | Channel catfish can be found in abundance all across the wildlife area. Try shad sides, liver, worms or prepared baits. |
| Crappie | Fair | All sizes | Crappie can be found throughout the different units on the wildlife area. Try minnows, small jigs, or small spinners fished around brush and structure. Boat and kayak anglers may have luck trolling deeper water and cove habitats as well. Units where crappie have been reported to be caught this winter and for anglers to focus on for crappie would be the following units: 7, 8, 41. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | All sizes | Largemouth bass can be found in many of the strip pits. Focus your efforts around aquatic vegetation, slopes, and shallow water. However, Ned Rigs and drop shot techniques will yield suspending fish in deeper water. Try jigs, worms, or spinner baits. |
| Rainbow trout | Good | 10 - 15" | The seventh and final rainbow trout stocking of the winter and spring of 2019/2020 in the Trout Pit (Unit #30) occurred on March 4, 2020 with a stocking of 1,980 rainbow trout (1,100 pounds). A total of 2,040 rainbow trout (1,200 pounds) were stocked on October 30, 2019, a total of 1,118 rainbow trout (650 pounds) were stocked on November 13, 2019, a total of 1,360 rainbow trout (850 pounds) occurred on December 4, 2019, a total of 1,280 rainbow trout (800 pounds) were stocked on December 16, 2019, a total of 1,650 rainbow trout (1,100 pounds) on February 5, 2020, and a total of 1,800 rainbow trout (1,200 pounds) were stocked on February 19, 2020. This was a total of 11,228 rainbow trout stocked for the 2019/2020 trout season. Good luck! Rainbow trout are stocked each spring, fall, and winter in Unit #30 in the "Trout Pit". Most rainbows are 10 inches in length when stocked and average 1/2 lb. each. Five percent of each stocking is comprised of 14-inch or larger fish. Trout can live year-around in this unique strip-mined lake, so fish in the 3-5 pound range are occasionally caught. Shoreline anglers have reported the west parking lot, boat ramp and dock area, and fish feeders being places where trout have been caught. However, a kayak or a boat will lend other places to try in this unique strip pit. The fish feeder is running. Try power bait, small spinners (i.e., Kastmasters and Panther Martins), flies, small crankbaits, worms, or corn. Remember anglers -- A trout permit is required to be able to fish on the "Trout Pit" on Unit #30. This is valid for the calendar year. Rainbow trout & Brown Trout are managed under a combined daily creel limit of five fish. Anglers, 15 years and younger, can fish for and possess trout, but their daily creel is 2 per day. Directions to the Trout Pit (Unit #30) are as follows: 8 miles south of the McCune turn off on Highway 400 on NW 100th St. and a half mile to the west on NW Lawton Rd. OR 5 miles west of West Mineral on NW Scammon Rd., 4 miles south on NW 100th St. and a half mile to the west on NW Lawton Rd. |
| Brown trout | Fair | 15-20" | Brown trout have been stocked in Unit #30 in the Trout Pit to provide an additional species and trophy opportunity for anglers. 2,500 small 8 to 10-inch brown trout were stocked on October 22, 2018. Brown trout tend to be more seclusive than rainbow trout, so early morning and evening hours will be your best bet. Try power bait, small spinners, spoons, flies, small crankbaits, worms, or corn. NEW FOR 2020 -- As of January 1, 2020, there is no longer a 20" minimum and daily creel of 1 Brown Trout per day. Therefore, anglers may keep brown trout in combination with rainbow trout for a combined daily creel of 5. |
| Walleye | Fair | 18-21" | Walleye have been stocked on the Mined Land Wildlife Area in Units 7, 17, 20, 21, 22, 24, 31, 33, 34, 39, 40, 41, and 44 to provide an additional species and angling opportunity on the wildlife area. The units and strip pits that have been stocked with walleye provide adequate habitat with deeper water and cooler water temperatures. Trolling and vertical jigging techniques will be a good technique to try. |
| Wiper (Striped bass x White bass hybrid) | Fair | 15-20" | Wiper were stocked on the Mined Land Wildlife Area in Unit #21 on October 2, 2018. Stockings have occurred since 2007. A fish feeder is also present on the Wiper Pit in Unit #21 that provides supplemental food on this specific pit. Techniques to try would be to vertical jig spoons and jigs, trolling with Rapalas and spoons, and casting jigs, spoons, and spinning baits. Other opportunities would be to try a slip bobber with live bait, or chicken liver has been reported to yield a few fish. |
| General Comments | |||
| Habitat improvements through the use of hinge-cutting, cedar trees, and "Georgia Cubes" will be placed throughout the unique strip pits on Mined Land Wildlife Area during 2019. Angler input is welcomed. If you have individual strip pits that you'd like to see habitat improvements made, please contact Connor Ossowski, District Fisheries Biologist, at (620) 231-3173. These will be advertised on the KDWPT website at the following link: https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Hunting-Fishing-Atlas/Fishing-Atlas/GPS-KML-Information-Files/Google-KMZ-file-of-Fish-Attractor-GPS. Fish attractors and habitat additions have been placed on the Mined Land Wildlife Area and the GPS coordinates can be found at the link provided in the previous sentence as well. 40 "Georgia Cubes", a synthetic habitat structure, were placed on Mined Land Wildlife Area in May 2019. Below are the GPS coordinates: Unit #6 "Quail Farm", 2 Cube Clusters: (37.424696, -94.758655), (37.424365, -94.757868) Unit #7 "Whitmore Pits", 2 Cube Clusters: (37.396253, -94.778864), (37.392872, -94.782366) Unit #26 Reclamation Project currently closed, to be reopened in Spring 2020, 2 Cube Clusters: (37.332749, -94.800721), (37.332513, -94.800589) As District Fisheries Biologists, we send out a newsletter to inform anglers of fish sampling result, aquatic outreach events, fish stockings, and habitat improvement projects, for example. We have a spring and fall edition of our newsletters that you can subscribe to. This is sent directly to your email. If you would like to stay up to date on what is happening on Neosho State Fishing Lake (Lake McKinley), Crawford State Fishing Lake (Farlington Lake), Bone Creek Lake, CFAP and FISH properties, and the Mined Land Wildlife Area strip pits, you can subscribe to the Pittsburg District Newsletter at the following link: https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Pittsburg-Fishing-District Aquatic Nuisance Species Alert: Be on the look out for Eurasian Watermilfoil if you're fishing on the Mined Land Wildlife Area. This aquatic nuisance plant is present and abundant on multiple strip pits on the Mined Land Wildlife Area. The plant can reproduce rapidly and develop dense mats that don't allow for other beneficial aquatic plants to grow. Eurasian watermilfoil can also impact the fish community in a lake, so please be sure to inspect and clean your fishing gear. Please remember to Clean, Drain, and Dry your kayak, boat, boat trailer, and bait buckets. More information on Eurasian Watermilfoil may be found at the following link: https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Aquatic-Nuisance-Species/Aquatic-Nuisance-Species-List/Eurasian-Watermilfoil If you would like to provide a fishing report for the Mined Land Wildlife Area, don't hesitate to contact Connor Ossowski, District Fisheries Biologist, at (620) 231-3173. | |||
MONTGOMERY STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/16/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | 14-24" | Catfishing has improved with the warming weather. Look for catfish near the fishing docks on warm days. Worms on the bottom have been working best. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 8-18" | Largemouth bass fishing has been slow. Look for bass in the shallows during the day. Soft plastics fished slowly have been working best. |
| Crappie | Fair | 8-12" | Crappie fishing remains slow. Look for crappie to start to move into the shallows to spawn. |
| Bluegill/Redear Sunfish | Fair | 6-8" | Bluegill and redear fishing has been slow. Bluegill and redear sunfish have started to move into the shallower water. Worms under a bobber have been working the best. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water temperatures are currently 52 degrees. A bathymetric map is available for Montgomery State Fishing Lake at the link above. District Newsletter We have created a fishing newsletter that can be sent out to all that subscribe to it. This newsletter is for fishing information for the Independence District (Chautauqua, Labette, Montgomery, and Wilson counties) only. | |||
MOUND CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 3/1/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, &amp; Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Slow | Size varies but most are of legal size, with some large fish | Try stink baits, chicken liver, cut shad or chunks of sunfish, The fish feeders are OFF for the season.Lots of good catfish, high number of 2 to 5 pounders, in the lake. |
| Bluegill/Redear Sunfish | Slow | varies | Use small baits, jigs or small worm under a float set for shallow water, fish are in shallow spawning |
| Crappie | Slow | 8 to 14 inches some larger | Recent sampling indicates that majority of crappie are in the 10 inch range with some fish in the 13 to 15 inch ranges. As fish start to stage try deeper water close to structure or dropoffs. Minnows and dark jigs are best. Catching has been slow but will get good as the water warms. |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | varies | Recent sampling indicates a good population with majority of fish 14 to 19 inches. some up to 7 pounds. Bass are in the deeper edges of water willow and structure, try plastics, jig and Pig, slabs |
| General Comments | |||
| Water level is good and clear. Go fishing, the fish have to eat. Water conditions are good. The catfish and crappie are very nice this year. Mound City Lake has a great reputation for producing good strings of crappie. Best baits are dark colored jigs and minnows, mainly around underwater structure. Fish feeders are ON. Largemouth bass numbers have really improved and continues to produce great fishing. Sign up for the Mound City District Newsletter today! For tips on spring bass fishing check out the KDWPT video at the following link! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpIJaiyW32k For crappie anglers, watch this 25-minute video that covers Kansas crappie fishing during spring, summer, fall, and winter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sazyEuIT_bk Get the kids, get your friends and Go Fishing. Remember to "CLEAN, DRAIN AND DRY" your boats, trailers and equipment. | |||
NEOSHO RIVER AT CHETOPA DAM - Last Updated: 3/17/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddlefish | Fair | Paddlefish snagging season is now open, and river levels are prime. Snagging has been slow, but some fish are being caught. Look for fishing to improve with warming water temperatures. | |
| General Comments | |||
| THE SNAGGING SEASON IS OPEN FROM MARCH 15 THROUGH MAY 15TH. •Catch and release is allowed on the Neosho River •A fish must be kept if placed on a stringer. Culling is not allowed. •A state-issued permit is required. Two paddlefish may be harvested daily and six may be harvested in a season. •Barbless hooks are required at Chetopa. The best fishing occurs at river flows of 10-15,000 cubic feet per second. The following link will take you to the Kansas Water Watch website. Click HERE for river flow data. | |||
NEOSHO STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/13/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill / Redear Sunfish | Good | 2-4" -- 13% 4-6" -- 51% 7-9" -- 36%
| Anglers, whether catching for bait, for fun, or for the frying pan, should focus their efforts on the upper end of the lake on the north side on the jetties, east and west coves, and the lower end near the dam along the jetties. A bobber and worm, a 1/16 ounce jig with a small twister tail, or a fly rod with a small fly are all good options to try in water less than 6'. There is a high quality panfish opportunity for anglers to bring the family out and enjoy the scenery at Neosho State Fishing Lake. |
| Warmouth | Fair | <5" -- 25% 6-8" -- 50% >9" -- 25% | Warmouth is another species in Neosho State Fishing lake that is often overlooked as a species for anglers to catch. Anglers can find warmouth primarily near rocky habitats, such as jetties. The same tactics for bluegill and redear sunfish can be used to catch warmouth, such as a small hook tipped with a worm under a bobber, fly rod with small flies, and 1/16-1/32 ounce jigs. |
| Channel catfish | Fair | 10-15" -- 48% 16-20" -- 39% 21-24" -- 13% | The channel catfish population at Neosho State Fishing Lake will provide anglers with a quality fishing opportunity with fish sampled during the fall up to 24", although fishing reports from anglers indicated fish above 24" during the summer. Channel catfish can be found throughout all portions of the lake. Boat anglers can focus their efforts on the flats of 10-12', coves, and the brushpiles located on the southwest corner of the lake. Shoreline anglers can focus their efforts on the rock jetties throughout the entire lake, however the jetties on the southwest side of the lake are in close proximity of brushpiles that may congregate channel catfish. Prepared baits, shrimp, chicken liver, and shad will be your best options to try. |
| Flathead catfish | Fair | All sizes | There is a decent population of flathead catfish. Flathead catfish can be caught on live bait, or fresh cut bait, near brushpiles and flats. Brushpiles are located on the southwest corner of the lake. Flathead catfish will move up to the shallows in the morning, evening, and at night, so fishing off the jetties with a bobber and live bait would be a good tactic to try. |
| Crappie | Good | <8" -- 19% 8-10" -- 59% 10-12" -- 22% | Fall sampling indicated an improved size structure of crappie at Neosho State Fishing Lake with sizes up to 12". Anglers can focus their efforts on brushpiles, which are located on the lower end on the southwest corner of the lake, drop offs and changes in depth located in close proximity to jetties, and coves. 1/8-1/16 ounce jigs with twister tails or tipped with a minnow, live minnows, worms, and small spinners are all good baits to try. Heard reports from anglers catching crappie up to 12" off of brushpiles and dam using bobber and minnows & 1/16 ounce jigs. |
| Largemouth bass | Good | <8" -- 7% 8-12" -- 37% 12-15" -- 38% 15-20" -- 15% >21" -- 2% | Neosho State Fishing Lake contains a quality largemouth bass population for a unique opportunity for anglers in the southeast part of Kansas. The lake contains a variety of habitats, such as coves, brushpiles, and jetties that provide access for anglers to be able to come out to the lake and enjoy a quality day spent on the shoreline. Anglers can focus on jetties, if fishing from the shore, where brushpiles are in close proximity. Fishing the edges of aquatic vegetation that is located near the shore can hold largemouth bass in wait to ambush prey that utilize the aquatic vegetation for forage and refuge. Jetties are located on the north end as well as the east and west sides of the lake. Baits to try include spinnerbaits, top-water lures, plastic worms, and live bait under a bobber are all tactics for anglers to pursue. |
| General Comment | |||
| Water temperature: 51 degrees F, March 13, 2020. A habitat enhancement project was conducted in spring of 2020 with over 250 cedar trees being submerged and 27 new brushpile locations being added. You can find the GPS coordinates at the following link by opening the "Complete Online Map": https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Hunting-Fishing-Atlas/Fishing-Atlas As District Fisheries Biologists, we send out a newsletter to inform anglers of fish sampling result, aquatic outreach events, fish stockings, and habitat improvement projects, for example. We have a spring and fall edition of our newsletters that you can subscribe to. This is sent directly to your email. If you would like to stay up to date on what is happening on Neosho State Fishing Lake (Lake McKinley), Crawford State Fishing Lake (Farlington Lake), Bone Creek Lake, CFAP and FISH properties, and the Mined Land Wildlife Area strip pits, you can subscribe to the Pittsburg District Newsletter at the following link: https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Pittsburg-Fishing-District Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism fisheries staff recently undertook a project to produce lake maps, or bathymetric maps, for public waters statewide. The lake map for Neosho State Fishing Lake can be found at the following link: https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Where-to-Fish-in-Kansas/Bathymetric-Lake-Maps This link will provide you with a link for all bathymetric lake maps for the state of Kansas. Scroll down to find Neosho State Fishing Lake. This will allow for anglers to view the depths of the lake to choose different habitats and lake features to fish for different species, year-round. You will also find current GPS locations of habitat structures placed by KDWPT fisheries staff to easily input into your sonar unit, or find if you are fishing from shore. Be sure to Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat, bait buckets, and recreational watercraft before and after launching your boat. It is important to remove your drain plug on your watercraft upon departure to drain live wells and water inside of your boat; it will protect our natural resources in Kansas for current anglers and future generations to enjoy. Zebra mussels, white perch, and asian carp are all invasive species that can be found in Kansas. Be sure to stay up to date on information regarding Aquatic Nuisance Species. The following link will provide you with information on Aquatic Nuisance Species in Kansas: https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Aquatic-Nuisance-Species If you would like to provide a fishing report for Neosho State Fishing Lake, don't hesitate to contact Connor Ossowski, District Fisheries Biologist, at (620) 231-3173. | |||
OSAGE STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/19/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Fishing Condition | |||
| Fisheries Newsletter | If you want to receive additional information about this lake (including GPS coordinates to any newly placed brush piles) a couple of times during the year, sign up to receive a newsletter using this link http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Lawrence-Fishing-District | ||
| Crappie | Slow-Fair | 0.33-0.75 lbs | Some crappie caught using jigs over brushpiles. |
| Channel catfish | Slow-Good | 0.5-5 lbs | Has been slow, but during periods of inflow it can be good on nightcrawlers. |
| General Comments | |||
| Note: Zebra Mussels were found at this lake April 27, 2017. Lake users should clean, drain and dry fishing equipment and boats to keep from moving zebra mussels to other waters. GPS coordinates (Datum =NAD 83 in decimel degrees) for cedar tree fish habitat are: 1. N38.76493 W095.674210 2. N38.76591 W095.670920
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PLEASANTON CITY LAKE EAST - Last Updated: 3/1/2020 Print
| ecies | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, &Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wipers | Slow | size varies, | Use live shad or shad artificials and hang on. lake wide trolling with sassy shads, from the bank and boat, with crankbaits, spoons, worms. Majority of fish are in the 3 to 5 pound range. |
| Channel catfish | Slow | All sizes, | this lake has a good catfish population and produces nice fish. Anglers can catch fish in the 2- 7 pound range. Best baits are bluegill chunks, worms, liver. some fish 35 inches caught. Best baits are the traditional chicken liver, shrimp, worms, prepared baits, lakewide. The fish feeders are OFF for the season. |
| Largemouth bass | Slow | varies | try the dam, and weed bed habitat using silver or blue crank baits or soft baits. Lots of bass in the 12 to 15 inch range. |
| Walleye | Slow | 18-24 inches | An incidental fish taken near deeper habitat. |
| white crappie | Good | 8-14 inches | Many crappie are in the 8 inch to 12 inches long. Fish around the floating dock,and brushpiles areas in about 6 to 9 ft. ow water. Use pink, blue/white tube or green jigs, minnows. |
| General Comment | |||
| The best time to fish is anytime you can. Go fishing, the fish have to eat. This is a great kayaking lake, no recreational boating. Have the lake to yourself. Recent rains have raised the water level to full pool and the fishing is good overall. There are good crappie here. This lake has a high density of largemouth bass, great fishing for kids! Also, keep in mind that there is a decent wiper population. The channel cat population in this lake is doing well, and during our sampling we saw a few walleye, as well as some sizeable flatheads. Channel catfish have been stocked in mid October to increase fishing opportunities. Zebra Mussels have recently been found in Hillsdale Lake, and we'd like to remind you to stay aware and take all precautions necessary to prevent the spread into uncontaminated waters! This includes cleaning and rinsing your boat and motor, trailer, and equipment, draining any excess water from previous outings, and allowing your boat to dry before using it in a different body of water. Sign up for the Mound City Fishing District Newsletter today! Remember to "CLEAN, DRAIN AND DRY" your boats and equipment. Don't move water from any impoundment. For tips on spring bass fishing check out the KDWPT video at the following link! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpIJaiyW32k For crappie anglers, watch this 25-minute video that covers Kansas crappie fishing during spring, summer, fall, and winter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sazyEuIT_bk This lake is enrolled into the Community Fisheries Assistance Program. A city fishing permit is no longer required.Remember- Wear a Lifejacket and Reach - Throw - Don t Go.
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PLEASANTON CITY LAKE WEST - Last Updated: 3/1/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, &amp; Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| channel catfish | Excellent | Size varies, some up to 8 pounds | Excellent fishery, lots of channel catfish, Use cut shad or sunfish, (best on chicken liver), shrimp, worms, prepared baits, along dam, lots of fat fish from 2 - 6 pounds. Fish feeders are off. This lake is a great channel catfish lake with great shoreline access. |
| crappie | Good | All sizes | The crappie are moving onto staging areas for spawning, usually around the fish habitat improvement brushpiles. Most about 9 inches with some in the 12 inch range. Because of the lake design and habitat placements, most fish are accessible from the shoreline. Fish with jigs, blue /white, minnows, |
| largemouth bass | Excellent | 12-22 inches | water levels are good. The bass are off the deeper edges close to water willow. Use crank baits or spinners, recent sampling shows many bass over 18 inches. |
| bluegill | Slow | varies | Most fish are under 8 inches. use a small worm or jig under a float. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water levels are good. Best time to fish is anytime you can. Pleasanton West Lake produces a quality bass and channel catfish fishery. Largemouth bass, overall are in very good condition and health. The largest bass sampled in 2018 was 4.59 lbs., and 33% of the fish sampled were of memorable or trophy size. Try your luck with roadrunners, jigs, and spinners for these sizeable fish! Zebra Mussels have recently been found in Hillsdale Lake, and we'd like to remind you to stay aware and take all precautions necessary to prevent the spread into uncontaminated waters! This includes cleaning and rinsing your boat and motor, trailer, and equipment, draining any excess water from previous outings, and allowing your boat to dry before using it in a different body of water. Get the kids, get your friends and Go Fishing. Remember to "CLEAN, DRAIN AND DRY" your boats and equipment. Don't move water. For tips on spring bass fishing check out the KDWPT video at the following link! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpIJaiyW32k For crappie anglers, watch this 25-minute video that covers Kansas crappie fishing during spring, summer, fall, and winter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sazyEuIT_bk This lake has a high density of channel catfish that increases angling opportunity. Remember- Wear a Lifejacket and Reach - Throw - Don t Go.This is a Community Fisheries Assistance Program Lake, no fishing permits required. | |||
POMONA RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 3/10/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish, blue catfish | Slow | all sizes | Good baits are worms or dip baits and sunfish entrails or cutshad, stink/prepared baits. Both of the Parks provide many good shorelines for bank fishing. THE FISH FEEDERS ARE OFF. THE outlet can be very good when releasing larger amounts of water. There is the occasional harvest of the blue catfish. |
| Walleye | Slow | varies | walleye are moving into staging areas for spawning. Try off the dam or along deeper steep banks on crank baits or jigs tipped with night crawlers |
| White bass/Wipers | Slow | varies | Good baits are minnows/live baits, cut bait, sometimes for wipers use liver and shad imitation lures. |
| Crappie | Good to Excellent | varies but range 8 -12 inches | There are a lot of crappie over 10 inches here and overall anglers are doing well. Some nice fish caught especially around the rock quarry. Best baits are dark jigs and/or minnows. Recent sampling indicates that that there are good numbers of larger crappie around the 11 inch or bigger range. |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | Most are 10 to 15 inches | Pomona has a limited black bass fishery. Catches are more common in the Marina area and in the coves on a variety of baits to include crankbaits and soft baits |
| General Information | |||
| For daily water levels or release rates check out the Pomona COE web site, listed below. Currently the stilling basin should be good during the water releases. Fishing at the outlet usually improves with higher water releases. Overall the crappie population is good with a few older fish that are in the 12 to 14 inch range and a lot of younger fish up to 11 inches. The catfish population in this impoundment is good, try fishing with live bait, liver or shad or assorted stink baits, especially after rain/inflow events. Also remember this lake has a good wiper population. These are often caught at the drop offs along creek channels, and around concentrations of gizzard shad. The reservoir also supports some larger walleye and blue catfish, though in low numbers. These numbers will be improved by future stockings. Zebra mussels now inhabit this lake. This means take EXTRA PRECAUTION to help prevent the spread into uncontaminated impoundments. "Clean, Drain and Dry" before and after using any equipment on this lake. For additional information, water temperature, release rates, please check:http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Locations/District-Lakes/Pomona-Lake/Daily-Lake-Information/ Have FUN,Get the kids, get your friends and Go Fishing. Remember to "CLEAN, DRAIN AND DRY" your boats and equipment. The State and COE Parks are ready for family fishing. Sign up for the Mound City Fishing District Newsletter today! Check out this video on fish management provided by KDWPT http://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Special-Fishing-Programs-for-You/Fishing-Videos/Kansas-Fish-Management For crappie anglers, watch this 25-minute video that covers Kansas crappie fishing during spring, summer, fall, and winter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sazyEuIT_bk | |||
WILSON STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/16/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location | |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 16-24" | Catfishing has been good. Channel catfish have been moving into the shallows during warm days. Nightcrawlers have been working well. | |
| Largemouth and Spotted Bass | Fair | 10-22" | Largemouth bass fishing has been slow. Soft plastic swim baits or anything resembling a shad have been working best. Look for bass to start moving into the shallows with warm weather. | |
| Crappie | Fair | 8-12" | Crappie fishing has been slow. Look for crappie to start moving into the shallows to spawn. Vertical jigging or minnows have been working best. | |
| Bluegill and Redear | Fair | 6-8" | Bluegills and redears fishing has been slow. Look for bluegill and redear sunfish in the shallows with warming water temps. Worms under a bobber have been working best. | |
| General Comments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Both maintained boat ramps are currently usable. A bathymetric map is available for Wilson State Fishing Lake at the link above. District Newsletter We have created a fishing newsletter that can be sent out to all that subscribe to it. This newsletter is for fishing information for the Independence District (Chautauqua, Labette, Montgomery, and Wilson counties) only. | ||||
WOODSON STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Bait, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | 8-12" | This is a young population with very few fish over 12" use smaller lure presentations to have success. |
| Channel Catfish | Slow | 12-18" | Various catfish baits should work. A few fish are above the 15" minimum length limit but do not expect to catch any big fish. |
| Walleye | Slow | 8-12" | I don't expect any of these fish to be above the 15" minimum length limit. |
| Bluegill | Slow | 4-6" | mealworms, nightcrawlers, or small jigs. |
| Crappie | Slow | Some adult crappie were stocked last year, and more fingerlings will be stocked this year. But for now, do not expect to catch many. | |
| Woodson State Fishing Lake is back open to fishing, however, do not expect to catch many harvestable size fish. Be sure to read and follow the length and creel limits. We added 120 brush piles and 220 Georgia Cubes to the lake for fish habitat. For a map of these habitat locations and a bathymetric map of Woodson State Fishing Lake CLICK HERE | |||
YATES CENTER - SOUTH OWL - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass | Fair | 1-5 lbs. | Try lipless crankbaits, suspending jerkbaits, big spinnerbaits, or swimbaits along the sunniest banks. The fish should become more active as the waters slowly warm up. |
| channel catfish | Fair | 1/2-15 lbs | Chicken liver, cut bait, or other prepared baits lakewide, focus should be on wind blown banks or near areas where water is running in during rain events. |
| Walleye | Slow | 10-24" | Fish will start to move shallow soon to spawn try using crankbaits or rattletraps along the rocks |
| crappie | Fair | up to 14" | Most of the fish have moved to deeper water around structure, points or dropoffs. Jigs of various colors are usually productive this time of year. |
| General Comments | |||
| STOP AQUATIC HITCHHIKERS! CLEAN, DRAIN, and DRY your boat and livewell before leaving an area. DO NOT MOVE FISH OR BAIT between waters. We sank 30 Georgia Cube Fish Attractors in this lake and they are holding fish. Click on the following link to download the Google Earth File and get the coordinates. http://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Hunting-Fishing-Atlas/Fishing-Atlas/GPS-KML-Information-Files/Google-KMZ-file-of-Artificial-Habitat-Fish-Attractor-GPS District Fisheries Newsletter. http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/KDWPT-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-New-Strawn-Fishing-District | |||
YATES CENTER CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 3/20/2020 Print
| Species | Size | Rating | Baits, Methods, Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redear and Bluegill | up to 10" | Fair | A good population of both species is present in this lake. Use the good ol nightcrawler or mealworm under a bobber around deep structure. |
| Largemouth Bass | 8-18" | Fair | Reaction style baits such as suspending jerkbaits, lipless crankbaits, swimbaits, and spinnerbaits are good choices this time of year as the water temps. slowly warm up. |
| Catfish | up to 10lbs. | Fair | livers, dip baits, worms, and other prepared bait lakewide, usually best along wind blown banks. Look for areas where water is running in. The feeders are off for the fall and winter. |
| Wipers/White Bass | 8-18" | Fair | Curly-tailed grubs, crankbaits or swim baits around schools of shad. Wind blown shorelines should be good places to start. Vertical jigging slab spoons or shad imitation jigs around the creek channel may also be productive. Areas with running water can also be good. |
| Crappie | up to 12" | Fair-Good | Jigs or minnows fished vertically around the standing timber near the creek channel should be productive. Some fish may still be caught near the piers by the brush piles. |
| Walleye | 15-24" | slow | crankbaits around rocky shoreline during low light conditions or jigging around the creek channel and timber. |
| This lake contains Eurasian Watermilfoil. Please remember to help stop the spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat and equipment when leaving water bodies. | |||