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: 7/15/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | 12-18 inches | Summer is a good time to catch bass but much of their feeding activity is during the early morning and evening hours when temperatures are cooler. They can be found near the flooded cattails and also hang out under the overhanging branches along the east shoreline. Fish may also be found near the flooded aquatic vegetation around the lake. Try spinnerbaits, Ned rigs, Senkos, and plastics for best results. |
| Bluegill/Sunfish | Good | 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. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 12-25 inches | Fish can be caught just about anywhere on the lake. Anglers should try using shad sides, shad gizzards, shrimp, nightcrawlers, and chicken liver. Targeting inflow is a popular method in the summer as the catfish will congregate there to feed. Fishing after dark can yield excellent results as the fish become more active. |
| Saugeye | Fair | 15-24 inches | The best number of saugeye can be found on the upper end around the jetties and other rocky areas. Jig and crawler, large shiners, crankbaits, and swim baits are all good options to use for catching saugeye now. |
| Crappie | Fair | 8-14 inches | Anglers should target the brush piles and other submerged structure with minnows and jigs throughout the summer. Anglers are encouraged to harvest high numbers of crappie to help maintain a desirable level. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water Temperature--81ºF CAUTION: LONGER BOAT TRAILERS MAY FALL OFF EDGE OF BOAT RAMP WHEN WATER IS LOW | |||
CEDAR BLUFF RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
| Black Bass | Good | Up to 4.5 lbs. | Fish can still be caught casting spinner baits and swim baits over points in coves. But prominent main lake points, shelves and other structures such as submerged parking lots and roadbeds have really started heat up. Deeper running presentations such as soft plastics and swim baits tend to work better for main lake oriented fish as they tend to run deeper. Employing a top water presentation over shallow points and along the dam face early and late has been effective as well. Anglers are catching lots of fish in the 1.5 lb. range with a few 3 to 5 lb. fish mixed in. |
| Crappie | Good | Up to 15 inches | Pitching jigs at flooded brush and timber on points and steeper drop-offs in 12 to 18 feet of water at the mouths of coves or out on the main lake or trolling jigs and small crank baits over deeper open water for suspended fish. Most fish have been in the 9 to 9.5 inches, but anglers have been able to manage a few fish in the 12 to 14 inch range. A 10 inch minimum length limit and 50 fish/angler/day creel limit is in effect on crappie harvest. |
| Walleye | Slow/Fair | Up to 28 inches | Anglers report incidentally catching a walleye here or there while fishing for white bass and wipers. |
| White Bass/Wipers | Good | Whites up to 17 inches Wipers up to 13 lbs. | Some anglers report catching fish suspended in 25 to 30 feet of water and others report catching fish keying on main lake points in approximately 15 feet of water. Anglers fishing deeper fish are trolling crankbaits or vertically fishing slab spoons. Casting crank baits and swim baits for shallower running fish has been best. Most of the harvestable white bass range in length from 12 to 16 inches and many of the wipers range from 6 to 8 lbs. but hybrids up to 13 lbs. have been reported. |
| WATER TEMPERATURE-82 degrees F SURFACE ELEVATION- 2133.11 ft. above MSL-10.89 ft. 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 Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location include = Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Crappie, White Bass/Wiper, and Walleye | |||
GLEN ELDER RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 7/15/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 9-15 inches | Some fish may still be found in the brush piles and Georgia cube structures as well but many have begun to disperse from these holding areas. Actively searching for roaming crappie will be needed for now with a variety of jigs and minnows your best bets to catch these fish. There have been good numbers of 14 to 15 inch crappie caught recently. |
| Walleye | Good | 11-25 inches | Most of the fish have moved to the central and western portions of the reservoir and have begun to move shallow. Depths of 5 to 15 feet seem to be best with some fish still coming from 25 to 30 feet of water. The south bluffs, Granite Creek, the golf course area, the Cawker City causeway, and Walnut Creek are all good areas to look for walleye this time of year. 
Tagged Glen Elder Walleye Anglers need to be on the lookout for adult walleye with a Pink Tag attached to the dorsal fin in Glen Elder. A multi-year telemetry study is underway examining walleye mortality patterns, habitat use, and movement. Anglers catching a tagged fish will receive a $100 reward for return of the transmitter which has been placed in the internal cavity of these fish. You may keep the pink tag but we need the transmitter returned. Angler reporting is very critical to this study and you can all do your part by calling the park office, 785-545-3345, if you catch one of these fish or simply drop the transmitter off at the office. You will receive $100 shortly thereafter. Thank you for doing your part in helping us learn all we can about the Glen Elder walleye population! |
| Black Bass | Good | 12-20 inches | Smallmouth bass fishing is going strong with anglers catching some fish around the state park along the north shore. With a 21 inch length limit these fish are almost all sublegal so please handle them with extreme care and release them immediately after catching them. They can also be found along the dam, Granite Creek, and the south bluffs. Anglers typically catch them using a variety of crankbaits, soft plastics, and Ned Rigs. Largemouth bass can also be caught in most of the main lake coves as well as in the state park using spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Senkos. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 15-30 inches | Catfish can be caught just about anywhere lakewide. The best numbers in the summer can be found around the mouth of Walnut Creek, along Sandy Beach, near Takota Point, and on the flats south of the golf course. Anglers can try drift fishing for them using shad sides, shad gizzards, and stinkbait. Blue catfish can be found primarily around the Cawker City causeway and west up both the North Fork and South Fork Rivers. Anglers have caught a few blue catfish on set lines around Boller Point. Remember, there is a 35 inch length limit on blue catfish at Glen Elder. |
| White Bass | Good | 11-18 inches | Anglers can find these fish along the Cawker City causeway and on the dam throughout the summer. They can also be found on windblown points on the north shore with a strong south wind blowing in. Best baits include twister tails, roadrunners, and small spinnerbaits. |
|
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: 80°F Current Water Level: 0.4 feet high 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: 7/15/2021 Print
| Species
| Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 9-11 inches | Anglers should target the brush piles and other submerged structure with minnows and jigs throughout the summer. Anglers are encouraged to harvest high numbers of crappie to help maintain a desirable level. Target these fish with minnows and jigs slowly retrieved under a bobber. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 12-22 inches | Largemouth can be found near the flooded cattails and also hang out around flooded trees, stumps, and logs. Fish may also be found near the flooded aquatic vegetation around the lake. Try spinnerbaits, Ned rigs, Senkos, and plastics for best results. There is an 18 inch minimum length limit on all bass in Jewell |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 11-25 inches | Fish can be caught just about anywhere on the lake. Anglers should try using shad sides, shad gizzards, shrimp, nightcrawlers, and chicken liver. Targeting inflow is a popular method in the spring as the catfish will congregate there to feed. Also, anglers have had great success fishing off the jetty next to the boat ramp. Remember there is a 15 inch minimum length limit on channel catfish |
| Bluegill Redear Sunfish | Good | 6-9 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. |
| General Comments | |||
|
ATTENTION ANGLERS! There is a new regulation for all sunfish species which began in January 2019. Fish between 6 and 9 inches must be immediately released. There is no limit on the number of fish less than 6 inches, but anglers are limited to only 5 fish greater than 9 inches per day. This applies to bluegill, redear sunfish, green sunfish, and their hybrids. Water temperature: 82ºF Water level: FULL Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish and Crappie | |||
KANOPOLIS RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 7/27/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | 16 - 21" | The catfish bite is good here. Some are being caught on cut bait and worms along the river channel from the south boat ramp all the way to buzzard bay. Try deeper catfish humps and structure near bluffs. |
| Crappie | Good | 10 to 14 inches | Try deeper structure and brush piles with 1/16 oz. jigs and live minnows. |
| Trout | No reports. | ||
| Saugeye | Fair | 14 - 22" | Few are being caught but look for them on wind blown points in the middle and lower ends of the reservoir. Also try shallow shoreline areas first thing in the morning with hard jerkbaits (chartreuse, firetiger). Try 1/8 - 1/4 oz. swimbaits and jigs (pink and chartreuse work well in the muddier water). |
| White Bass | Good | All sizes - up to 17 inches | Many white bass are being caught throughout the reservoir. Try yellow plastic grubs and small swimbaits along wind blown points and shallow areas near the river channel (Buzzard Bay and/or Boldt Bluff). |
| Wiper | Fair. | All sizes | No report |
| General Comment | |||
| Elevation: 4.3 feet above conservation pool. Water Temperature: 84-87 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: 7/29/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | 7 to 16 inches | Did have reports of crappies being caught around 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 and up in the coves. Been using jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. |
| Saugeye/Walleye | Fair | 13 to 27 inches | Did have reports of fish being caught around Monkey island, 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 | Good | 10 to 28 inches | Did have reports of fish being caught and would concentrate on areas around Monkey Island and the RR bridge abutments on the south side using jigs and slab spoons. Trolling diving lures could also be productive. |
| Catfish | Fair | 10 to 30 inches | Did have reports of fish being caught up to the west end, the Dam, and other rocky areas using shad, worms, cut bait, shrimp and stink bait on the bottom. Setlines could also be productive using live bait. |
| Largemouth/Spotted Bass | Good | 10 to 20 inches | Did have reports of fish being caught along the Dam, up in the coves and around the breakwater using crankbaits and plastic imitations. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 83° SURFACE ELEVATION- 2296.45 ---- 7.85 below conservation pool Currently, the water level is 3.18 feet lower than it was one year ago, at this time. All waters in the Stockton District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Just remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps. 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. Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Crappie | |||
KIRWIN RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 7/29/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | 7 to 17 inches | Anglers have been catching fish around the north and south shore fish attractors, along river channel drop offs and along the Dam, also been hearing of fish being caught up in the using jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. |
| Walleye | Fair | 10 to 29 inches | Did have reports of fish being caught along the Dam, river channels and up on the flats. Therefore, would be a good idea to get those jigs and nightcrawlers out. Trolling diving lures could also be productive. |
| White Bass/ Wiper | Good | 10 to 28 inches | Did have reports of fish being caught around the fish attractors and along the dam using jigs with twister tails, road runners and crankbaits. Would also look for them up to the west end of the reservoir. Also, watch for them surfacing as they feed on shad. |
| Catfish | Fair | 10 to 30 inches | Did have reports of fish being caught up Bow Creek and North Fork Solomon arms, the Dam and Crappie Point using shad, worms, cut bait, and stink bait on the bottom. Setlines could also be productive using live bait. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 12 to 22 inches | Did have reports of fish being caught. Therefore, would try fishing up in the shallow areas off the Dam, coves and rocky area using jigs and crankbaits. Remember there is a 15-inch length limit on bass. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 83° SURFACE ELEVATION- 1728.81 ---- 0.44' below conservation pool Currently, the water level is 0.27' higher than it was one year ago, at this time. Releasing 177 cfs to the irrigation canal. Docks have been put back in at the North ramp and South shore ramp. The fish cleaning station has been opened. Both ramps are open at this time. All waters in the Stockton District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Just remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps. If you have any questions regarding Kirwin Reservoir and the surrounding public lands, contact the USFWS at 785-543-6673. 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: 7/15/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Fair | 16-25 inches | There are some fish being caught along 2-mile road using jigs and crawlers as well as a few fish coming from the creek channel between Cabin Point and Oak Hill. Another good method to try now is trolling along Cedar Point and Walleye Point in 10 to 15 feet of water. Other fish often move shallow around the smartweed beds on the west end and can be caught trolling crankbaits with planer boards throughout the summer. |
| White Bass/Wipers | Fair to Good | 7-14 inches 15-25 inches | Anglers will find fish along the dam and other rip rapped shoreline around the reservoir. Casting a variety of small crankbaits, roadrunners, and slabs can all catch fish this time of year. Wipers are often found off the dam and along the creek channel on the lower half of the reservoir this time of year. Fish will also be found on the windblown points feeding on the recently hatched gizzard shad, especially around Cedar Point and Walleye Point. |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | 8-14 inches | Anglers should target crappie in post spawn areas in 8 to 15 feet of water. Some fish may still be found in the brush piles and Georgia cube structures as well. Actively searching for roaming crappie will be needed for now with a variety of jigs and minnows your best bets to catch these fish. During the summer anglers have the best success using minnows fish on a Texas rig around structure. |
| Catfish | Good | 16 to 35 inches | Anglers can find catfish lakewide and they should be fairly easy to catch throughout the summer. Best baits to use in the summer include stinkbait, shad gizzards, shad sides, shrimp, and nightcrawlers. Anglers often report good catches of blue catfish near the 2-mile road area, near Oak Hill, and off Cabin Point. 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 | |||
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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. More Georgia Cubes were added in April 2020! Current water temperature: 79ºF Current water level: 3.9 feet above conservation pool 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: 7/29/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| CURRENT FISHING | |||
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 6-18 inches | Anglers are catching fish lake wide using crankbaits and plastic imitations. |
| Bluegill | Good | 3-9 inches | Anglers are catching fish lake wide use worms under a bobber. |
| Catfish | Good | 10-25 inches | Would try using worms, stinkbait and shrimp on the bottom. |
| Black Crappie | Good | 5-10 inches | Catching them lake wide using jigs, jigs with worms and jigs with minnows. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water Temp. 85 Degrees Lake is currently full. All waters in the Stockton District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Just remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps. 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: 7/23/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Slow | Up to 13 inches | Trolling small crankbaits off the dam or vertically fishing minnows around the deeper brush. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | Up to 5 lbs. | Casting swimbaits and soft plastics around shoreline brushpiles, along the dam, around the fishing piers, and around laydown trees. |
| Saugeye | Slow | Up to 3 lbs. | No Report. |
| Bluegill | Fair/Good | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber over areas possessing a sandy, gravelly, or rocky bottom type. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | Up to 19 lbs. | Stillfishing shrimp, liver, or prepared baits off the bottom has been productive lately. Anglers report catching fish mostly in the 1.5 lb. range. |
| Wiper | Fair | Up to 2 lbs. | Casting or trolling small white or silver jigs and small slab spoons. |
| 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: 7/29/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | 7 to 17 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught around the north and south shore breakwaters and fish attractors. Also been hearing of some being caught up in the shallows of Old Marina and Rock Point coves. Jigs or jig's tipped with minnows have been productive. All 4 maintained fish attractors have had new trees added to them. |
| Walleye | Fair | 14 to 26 inches | Did have reports of fish being caught off the bank and up on the flats. Therefore, it would be a good time to get those jigs and night crawler's out. Would also try trolling diving lures along the dam and river channels. |
| White Bass/Wiper | Good | 8 to 28 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught around the north corner of the Dam, Broken up concrete ramp and Lakeview/beach area fishing from the shore casting jigs and road runners. Also, been hearing of fish being caught trolling diving lures. Would also look for them surfacing while feeding on shad. |
| Catfish | Fair | 12 to 30 inches | Did have reports of catfish being caught up in the shallows of coves and river channel using shad, worms, shrimp, and stink bait on the bottom. Setlines could also be productive using live bait. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 12 to 22 inches | Did have reports of bass being caught. Therefore, would try in the coves, around the breakwaters and along the rocky areas using jig's, plastic bait's, crankbait's and spinner baits. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 83° SURFACE ELEVATION- 1891.23 ---- 1.22' below conservation pool The water level is 0.33' lower than it was one year ago at this time. High-water boat ramps usable at this level are Old Marina, Goose Flats, Morel & Rock Point. All boat ramps are currently open at this time. Releasing 130 cfs through the outlet channel. All waters in the Stockton District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Just remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps. 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: 7/27/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Striped Bass | Fair | 7-25 pounds | Larger fish are relating to deeper water near Lucas campground, mouth of Marshall Cove, and towards the dam. Try trolling crankbaits and casting/jigging large bucktail jigs along channel breaks. |
| Walleye | Fair | 18-25 inches | Few reports but warm water has them located off deeper points and breaks near Minooka, Lucas Park, and the dam. Try drifting swim baits and slow-death rigs off deeper (12-20') structure in the early morning or late evening. |
| Blue/Channel Catfish | Good | 2-20 pounds | Channel Catfish) Channel cats are biting well and can be found very shallow to moderate depths. Try cut bait or dough bait. Blue Catfish) Some blue cats are still in the upper end of the river and Hell Creek but they are more scattered throughout the reservoir. Try fresh cutbait in 6-20 feet of water on river channel swings or flats near these swings. 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. Several reports of White Bass being caught on windblown points, specifically near Marshall Cove. Try Mepp's spinners and grubs. |
| Black Bass | Fair | 12-20 inches | Fair. The largemouth and smallmouth bites have slowed but drop shot and small inline spinners are still having some success on deeper banks. Top water bite is still reasonable in the early morning and late evening in the backs of coves and along rocky banks. |
| White Perch | Poor | 4 to 12 inches | No report. - 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 = 0.5 feet above conservation pool. Surface Temperature = 84 - 86 degrees F BOAT RAMP UPDATE: All boat ramps are open. WEAR YOUR LIFE JACKETS and be courteous at boat ramps! We have two Aquatic Nuisance Species - white perch 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: 7/20/2021 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. Some anglers are catching 7-9" fish under a slip bobber from the jetties. |
| 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 | |||
| The lake is undergoing renovations and is currently drawn down. Anglers are unable to launch a boat. Shore fishing is still allowed. If you have information that you would like to contribute to the fishing report contact Nick Kramer at nick.kramer@ks.gov The lake is currently drawn down to remove sediment build up from the southern cove. It is not possible to launch a boat at this time and shoreline access may be difficult with recent weather. | |||
BROWN STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 7/20/2021 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. Some anglers have caught some spawning fish from the jetties using a slip-bobber and minnow or jig. |
| 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 nick.kramer@ks.gov | |||
CENTRALIA CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 7/2/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | Up to 20 pounds | Over the history of the lake, the channel catfish population has maintained a great fishery. The 2020 sample recorded that the number of channel catfish are up, but the average size of fish is down. Early summer is a great month for catfishing! |
| White Bass | Fair | 1/2 to 1 lb. | The most recent sample shows low numbers of white bass but they are nice sized with 80% at 12 inches or bigger. |
| Wiper | Fair | Up to 26" | There is decent numbers of wiper with most 16 to 22 inches long. Wiper creel limit is 2 per day. |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | 1/2 to 1 pound | Crappie numbers are swinging back up from being down the last two years. The majority of the fish are below 8 inches but crappie grow exceptionally fast at this lake. Crappie are in their summer pattern and can usually be found scattered in the standing timber, 6 to 10 feet deep. |
| Saugeye | Fair to Good | 2 to 8 lbs. | The abundance of saugeye in the 2020 sample was slightly above the long-term average. 31% of the saugeye were over the 18 inch minimum length limit with a lot of 15 inch saugeye coming on. Dragging a worm can still be good this time of year, but trolling crankbaits always a good bet. |
| 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: 7/26/2021 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 | 0.5-1.5 lbs | Crappie are being caught in water 10-20 feet deep around brush piles and standing timber vertically fishing jigs. |
| Channel catfish | Fair-Good | 0.5-5 lbs | Some action using shad, cut bait, sunfish, minnows and nightcrawlers. |
| Wiper | Fair | 4-8 lbs | Using swim baits and large jigs, either casting or jigging over channel breaks. Trolling crankbaits are producing some fish. |
| White bass | Fair | 0.5-2 lbs | Trolling crankbaits, or vertically fishing jigs over channel breaks and along the dam. |
| 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 | |||
| Anglers please remember to practice proper social distancing, especially at boat ramps areas and other locations that naturally concentrate users. All boat ramps are open in the State Park. Also, the Bloomington Ramps are open, except for Bloomington West (i.e. north of town of Clinton). 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: 7/26/2021 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 | ||
| Channel catfish | Fair | 0.5-6 lbs | Using minnows, nightcrawlers, cut bait, and stink bait. |
| LM Bass | Fair | 0.5-3 lbs | Some action casting jigs, and crankbaits along shoreline cover. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 0.25 lbs | Using worms under a bobber, jigs, and small spinners. |
| General Comments | |||
DOUGLAS STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 7/26/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
| Channel catfish | Fair | 0.5-4 lbs | Using nightcrawlers, minnows, stink bait, shad, and sunfish. |
| LM Bass | Fair | 0.5-3 lbs | Casting crankbaits and jigs along shoreline cover. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 0.33 lbs | Using worms under a bobber, jigs, and small spinners. |
| 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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Bluegill/Redear Sunfish, Bullhead | |||
GARDNER CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Good | Up to 8 inches | Livebait under a bobber fished near structure or vegetation edges. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | Up to 14 lb. | Channel catfish can be taken now on a variety of live or prepared baits. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 12 inches | Use minnows and jigs near docks and vegetation edges. Some recent reports of a good bite near docks. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | Up to 4 lbs | Finesse plastics, jigs, or spinner-baits target docks and vegetation edges. |
| White Bass | Slow | 14 to 17 inches | White bass can be taken in open water on shad imitation lures. |
| General Comments | |||
GEARY STATE FISHING REPORT - Last Updated: 7/26/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Slow/Fair | near brush/rock drop offs and channel ledges 10 ft deep on jigs, minnows, and spinners | |
| Catfish | Good | near wind blown flats on cut bait and worms | |
| Saugeye | Fair | near dam and rock points on jigs, worms, and crankbaits | |
| Black bass | Fair/Good | 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 2021 should be for saugeye, crappie, and largemouth bass. WARNING..ZEBRA MUSSELS NOW PRESENT!!! Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel/Flathead Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill/Green Sunfish, White Bass, Common Carp | |||
HERINGTON CITY LAKE (NEW) - Last Updated: 7/26/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | Good | near wind blown flats and creeks on cut bait and worms | |
| Crappie | Slow/Fair | near points, brush, and rock 10ft deep on jigs and minnows | |
| Walleye | Slow/Fair | along the dam and edges of flats and points on jigs, worms, and spoons | |
| White Bass/Wipers | Good | along creeks, dam and points on spinners, jigs, and crankbaits | |
| General Comments | |||
| This lake provides a diverse fishery, but best in 2021 should be crappie, wiper, and white bass. Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel/Flathead Catfish, Crappie, Wiper/White Bass | |||
HERINGTON CITY LAKE (OLD) - Last Updated: 7/26/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | Good | 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 | Good | ||
| Bluegill | Fair/Good | near brush/rock 5ft deep on jigs and worms | |
| White Bass | 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: https://www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm | |||
HILLSDALE RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Fair to Good | Up to 9 lbs. | Target shallow flats, main lake and secondary points. Jigs and shallow running crankbaits are the best method of take. Some are also being caught with bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses. Some walleye are being taken off Hillsdale Point, near the Tontzville bridge, and Scott Creek Arm. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 13 inches | Some fish are being caught off deep brush and channel breaks. Jigs and minnows are both producing fish. |
| White Bass | Fair | Up to 2 lbs. | Target white bass off wind blown points. White bass are also being found in the back of lake arms. Jigs and shad imitation lures are the best baits right now. |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | Up to 4 lbs. | Target shallow water 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 | Fair | 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 July 16th the water level is 2.1 feet above 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: 7/20/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Great Kansas Fishing Derby
| Banner Creek has been included in the Great Kansas Fishing Derby. Anglers who catch a tagged fish can register the tag number on www.ksfishderby.com to claim a prize. So far only three of the fifteen tagged fish have been caught and reported. 12 more chances to win! | ||
| 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 may be moving shallow with warming weather. Try finding some brush piles or georgia cubes in the around the 10' range. |
| 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. Many fish are up shallow right now. |
| 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. Others have targeted these fish trolling along the creek channel in the mid-part of the lake. |
| 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 nick.kramer@ks.gov 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. Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill/Green Sunfish, White Bass, Flathead Catfish | |||
JEFFREY ENERGY CENTER - MAKE-UP LAKE - Last Updated: 7/2/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | Slow | 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 | Fair | 1/2 to 1 pound | Crappie numbers have been low for a few years but are trending up due to good spawns in 2017 and 2018. Ok numbers of fish over 10 inches. There is a brushpile just south of the dock. |
| Catfish | Fair to Good | 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 tend to be good spots. The lake has a low level blue catfish population with most below 20 inches. The lake is home to some big flathead. |
| Walleye | Fair | 1 to 5 pounds | The 2020 fall gill net samples and electrofishing samples indicate the lake has a fair walleye population available to anglers with the majority of fish being over 15 inches. Walleye regulations are 2 per day and a 15 inch minimum length limit. |
| White Bass | Fair | 1/2 to 2 pounds | There was a giant white bass spawn in 2020 that is dominating the population. |
| Wipers | Fair | Up to 12 pounds | Wiper numbers were below average in the 2020 fall sample. Most of the fish seen were 15 to 18 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: 7/2/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | Slow to Fair | 1 to 4 lbs | The 2021 sample documented that the popular smallmouth bass population has started to recover from a down spell with a resurgance of young fish that resulted in the highest sample number recorded in the last five years. Hopefully, these young fish will boost the population back up to its previous glory. The lake has a low level largemouth bass population dominated by fish less than 14" but there are a few big toads around. 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. Fish can be found about anywhere, but rocky points or the dam are consistently good. |
| 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 to Good | Up to 5 lbs | The walleye population has been trending up the last few years. Anglers have done well so far this year. Dragging a worm or trolling crankbaits. 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 and a big brush pile along the point just North of the boat ramp. |
| 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: 7/26/2021 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. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 0.25 lbs | Using worms under a bobber, small spinners, and jigs. |
| Channel catfish | Fair | 0.5-6 lbs | Some fish being caught using shad, minnows, cut bait, liver and stink bait. |
| LM Bass | Fair | 0.5-3 lbs | Casting jigs along patches of aquatic vegetation, some also being caught along rocky shorelines using jigs or crankbaits. |
| 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. | |||
| Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Drum, White Bass, Walleye | |||
LEAVENWORTH STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 7/20/2021 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. | |
| Great Kansas Fishing Derby | Leavenworth State Fishing Lake is participating in the inaugural Great Kansas Fishing Derby this year. If you can a tagged fish you may register it at www.ksfishderby.com to claim a prize. Only one of the twenty tagged fish has been caught; there are plenty of chances to win! | ||
| 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. From a boat, some catfish can be found near brush piles. |
| 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. |
| General Comments | |||
| If you have information that you would like to contribute to this fishing report, contact Nick Kramer at nick.kramer@ks.gov. 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. Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel/Flathead Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill/Redear/Warmouth
| |||
LOUISBURG-MIDDLE CREEK SFL - Last Updated: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | 1/2 to 11 lbs. | Channel catfish can be taken right now on a variety of baits lakewide. |
| Flathead Catfish | Fair | 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 | Good | 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. Some crappie are being caught slow trolling jigs and small crankbaits. |
| 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 | Slow | 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: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 0.5-5 lbs | Plastic finesse baits along vegetation edges are producing the best right now. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 0.33 lbs | Jigs or worms fished near shoreline structure. |
| Channel Cat | Fair | 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. Majority of the fish being caught are around 8 inches, but some larger ones can be found. |
| 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 has died-off for the summer. Most areas are clear. | |||
MILFORD RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 7/26/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | Good | 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 | Slow/Fair | 10-20ft deep suspended near points, flooded brush, and ledges on jigs and minnows | |
| Walleye | Fair | Target rocky or wind-swept mud banks or along dam with jigs, crankbaits, or bottom bouncers w/ worms 21" minimum length limit, 2/day creel limit. | |
| White Bass/Wipers | Fair/Good | Target windy banks and points using jigs on reservoir Wiper creel limit is now 5/day | |
| Smallmouth Bass | Fair/Good | ||
| Largemouth Bass | Fair/Good | ||
| Outlet | 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: https://www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.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: 7/20/2021 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 dirty 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 nick.kramer@ks.gov. | |||
OLATHE - LAKE OLATHE - Last Updated: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 8 inches | Nightcrawler under a bobber fished near shoreline structure. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | Up to 5 lbs. | Channel catfish are being taken on live and prepared baits. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 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 baits are producing best right now. |
| Saugeye | Slow | Up to 4 lbs. | Jigs tipped with a nightcrawler fished on the flat. Shad imitation baits will also produce bites. There is a good population of 18 inch saugeye available to anglers right now. |
| Wiper | Slow | Up to 11 lbs. | Use shad imitation baits and find bait fish near drop-offs. |
| White Crappie | Slow | 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. Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel/Flathead Catfish, Crappie, Saugeye | |||
PAOLA CITY LAKE - LAKE MIOLA - Last Updated: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 0.5-4 lbs | Finesse plastics fished near vegetation edges and structure. |
| Channel catfish | Good | 0.5-6 lbs | Chicken liver or worms fished near mainlake points. |
| Crappie | Fair | 0.5-1 lbs | Minnows and jigs are catching fish right now. Crappie are shallow near structure, brushpiles, weed edges, and rock banks. |
| 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 | Fair | 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 again on 3/17/20. Some new brushpiles were created and some brush was added to some of the existing 2018/19 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: 7/20/2021 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 may be moving into prespawn. Try targeting larger rocky shorelines or adjacent mudflats with nightcrawlers and cutbait. |
| Sauger | Slow | up to 2.6 lbs. | There are good numbers in the reservoir but are difficult to target. Try trolling crankbaits or lindy rigs along the dam. Casting a jig or crankbait in areas under a light may produce some fish during the night. |
| Largemouth Bass Smallmouth Bass | Fair Fair | up to 5.0 lbs. up to 5.0 lbs. | Lots of small 8-10 inch bass were seen this past spring. Fishing should be great as these fish continue to grow. Try casting crankbaits and spinner jigs near any of the newly fallen trees along the shoreline. |
| 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. | Fish can be found in brush piles anywhere from shallow to 15 feet. Target areas that still have creek or river channels close by. |
| Blue Catfish | Fair | up to 25.0 lbs. | We have been sampling good numbers of fish in the mid-lake area, over old channels or near drop offs. A few nice fish in the 35 inch length limit range can be caught, 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 | |||
| For current lake elevation, inflow, and outflow click here and for the lake forecast click here. All boat ramps are open. Devil's Gap boat ramp is limited to one lane. If you would like to place habitat in Perry Reservoir or contribute to the fishing report, please contact the Fish Biologist, Nick, at nick.kramer@ks.gov to obtain a permit. The locations of all known fish habitat can be found here. This is a generic report and will be updated as information becomes available. | |||
POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 7/2/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | Fair | 1/3 to 1 lb. | Moderate numbers of crappie. |
| Bluegill | Fair to Good | 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 | Good | 1/2 to 4 lbs. | The lake has been maintaining a great largemouth bass population, however the percentage of bass over 15 inches dropped in the 2021 sample. Bass 13 to 18 inches long are protected at this lake. |
| 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: 7/2/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Fair to Good | Up to 9 inches | The bluegill population offers good numbers of 6 to 8 inch fish. Great place to take a kid with worms and a bobber. |
| 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 lake is known for being a good spot for catch and release bass fishing. The 2021 annual sampling effort documented that the lake continues to provide a very high abundance of largemouth bass. The size structure is starting to improve with 36% of the fish were over 12 inches. |
| 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: 6/30/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | Fair to Good | 1/2 to 4 pounds | The 2021 sample records that the black bass population has been holding steady for some time now, with good numbers of largemouth bass and a moderate smallmouth bass population. 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. A few smallmouth bass over 6 pounds have been caught the last few years. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | 3/4 to 3 pounds | The lake is in the Urban Stocking Program and is regularly stocked with 12 to 18 inch channel catfish. The third stocking of the year occured on June 30th when the lake received 675 pounds of catchable sized catfish. So far this year the lake has been stocked with a total of 1,800 catfish. Best baits tend to be worms or commercial catfish baits. Channel catfish creel at the lake is 5 per day. Next stocking is scheduled for August 31st. |
| Crappie | Good | 1/4 to 1 pound | The lake supports a decent crappie population. There is some habitat structures just out from the boat ramp dock. Bobber with a minnow. |
| 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 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. Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill/Warmouth, Saugeye | |||
ROCKY FORD FISHING AREA - Last Updated: 7/2/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | Fair to Good | 1 to 20+ pounds | Fishing for all three species of catfish can be good at Rocky Ford. 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. Fishing for all three specis has been good the last two weeks. Please check any blue catfish for a yellow or orange 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 (620) 342-0658 or ely.sprenkle@ks.gov A big THANK YOU to all who report their catch! |
| White Bass and Wipers | Fair to Good | 1/2 to 8 pounds | Been steadily good the last few weeks. Crankbaits or white jigs. |
| Drum | Good | 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 many of those fish end up at Rocky Ford. One of the best places to catch saugeye. Brightly colored jigs, swimbaits, crankbaits or jerkbaits. |
| 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: 7/20/2021 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 pulling fish out of the timber or along the pond dam on the west side using slip bobbers with either a minnow or a jig. |
| 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 may be found along the dam and off of points. |
| Wiper | Great | up to 7.5 lbs. | Wipers may 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 shoot an email to nick.kramer@ks.gov. Thanks! This is a generic report and will be updated as information becomes available. | |||
SHAWNEE MISSION PARK LAKE - Last Updated: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Fair | 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 | Fair | Up to 6 lbs. | Some being caught lake wide. Best bite with fresh cut bait. |
| Wiper | Slow | Up to 9 lbs. | Live bait and shad imitation baits along the dam are producing the best. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | Up to 4 lbs. | Finesse plastics are working best right now fished near shallow structure. Jigs are catching fish as well. |
| Trout | Trout season is over look for them to be stocked again next fall. | ||
| 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: 7/2/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 1/2 to 6 pounds | The lake has been maintaining a very good population of largemouth bass for the last ten years. The 2021 spring electrofishing sample collected the most bass ever at the lake. This recent boom in numbers has decreased the average size of bass, but the lake is still one of the best places around to catch largemouth over 15 inches. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crappie | Fair to Good | 1/2 to 1 pound | The lake was in an experimental study to reduce gizzard shad numbers. This lake tends to be dominated by gizzard shad over 10 inches that compete with crappie for food and space. This kept the crappie small and skinny. We were successful in reducing gizzard shad numbers which has resulted in crappie having the highest percentage of fish over 8 inches in 20 years. Spring fishing has been good with anglers doing well along the rock piers or corners of the dam. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | 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 third stocking of 2021 was on June 24th when 700 pounds of channel catfish was put into the lake. So far this year, a total of 2,125 catfish have been stocked in the lake. 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.
Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill/Redear Sunfish | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TUTTLE CREEK - Last Updated: 7/2/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 1/2 to 2 pounds | Crappie have moved into their summer pattern and can be found in standing timber. Stockdale cove is a good summer spot. The awesome fishing this spring is due to the great population in the lake. The 2020 sample collected the most fish over 10 inches in over 20 years. Hopefully this trend continues on. |
| White Bass | Slow | 1/2 to 2 pounds | White bass numbers continue to be low due to limited spawning success the last six years. A few being caught trolling. |
| Catfish | Fair to Good | 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. Fishing in the upper end of the lake and in the river has been good. The blue catfish population is finally starting to get established with the first successful natural spawn documented in 2016. To protect the population until it can sustain itself, a 35-inch minimum length limit is in place. The plan is to modify the regulations to allow more harvest of blue catfish starting in 2022. You can read more about this in my summer newsletter that can be downloaded at https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletters Please check any blue catfish for a yellow or orange tag in its back as we have been tagging 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 (620) 342-0658 or ely.sprenkle@ks.gov A big THANK YOU to all who report their catch! |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 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 second best. |
| Saugeye | Fair | Up to 6 pounds | Current numbers of saugeye in the Reservoir are ok, but the best saugeye fishing can be found downstream of the lake in the River Pond or Rocky Ford. Casting crankbaits, brightly colored jigs or dragging a worm. |
| General Comments | |||
| You can check current water conditions HERE Zebra mussels were found in Tuttle Creek in 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: 7/2/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 1/3 lb | The lake has a decent bluegill population. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | Up to 7 lbs | The lake supports a good channel catfish population. The 2020 fall fish sampling recorded the best potential in 20 years. Numbers of catfish are up and the size of the fish was well above average. Should be a good spot for channel catfish in 2021. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 1lb | The crappie population is currently dominated by fish less than 8 inches. However, there is still fair numbers of crappie above 10 inches. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | Up to 4 lbs | The largemouth bass population has been steadily improving. The 2021 sample collected the most bass in over twenty years. The size structure is also looking good with highest percentage of the population over 12 inches in the last ten years. Lots of bass around 15 inches with decent numbers of larger fish. |
| Saugeye | Slow | Up to 3 lbs | Saugeye numbers are low and harvest is expected to be low until the population rebounds through 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: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | Slow | Up to 13 inches | Jigs or minnows near deeper brush or drop-offs. |
| Bluegill | Good | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | Up to 10 pounds | Worms or cut bait are producing the best right now. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | Up to 5 pounds | Finesse plastics near deeper structure or vegetated flats. |
| Smallmouth Bass | Fair | Up to 17 inches | Crankbaits or jigs near rocky habitat. |
| Wiper/White Bass | Slow | Up to 17 inches | Shad imitation baits off wind blown points or flats |
| 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. | |||
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: 7/29/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Sizes Possible | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | No report | Up to 12 inches | Crappie should be back in deeper water. Try jigs & minnows around brush and weeds. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit. |
| Channel Catfish | No report | Most in the 1 lb. size range | Fishing cut bait, frozen shrimp or stink bait lake wide. Harvest regulations include a 5/day creel limit. |
| Largemouth bass | No report | Up to 4 lbs. | Casting topwater baits early and late then soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation the rest of the day. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. |
| Bluegill | No report | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush in deeper water. There are no harvest restrictions at this time. |
| Walleye | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Drifting worm and nightcrawlers over points, flats and along rip-rapped shorelines adjacent to deeper water. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. |
Water temperatures should be in the upper 70's. Typical summer time patterns for channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass should work.
All waters in the Dodge City District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps.
We have not received any reports from anglers. 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
Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill/Green Sunfish
CLARK STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 7/29/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Sizes Possible | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | Slow | Up to 12 inches | Should be around brush and cubes an deeper water. Try jigs or minnows. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | Most in the 1 lb size range | Fishing cut bait, shrimp or stink bait lake wide. |
| Largemouth bass | Fair | Up to 4 lbs | Top water baits early and late then soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation the rest of the day. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush in deeper water. There are no harvest restrictions at this time. |
| Walleye | Good | Up to 4 lbs | Lots of 12 - 14 inch fish being caught on jig and worm. Also casting crankbaits and swimbaits over points, shelves, and along rip-rapped shorelines adjacent to deeper water. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. |
| White Bass
| Good | Up to 17 inches | Shad bodies on small jig heads have been doing ok. Vertically fishing slab spoons over the tops of fish attractors or prominent windblown main lake points and shelves. Most of the larger white bass range from 12 to 17 inches. There are no harvest restrictions at this time. |
Water temperatures should be in the 70's and the lake is still about 4 feet low. Typical summer time patterns for channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass should work.
All waters in the Dodge City District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps.
We have received very few reports from anglers. You may call the Dodge City Regional office as 620-227-8609 to make a report.
Boats are being put on the water only at ramps 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: 7/29/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Sizes Possible | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 12 inches | Should be about done spawning. Still catching lots of fish around shallow rocks. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | Most in the 1 lb size range | Fishing cut bait, shrimp or stink bait lake wide. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. |
| Largemouth bass | Fair | Up to 4 lbs | Try topwater baits early and late and then soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation the rest of the day. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. |
| Bluegill | No report | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush in deeper water. There are no harvest restrictions at this time. |
| Walleye | Good | Up to 8 lbs | Drifting jig and nightcrawlers over points, shelves, and along rip-rapped shorelines adjacent to deeper water. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. |
Water temperatures should be in the upper 70's. Typical summer time patterns for channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass should work.
We have received very few reports from anglers. You may call the Dodge City Regional office as 620-227-8609 to make a report.
All waters in the Dodge City District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps.
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
Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Walleye
MEADE STATE LAKE - Last Updated: 7/29/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Sizes Possible | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | No report | Most of these fish are 5-7 inches with an occasional 14 incher. | Crappie should be in deeper water. Try jigs or minnows around deeper brush and weeds. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | Most in the 1 lb size range | Fishing cut bait or stink bait lake wide. Harvest regulations include a 5/day creel limit. |
| Largemouth bass | Slow | Up to 6 lbs | Try topwater baits early and late then casting soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation the rest of the day. Harvest regulations include a 13-18 inch slot length limit and 5/day creel limit. |
| Bluegill/Redear | No report | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush in deeper water. There are no harvest restrictions at this time. |
| Saugeye | Slow | Up to 16 inches | Casting crankbaits and swimbaits over points and along rip-rapped shorelines adjacent to deeper water. This is a new species in the lake and a few should make it to the minimum length limit of 18-inches by this summer. There will be a 2/day creel limit when they do reach 18 inches. |
Water temperatures should be in the 70's. Typical summer time patterns for channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass should work.
All waters in the Dodge City District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps.
We have not received any reports from anglers. 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
PRATT COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 7/29/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Sizes Possible | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | Slow | Mostly 3 - 5 inch fish that were spawned last year. | Crappie should be back in deeper water. Try jigs or minnows around any deeper cover. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | Most in the 1-2 lb size range but up to 7 lbs | Fishing cut bait or stink bait lake wide. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 2/day creel limit. |
| Largemouth bass | Fair | Up to 18 inches | Try topwater baits early and late then casting soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation the rest of the time. Harvest regulations include a 18-inch minimum length limit and 2/day creel limit. |
| Bluegill/Redear | No report | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush in deeper water. There are no harvest restrictions at this time. |
| Walleye | No report | Nearing 15 inches | Try drifting ji9g & nightcrawlers over points and along rip-rapped shorelines adjacent to deeper water. Harvest regulations include a 18-inch minimum length limit and 2/day creel limit. |
| Wipers
| Fair | Nearing 15 inches | Jigs around windblown main lake points. Harvest regulations include a 18-inch minimum length limit and 2/day creel limit. |
Water temperatures should be in the upper 70's. Typical summer time patterns for channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass should work.
We have received very few reports from anglers. You may call the Dodge City Regional office as 620-227-8609 to make a report.
All waters in the Dodge City District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps.
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: 7/23/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
| Channel Catfish | Fair/Good | Most in the 13 to 18 inch range | Still fishing cut or prepared baits off the bottom in deeper water at night has been best. Most fish have been in the 15 inch range, but fish up to 8 lbs. have been reported. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 13 inches | Vertically fishing jigs or minnows around brushpiles in deeper water or same baits under a bobber along the edges of cattails adjacent to deeper water. Anglers report catching good numbers of fish in the 6 to 9 inch range. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | Up to 5.5 lbs. | Casting soft plastics around shoreline brush and laydown trees. |
| Sunfish | Good | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber along riprapped shorelines, around brush, or along the edges of cattail beds. |
| Saugeye | Slow | Up to 7 lbs. | No recent report. |
| General Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Release all 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 Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Saugeye | |||
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: 6/21/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel catfish | Fair | 1 - 5 lbs. | Fair. Catfishing is fair right now. Try worms and cutbait on the bottom. | |
| Crappie | Good | 8-13" | Good. Most are situated on deeper breaks towards the dam but shallow fish are still being caught along brush. | |
| Largemouth bass | Fair | Up to 6 lb. | Fair. Topwater and dragging carolina rigs and texas-rigged worms is working best right now. The evening bite is good. | |
| Saugeye | Poor | 15-26" | No reports but try 1/8 and 1/4 oz. jigs tipped with worms along the dam and piers. | |
| General Comments Water temperature: 82 - 85 degrees | ||||
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ANTHONY CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel catfish | Fair to Good | up to 12lbs | Try fishing cut bait, worms, or stink bait near wind blown areas in the morning and evening. |
| Crappie | Poor to Fair | Up to 14" | Try jigs or minnows near structure. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | Up to 5lbs | Try using soft plastics, spinner baits, or topwater lures near structure in the morning and evening. |
| General Comments | |||
| Please practice social distancing and observe all safety precautions put in place by staff. Thank you. For the latest information on the COVID-19 virus, visit http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/index.htm . | |||
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: 7/23/2021 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 | Fair to Good | up to 8 lbs | Creel limit 2/day Length Limit 15-inches Fish areas where the wind is blowing in. Worms, stink baits, or fresh cut baits are all good selections. Feeders are up and running. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | up to 17 inch | Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and larger plastic worms have been productive this week. Early morning and late evening topwater bite has been productive as well. |
| Crappie | Fair | Most fish are 5 to 7 inches | 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 | Good | Up to 7 inches | Worm and bobber near brushy cover and rocks. |
| General Comments | |||
| Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass | |||
CHASE STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 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 to Good | up to 8 lbs | Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. Prepared, cut bait, or worms on windy shorelines. Feeders are up and running. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | up to 17 inch | There is a 13 to 18 inch slot limit on Largemouth Bass in effect at the lake. Plastic worms, small flukes, spinnerbaits, or crankbaits near shoreline cover early and late in the day. Fish are moving deeper during midday hours. |
| Saugeye | Fair | up to 18 inch | Flukes or crank baits along windy shorelines. |
| Spotted Bass | Fair | up to 14 inch | Jig and plastics along the dam and off the rock points. |
| Bluegill | Good | up to 6 inch | Hard to beat a small piece of worm fished under a small float near weeds, brush, or rock. |
| Crappie | Fair | up to 11 inch | Crappie are being caught in brush along the south shoreline across from the boat ramp. |
| General Comments | |||
CHENEY RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 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 to Good | Up to 27" | Trolling crank baits, spoons, or live bait in 10-20 feet of water. Top water in the morning and evening. |
| Walleye | Fair | Up to 26" | Try using large crank baits and jigs near points and drop offs. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 17" | Try using jigs or minnows near structure in 10-15ft of water. |
| Blue Catfish | Poor to Fair | Up to 40 lbs | Fish with live bait or cut bait in 15-30ft of water. Many reports of small (10") Blue Catfish being caught. Be sure to identify your catch! |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | Up to 20lbs | Try fishing cut bait or stink bait near wind blown areas 5-15 ft of water. |
| White Perch | Good | Up to 12" | White perch are being caught using similar methods for Wipers and White bass. Most White Perch are 5"-8". 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 | |||
| KDWPT facilities are open to the public. Please practice social distancing and observe all safety precautions put in place by staff. Thank you. For the latest information on the COVID-19 virus, visit http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/index.htm . | |||
COUNCIL GROVE CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 7/26/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zebra Mussel | Zebra mussels have been discovered in Council Grove City Lake. Click HERE for more information. | ||
| Bluegill | Fair/Good | near gravel banks and vegetation on small jigs and worms | |
| Crappie | Fair | 10 ft deep near ledges on jigs and minnows | |
| Channel catfish | Good | near windy flats and flooded brush on cut bait and worms | |
| Black bass | Good | on jigs, spinnerbaits, or crankbaits 5-15ft deep near docks, points, and brush | |
| Walleye | Slow/Fair | along dam and deeper points/banks on jigs and spoons | |
| White bass | 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. You must have this certificate in your possession while fishing and/or boating at Council Grove City Lake. | |||
COUNCIL GROVE RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 7/26/2021 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. | ||
| Channel Catfish | Good | near wind blown flats and creek channel ledges on cut bait and worms | |
| Saugeye | Slow/Fair | near dam and gravel/rock points on jigs and worms | |
| White Bass | Fair/Good | along deep rock points and ledges on spinners and jigs | |
| Wiper | Fair/Good | 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: 7/23/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Good | up to 8 inch | Small jigs or a bobber and live bait are good choices. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 18 inch | 15-inch minimum length limit 5/day creel limit Stink baits, worms, and fresh cut bait off the piers, points, and around the feeders. Feeders are up and running. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | up to 16 inch | Bass activity has been good recently at Cowley. Fish are being caught on the weed edges in 4 to 6 feet of water early and late in the day. Fish are going deeper during the midday hours. |
| Redear Sunfish | Good | up to 9 inch | Same as bluegill |
| General Comments | |||
| 38 new brushpiles were added to Cowley SFL. You can find the locations HERE, just zoom in on the map to see Cowley SFL. | |||
EL DORADO RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 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!! | ||
| Wiper | Fair to Good | up to 25 inch | 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. Windy points and mainlake humps on plastics, crankbaits, and spoons. Fish are busting shad on top early morning and late evening. |
| White bass | Fair to Good | up to 16 inch | 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. White bass report similar to the wiper report. Small jigs, Roadrunners, and spinners are all good selections. |
| White Perch | Fair | up to 6 inch | Click HERE for info on properly identifying white perch. Small hooks and live bait in water 8 to 16 feet deep over rocky areas or old roads. White perch will also hit a variety of lures such as jigs, spoons, and crankbaits. |
| Crappie | Fair | up to 15 inch | 20/day creel limit effective January 1, 2018. 8 to 16 feet deep near brush or flooded timber. Jigs or minnows. |
| Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 37 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. A blue catfish tagging project in underway at El Dorado. Please see the information below in the General Comments section for all the details! Blue catfish have been caught near river channels and breaks this week on fresh shad or other fresh cut bait. |
| Walleye | Fair | up to 26 inch | THE WALLEYE LENGTH LIMIT IS 21-INCHES WITH A 2/DAY CREEL LIMIT. Walleye are on the flats where jig and crawler combos or jig and spinner combos have been productive at a variety of depths from 8 to 20 feet. Trolling crankbaits is also producing fish along breaks, channels, and old roads. |
| General Comments | |||
| 0.7 feet Above Normal Pool, releasing 13 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. Blue Catfish Tagging Project Underway at El Dorado Blue catfish – native to major river basins in eastern Kansas – can reach massive sizes. Kansas’ current state record was caught from the Missouri River, weighing in at more than 100 pounds. As blue catfish populations become established in Kansas’ largest reservoirs, popularity of this species among anglers also continues to grow. One such growing fishery can be found in El Dorado Reservoir. While many anglers might associate El Dorado Reservoir with monster walleye, hard-fighting wipers, or slab crappie, blue catfish are developing a following in the 8,000-acre impoundment. Blue catfish were introduced into El Dorado Reservoir in 2004 to establish an additional predatory fish population and to provide anglers with a new sport fishing opportunity. Annual stockings occurred for six years, creating a population that first exhibited natural recruitment in 2009. As the population grew, it became apparent that the fishery would benefit from harvest of smaller fish. In 2016, KDWPT implemented a 25- to 35-inch protected slot length limit, five fish daily creel limit, and a maximum of two fish over 35 inches. As with any new regulation, data is needed to gauge effectiveness. To collect this data, KDWPT Fisheries biologists are tagging up to 2,000 blue catfish in El Dorado Reservoir. Tags will appear as a small yellow vinyl tube beneath the fish’s dorsal fin. Each tag will display an ID number unique to that fish and a phone number to call to report the catch, (620) 342-0658. Biologists hope to gain information about the area’s blue catfish population size, entrainment through the dam, and the fish’s susceptibility to harvest. Success of this project is dependent on anglers reporting the tagged fish they capture. Information needed during the call will be the length of the fish, date, tag number, and whether the fish was kept or released. Anglers who report their tagged catch will receive an award as compensation for their participation. Anglers should note that tagged blue catfish that are not legal for harvest must be returned to the water immediately after recording the tag information. If the tagged catfish is legal for harvest, anglers may keep or release the fish. Because part of this study is to evaluate harvest patterns, biologists encourage anglers not to let the presence of a tag influence their decision to keep or release the fish. If you find a tagged blue catfish on the end of your line this summer, please take the time to call it in. Data collected from these fish are invaluable to fisheries biologists and will only improve angling success in the future. | |||
HARVEY COUNTY EAST LAKE - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 22" | Try fishing cut bait, worms, or stink bait near wind blown areas at night. |
| Crappie | Poor to Fair | up to 14" | Try a jig or minnow fished near structure. |
| Largemouth Bass | Poor | up to 20" | Try fishing soft plastics, crank baits, or spinner baits near structure in the morning and evening. |
| Saugeye | Poor | up to 25" | Fish with jigs, large crank baits, or minnows near rocks or flats in the morning and evening. |
| General Comments | |||
| KDHE has issued a Blue Green Algae WARNING for Harvey County East Lake: A harmful algal bloom is EXPECTED OR PRESENT
Please practice social distancing and observe all safety precautions put in place by staff. Thank you. For the latest information on the COVID-19 virus, visit http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/index.htm . | |||
KINGMAN STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 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 at night. |
| Largemouth Bass | Poor to Fair | Up to 4lbs | Fish near structure and rocks with soft plastics, spinner baits, or topwater lures in the morning and evening. |
| Northern Pike | Poor | Up to 35" | Try using large spinning baits or live sunfish. |
| Crappie | Poor | Up to 14" | Use minnows under a bobber, or small jigs near structure in the morning or evening. |
| General Comments | |||
|
KDWPT facilities are open to the public. Please practice social distancing and observe all safety precautions put in place by staff. Thank you. For the latest information on the COVID-19 virus, visit http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/index.htm . | |||
MARION COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | up to 8 lbs | The catfish bite has been good recently. Productive baits have been worms, stink baits, and fresh cut bait. Windblown points and shorelines have been the best. |
| Crappie | Fair | up to 12 inch | 20/day creel limit Crappie are on brush or other woody cover. |
| Bass | Fair to Good | up to 18 inches | 13 inch to 18 inch slot limit 5 fish per day creel limit. Please harvest largemouth bass under 13 inches to improve effectiveness of this slot limit! Bass are in shallow shoreline vegetation early and late in the day and moving out to 5 to 8 feet during the day. Plastic baits, jigs, and crankbaits have all been producing fish. Spotted bass are being caught on the rocky shorelines and points on jigs and smaller crankbaits. |
| Saugeye | Fair | up to 24 inches | Crankbaits and flukes on rocky shorelines |
| Bluegill | Fair | up to 8 inch | Small live baits near rocks or brush |
| White Bass | Fair | up to 15 inches | Along windblown shorelines and points on plastics or crankbaits. |
| Wiper | Fair | up to 23 inches | Same as white bass |
| General Comments | |||
| 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: 7/23/2021 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. | ||
| 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 | Fair to Good | Up to 10 lbs | Drifting fresh cut bait along windy shorelines and nightcrawlers or prepared baits where the wind is blowing in. Also cut bait or prepared baits in the river. |
| White Crappie | Fair | up to 12 inches | 20/day creel limit Crappie are being caught in brush or near breaks. Jigs and minnows are good selections. Early and late in the day have been best. |
| Walleye | Good | lots of 18 to 20 inch fish with some over 21 inch being caught. | 21 inch minimum length limit became effective on walleye January 1, 2020. Jig and crawler or bottom bouncers and spinners tipped with a crawler have been doing producing walleye this week. The crankbait bite has also been good. |
| White Bass | Fair to Good | up to 15 inch | Main lake ledges in 10 to 12 ft of water or windblown shorelines and points on the windier days. Lipless crank baits or jig and plastic have been productive. |
| Wiper | Fair to Good | 18 to 24 inches | Same as white bass |
| 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 | |||
| 0.2 feet below Normal Pool, releasing 18 CFS. | |||
SEDGWICK CO. - LAKE AFTON - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 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"-8" | 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 24" | Try cut bait, worms, or stink bait near wind blown areas in the morning and evening. Channel Catfish were last stocked on June 16th. |
| Crappie | Poor | up to 15" | Try using minnows or jigs near structure. Most Crappie are small with a few big ones mixed in. |
| Bluegill | Fair | up to 8" | Try a small piece of worm under a bobber around shallow structure. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | up to 21" | Try soft plastics, spinner baits, and topwater lures in the morning and evening. |
| General Comments | |||
| Please practice social distancing and observe all safety precautions put in place by staff. Thank you. For the latest information on the COVID-19 virus, visit http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/index.htm Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass | |||
WELLINGTON CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | up to 6lbs | Fresh cut shad or stink baits on windy shorelines and points. |
| Wiper | Slow | There hasn't been much wiper activity this week. | |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | up to 12 inch | Jigs and minnows near cover in water 6 to 14 feet deep. |
| Saugeye | Fair | up to 25 inch | Rocky shorelines, dams, and windy shorelines are all good locations. Jerk baits, crank baits, and medium sized fluke styled plastics are good lure choices. |
| General Comments | |||
WELLINGTON HARGIS CREEK - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | up to 10 lbs | Worms and stinkbait along windy shorelines. |
| Crappie | Fair | up to 11 inches | Minnows under a float near the flooded trees. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | up to 16 inches | Larger soft plastics like flukes or medium to large sized jerk baits |
| Saugeye | Slow | Few reports this week | |
| General Comments | |||
WICHITA - URBAN FISHING REPORT - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | Up to 5 lbs | Chisholm North, Watson, Emery Park, the KDOT lakes and the other lakes in the Wichita Metro Area are excellent for Catfish. Try fishing with cut bait, worms, hot dogs, or stink bait in the morning or evening. Channel Catfish were last stocked in the Wichita metro area on June 23rd. |
| Crappie | Poor | Up to 12" | Crappie fishing is best at the KDOT Lakes, Watson Park, and Chisholm North lake. Try using minnows or a small jig near structure on warmer days. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | Up to 20" | 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, Sedgwick Co Park, and Chisholm north lake. Try using soft plastics, crank baits, or spinner baits near structure. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 10" | 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 structure. |
| Rainbow Trout | N/A | up to 23" | Trout season ends April 15th. Rainbow trout are stocked into KDOT East, Vic's Lake, and Slough Creek. Try using floating dough baits, worms, small spoons, or spinners. The last stocking of the season for KDOT East, Vic's Lake and Slough Creek was on March 16th. 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 | |||
| KDWPT facilities are open to the public. Please practice social distancing and observe all safety precautions put in place by staff. Thank you. For the latest information on the COVID-19 virus, visit http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/index.htm Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - KDOT East and West Lake - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill/Redear/Green Sunfish, Common Carp | |||
WINFIELD CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 7/23/2021 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 | Crappie are being caught on cover/brush in 8 to 14 feet of water. Jigs or minnows. | ||
| Channel catfish | Fair to Good | up to 4 lbs | Stink bait or cut cut bait on shallow wind blown points and shorelines. | ||
| Black bass | Fair to Good | up to 17" inch | Early and late in the day has been best. Largemouth in the weeds and trees and smallies in rocky areas and points. | ||
| White bass | Fair to Good | up to 14 inch | Open water areas where the wind is blowing. Points and ledges and the old road are good spots to check. | ||
| Wiper | Fair to Good | up to 24 inch | Same as white bass | ||
| Walleye | Fair | up to 26 inches | Walleye minimum length limit 18 inches. Look for summer walleye on north shore flats and points. Trolled crankbaits are a great choice this time of year. | ||
| 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.
TORONTO RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 7/29/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| channel catfish | fair | 3% 11"-16" 48% 16"-24" 41% 24"-28" 8% 28"-36" | Use a worm, stink bait, or shad sides in outlet or set lines at night. |
| largemouth bass | poor | 23% 8"-12" 23% 12"-15" 54% 15"-20" 0% 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 12 bass per hour of electrofishing sampled in the reservoir. 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. |
| white bass | fair | 0% 6"-9" 6% 9"-12" 84% 12"-15" 10% 15"-18" 0% 18"+ | Use a jig and spinner trolled on mudflats and points. Watch for schools of gizzard shad breaking the surface from white bass feeding. |
| white crappie | fair | 54% 5"-8" 28% 8"-10" 12% 10"-12" 6% 12"-15" 0% 15"+ | Use a jig or minnow around deep brush piles in Toronto Cove, Mann's Cove, and north side of Duck Island at early morning and just before dark. |
| General Comments | |||
| Link to USACE reservoir water level: http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/TORO.lakepage.html Size structures are from 2020 fall test netting and 2021 spring electrofishing for largemouth bass. To view a map of Toronto Reservoir brush piles, copy this file into Google Earth and zoom into the reservoir. 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: 7/20/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 6-12" | Crappie fishing has improved. Crappie have moved to deeper water. Look for fish around the Rea Bridge area and also deeper brush pile. Minnows under a bobber and vertical jigging small spoons and tube jigs have been working best. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 16-24" | Catfishing remains good. Look for catfish to move into the shallows near sharp brakes at dark as well as in the flooded timber during the day. Shad sides have been working best. |
| Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass | Good | 12-20" | Largemouth bass fishing remains good. Look for largemouth in deeper structure. Soft plastics and deeper running crank baits have been working best. Smallmouth bass have been slower. Look for them in deep water rock cobble. |
| Bluegill and Redears | Fair | 5-7" | Bluegill and redear fishing remains steady. Bluegill and redear have moved out from shallow water and can be found in deeper weed lines and brush. Fishing small jigs tipped with a worm works best. |
| 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: 7/26/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill / Redear Sunfish | Good | 6-10 inches | 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 | 15-32 inches | 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 | 8-14 inches | Lots of submerged trees, high water clarity, and adequte forage.... 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 | 15-21 inches | 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. |
| Saugeye | Good | 16-22 inches | 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 19-24" range. 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. It is critical as these fish are establishing a population. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water Temperature: 84° F, 7/26/2021 Remember to continue to practice social distancing during this COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing to practice social distancing will ensure we can keep our public fishing access points open for everyone. 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. 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: 7/1/2021 Print
| species | ratings | size | baits, methods, locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 8 to 12 inches | crappie are in post spawn and are close to woody structure and deeper water. Try jigs, minnows. Recent sampling show a nice population of 10 - 14 inch crappie. |
| 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. Fish the creek mouth where the fresh water comes in and the fish are stacked up. |
| Largemouth bass | Good | most bass in the 13 to 16 inch range | The bass are post spawn pattern fish with jigs, spinners, gizzard shad plugs, lots of smaller fish but larger fish like 5 to 7 pounds are available. |
| General Comments | |||
| The best way to measure social distancing is with a fishing pole. This lake has limited shoreline access so please spread out, social distance. 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: 7/1/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel catfish | Excellent | varies | Go fishing, the fish have to eat. try bluegill chunks, chicken liver. Anglers are catching big Fish around the feeders from 7 to 12 pounds. Fish feeders are ON and there are a lot of fish around these. Gearup for big channel catfish. We recently stocked channel catfish so the density is even higher. | ||
| 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 | Slow | 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 | crappie are in postspawn pattern. use minnows and dark jigs, recently bigger fish over 11 inches reportedly caught, but lots of 9 inch fish. | ||
| Comments | |||||
| The best way to measure social distancing is with a fishing pole. This lake is great for shoreline angling, lots of room to spread out. 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. Zebra Mussels have recently been found in Hillsdale Lake, and Linn Valley, Linn County, (Private Lake Development), we'd like to remind y 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: 7/1/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass ( Largemouth and Spotted Bass) | Good | Fish 10 to 17 inches dominate the population | Raising water levels have flooded shoreline vegetation producing lots of bass cover. Use spinners, plastic baits, crankbaits. |
| Bluegill/redear sunfish | Good | all sizes | Nice redear sunfish 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 | Good | 12-22 inches | Use cut bait, stink baits, chicken liver, worms, the fish feeders are ON. After hard rains fish the south end where the water comes in. Fish the creek mouth where the fresh water comes in and the fish are stacked up. We recently restocked channel catfish so the density is really high. |
| Crappie | Fair | 8 - 12 inches and up | Sampling indicates a good crappie population with a good percentage of fish over 10 inches. Try using minnows, jigs under a 5ft float, along the piers. |
| General Comments | |||
| The best way to measure social distancing is with a fishing pole. The water is normal and clear. The boat ramp is fine. This lake has great shoreline angling, lots of room to spread out, for social distancing. This great weather is perfect for fishing. Recent channel catfish stockings will spice up the fishing. Zebra Mussels have recently been found in Hillsdale Lake, and Linn Valley, Linn County, (Private Lake Development), we'd like to remind y 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. Because of C 19 virus, and crowding of anglers the fish feeders are OFF for the season. | |||
COFFEY COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Methods, Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| largemouth bass | Slow-Fair | 8 in to 21 inches | Focusing on typical largemouth habitat, wood, weedbeds, or rock. Slow rolling heavy spinnerbaits or chatterbaits might work or working big swimbaits or jigs around the same cover. If you need to slow it down try Texas-rigged plastics either creature baits or big worms. Topwater baits may also be a good option around the same cover. |
| walleye | Fair | 14-25 inches | Trolling various crankbaits or live bait over broad flats, points, or humps should produce some fish. Some nice keepers have been caught recently. |
| channel catfish/blue catfish | Good | 1/2-5 lbs, Blues up to 50lbs. | Various prepared baits, liver, and worms usually good for channel catfish lakewide. Using fresh cut bait such as shad or carp usually is best for blue catfish. Fishing wind blown banks or up in the riprap should be productive or try creek channel swings and humps. Don't be afraid to fish shallow water for both species. 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 | Slow-Fair | 10-20 inches | Throwing small shad imitators like compact spinnerbaits or crankbaits. Crayfish imitating baits should also work. Ned rigs or drop shots are great techniques to use for smallmouth. Topwater baits can also be productive on rocky points near deep water. There have been some nice sized fish caught recently, but numbers are hard to come by. |
| white bass/Wipers | 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 rocky points. Vertical jigging slab spoons is also a good technique. |
| crappie | Fair | 11-15 inches | Look for crappie back out in deeper water near the standing timber or brush near creek channel bends or ledges. |
| General Comments | |||
| Entrance gate phone number is 620-364-2475 call for lake conditions. Registration for Coffey County Lake is now available online at https://www.coffeycountyks.org/home/showdocument?id=3502. 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: 7/26/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method &Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill / Redear sunfish | Fair | 6-8 inches | 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 | 18-21 inches | 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 | 18-24 inches | 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 22" and 4 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 | 15-26 inches | 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. The marina and east cove fish feeders (2) were filled on July 7, 2021. They are scheduled to go off at 7:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 7:00 PM. The south boat ramp feeder and the east main lake jetty feeder are not filled, due to vandalism. The lids had locks on them and the locks were cut off damaging the motors for the feeder in the process. These two feeders will not be replaced. |
| Flathead catfish | Good | 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 | 6-10 inches | 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 6-8" size range. Please consider harvesting your daily creel limit of 50 crappie per day to help reduce numbers of crappie and open up space for them to grow. 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 | 12-18 inches | Largemouth bass densities and size structure are 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 | |||
| Water Temperature: 86° F, 7/26/2021 Remember to continue to practice social distancing during this COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing to practice social distancing will ensure we can keep our public fishing access points open for everyone. 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. 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. Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Wiper | |||
CRITZER LAKE - Last Updated: 7/1/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Excellent | 13 to 18 inches with a few at 22 inches | Currently the lake is at full pool, water clarity is great at this time. Work the flats close to deeper drop offs and rocky areas, some larger fish available up to 8 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. Warmer water temperatures will trigger more activity. Recently a 9.88 was caught and released. |
| Smallmouth Bass | Poor | 13 to 15" | A limited fishery exists some are taken on jigs, spinners, along the dam and rocky areas. |
| Channel Catfish | Excellent | 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 ON for the season and there are lots of big catfish there. We recently stocked several thousand channel catfish into the lake to boost the population. |
| Crappie | Excellent | any size | Sampling indicates good numbers of nice fish (9 to 12 inches) use minnows and milky white, pink jigs in 12 ft. East half of lake is better. Try areas the flats dropoff to deeper water. Lots of good reports coming from this lake |
| Walleye | Slow | most between 12 to 17 inches | Some are taken on jigs tipped with worms, spinners, dam and upper creek channel |
| General Comments | |||
| Anglers Critzer has tagged fish and is part of the Kansas Fishing Derby program. Look for Tagged fish when fishing. The best way to measure social distancing is with a fishing pole. Water levels are normal. Go fishing, the fish have to eat. Some good bass and catfish were caught this week. The fish feeder is OFF. Recently there were 1,500 channel catfish, and 400,000 walleye fry stocked to spice up the fishing. 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 Linn Valley Lake, this is a private lake community, 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 Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish and Bullhead | |||
ELK CITY RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 7/20/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | 8-14" | Crappie fishing remains steady. Fish are being caught in the river around brush piles and suspended near the dam. Vertical jigging small spoons and tube jigs have been working best. |
| Blue and channel catfish | Good | 18-26" | Catfishing remains good. Look for inflowing water and also drifting the flats have both been producing catfish. Shad sides have been working best. |
| White Bass | Poor | 10-14" | The white bass fishing remains slow. Look for them in deeper river pools and in the reservoir near the dam. |
| Outlet | Good | 12-20" | Water release has picked up. Look for fish to move up into the stilling basin and as water release continues. Shad sides have been working best for channel and blue catfish. |
| 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: 7/29/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| channel catfish | fair | 0% 11"-16" 33% 16"-24" 50% 24"-28" 17% 28"-36" | Use a worm, stink bait, or shad sides in outlet or set lines at night. |
| crappie | fair | 89% 5"- 8" 9% 8"-10" 1% 10"-12" 2% 12"-15" 0% 15"+ | Use a jig or minnow around deep brush piles and rocky points in early morning and just before dark. |
| largemouth bass | poor | 75% 8"-12" 25% 12"-15" 0% 15"-20" 0% 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. |
| white bass | fair | 8% 6"- 9" 24% 9"-12" 32% 12"-15" 32% 15"-18" | Use a jig and spinner trolled on mudflats and points in morning and evening. Watch for schools of gizzard shad breaking the surface from white bass feeding. |
| General Comments: | |||
| Link to USACE reservoir water level: http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/FALL.lakepage.html Size structures listed are from 2020 fall test netting and 2021 spring electrofishing for largemouth bass. 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 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: 7/1/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| largemouth and spotted bass | Good | varies | The water level is good. Fish are in postspawn mode. Try shad crank baits, soft plastic baits close to fish structure, the deeper side of weed beds and along rocky points. Warmer water temps will trigger more fish activity. |
| channel and flathead | Good | varies, some very nice | There is a good population of channel catfish, many around 3-4 pounds. Fish are lakewide, 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. We recently stocked 2,000 larger channel catfish into this lake. The fish feeders are ON. |
| 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 | Fish are right up to the weedbeds. Several warm days in a row will trigger more activity. Crappie 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 | |||
| The best way to measure social distancing is with a fishing pole. Ft Scott Lake has several docks and good shoreline access for fishing. This lake has great shoreline angling, lots of room to spread out, for social distancing. The 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 Scoratino Park. The tree placement along the dam are very accessible for shoreline anglers. This project is will improve angler success for bass and crappie. Recently there were 3,500 channel catfish stocked to spice up the fishing. Zebra Mussels have recently been found in Hillsdale Lake, and Linn Valley, Linn County, (Private Lake Development), we'd like to remind you to "CLEAN, DRAIN and DRY" all watercraft before and after entering this lake. 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: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Slow | 8-14 inches | Use live bait or various colored jigs near deeper structure like brush or ledges. |
| Channel catfish | Good | 8-30 inches | Livers, shad sides, or other prepared baits along ledges or windy banks. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | up to 5lbs. | Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, or squarebill crankbaits fished around shallow cover. If fast baits aren't working switch to finesse rigged plastics like weightless stick baits, Ned rigs, or drop shots. Buzz baits or Whopper Ploppers are good topwater lures during the summer. There are lots of bass in this lake and the population will benefit from you harvesting fish below the slot limit. |
| Wipers | Fair | up to 6 lbs | Chicken livers or crankbaits fish around wind blown banks and dropoffs. |
| 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 Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Redear Sunfish, Drum, Saugeye | |||
GARNETT SOUTH - Last Updated: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Methods, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Fishing Opportunity | |||
| Largemouth Bass | Good | up to 5lbs. | Buzz baits or Whopper Ploppers fished early near shallow structure should produce. They are also biting on spinnerbaits, shallow running crankbaits, or Texas-rigged plastics. Use more finesse techniques if the bite is tougher such as drop shots or Ned rigs. |
| Bluegill | Good | up to 8 inches | Small jigs or flies, also bobber with a worm |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 8-24 inches | chicken livers, cut bait or other prepared bait lakewide. |
| Crappie | Slow | 6-10 inches | Live bait is probably best bet fished under a bobber near deeper water. |
| Comments: 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: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Size | Rating | Bait, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | up to 15lbs. | Good | Drifting various baits lakewide or fishing up near the river. The fish will be scattered with the high water. |
| White Bass | up to 3lbs. | Fair | Fish should be schooled up chasing shad look for them along wind blown banks or the dam also up near the river with the current flowing in. |
| Crappie | up to 15" | Slow | Along the dam or up in the creeks using jigs of various colors or minnows under a bobber. Target areas with rock or woody structure. |
| Comments - Fishing should be good below the dam for multiple species during low to moderate releases. Water Temp. Brush Pile Coordinates:
N 38o 14.743'
N 38o 14.658'
N 38o 14.419'
N 38o 14.256'
N 38o 14.722'
N 38o 14.811'
N 38o 14.922'
N 38o 15.222' 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: 7/1/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel, blue and flathead catfish, | Excellent | all sizes, | Recent sampling indicates that this lake supports good fishing for big blue cats, good channel channel and flatheads. Good baits are worm, frozen shad or liver, Sunfish or cut shad, prepared baits. Some blue catfish have been caught that are over 80 pounds. Catfishing can be very good just about any where along the shoreline. Trotlines are doing very well. There are two fish feeders by the Linn County Park Areas, these draw fish along the very angler friendly shoreline and improve angler success. | |||||||
| Crappie | Good | 9 - 12 inches | There has been alot of big crappie caught this year, many above 14 inches. Sampling indicates that there are still alot of good crappie here, most in the 10 -12 inch range. The crappie are 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. Best lures to use are jigs/ minnows, near structure. | |||||||
| Largemouth Bass | Excellent | varies but 16 to 20 inches is common | The water level is up and the forage fish and the bass are up in the newly flooded cover. Largemouth bass fishing is good. Recent sampling indicates fish are in shallow, with some still on nests. 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 | Excellent | varies, some almost 2 pounds | 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. Fish the creek mouth where the fresh water comes in and the fish are stacked up. | |||||||
| Wiper | Good | some up to 12 pounds | Most fish are in the 4 - 6 pound range with a few larger. Some fish are caught in the center of lake close to the current or around the hot water. | |||||||
| Carp | Good | all sizes | newly flooded shoreline cover makes for great bowfishing. bowfishing or fly casting | |||||||
| General Comments | ||||||||||
| The water level is great, just a little murky. The fish are waiting for you. The best way to measure social distancing is with a fishing pole. The water level is good. This lake has great shoreline angling, lots of room to spread out, for social distancing. Overall the bass are steady, the channel catfish and wipers are improving. 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. 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 Linn Valley Private Lake, 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
| ||||||||||
LYON STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 7/27/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill and Redear | good | 49% 4-7" 30% 7-9" 21% 9-11" | Use worm, small jig, or small silver spinner around brush piles, weed line, and rock jetties. The water is clear so use light line and small hooks. Dry flies or grasshoppers on the surface are exciting and fun. |
| Channel Catfish | good | 0% 11-16" 76% 16-24" 23% 24-28" <1% 28-36" | Use worms, shad sides, or stink bait in coves with feeders, brush piles, and weed line. |
| Largemouth Bass | good | 26% 8-12" 50% 12-15" 24% 15-20" 0% >20" | Use spinners or jigs around brush piles, rock jetties, and weed line. The water is very clear so use light line and small lures. |
| Crappie | fair | 70% 5-8" 7% 8-10" 10% 10-12" 11% 12-15" | Use small jigs or minnows around brush piles, islands, and rock piers. |
| 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 2021 electrofishing. The size structures listed for crappie, bluegill, redear, and channel catfish are from October 2020 test netting. To view a map of brush pile and habitat cube locations, copy these files into Google Earth and zoom into the lake. For more information about the Fall River/Toronto Fisheries District, click here to access newsletters. Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Redear Sunfish | |||
MARAIS DES CYGNES WILDLIFE AREA - Last Updated: 7/1/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| blue, channel catfish | good | 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 |
| carp, buffalo | slow but could improve with more river flow. | varies | fishing or bowfishing can be good to excellent when wildlife pools are draining or the river is flooding. |
| General Comments | |||
| This area has shoreline angling, lots of room to spread out, for social distancing. The marais des cygnes river is high and flooding many of the pools and area roads producing fantastic rough fish bowfishing opportunities. 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. 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: 7/26/2021 Print
| Crappie | Fair-Good | 0.25-1 lbs | Most fish have been caught in 15 feet of water around brush piles or standing timber using minnows or jigs. | |
| Black bass | Fair | 0.5-4 lbs | Casting crankbaits and jigs along rocky banks in back of creek arms | |
| Walleye | Fair | 0.5-2 lbs | Some have been caught recently using jigs and crankbaits. | |
| Blue catfish | Fair | 2-30 bs | Recent reports of blue catfish being caught using cut shad or crappie parts. A few keepers have been reported, along with quite a few shorts. | |
| Channel catfish | Fair-Good | 1- 6 lbs | Some being caught on shad and cut bait. | |
| 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 | ||||
| Anglers, please remember to practice proper social distancing at boat ramps and any other areas that naturally concentrate users. 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: 7/26/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill / Redear / Warmouth | Good | 6-10 inches | 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 at the ends of the pits. Worms under a slip bobber, or 1/16 jigs will be a good bet to try. Fly fishing opportunities are also present; hook sizes of 10-12 with a floating fly or popper may yield fish up to 8 inches. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | 15-28 inches | Channel catfish have been stocked across the entire wildlife area. Try shad sides, liver, worms or prepared baits. Slip bobbers with worms, stink bait, or live bait fished along the edges will be a good technique to try. |
| Crappie | Fair | 8-12 inches | 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, 22, 41, and 40, to name a few. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 12-21 inches | Largemouth bass can be found in many of the strip pits. Focus your efforts around aquatic vegetation, slopes, beaver dams or any terrestrial or aquatic structure, and shallow water. Many of the strip pits have quality populations. However, there are many with an abundance of 8-12" fish. Consider keeping your daily creel limit of 5 largemouth bass under the protected slot limit (i.e., 13 - 18 inches) to reduce densities to allow for better growth in the strip pits. Many strip pits have quality largemouth bass populations with 15-19" being common. 1/2 oz weedless jigs, ned rigs, bladed jigs, and drop shots thrown parallel to the shore along the slope will be a good technique to try. |
| Rainbow trout | Good | 10-15 inches | The first rainbow trout stocking of the winter and spring of 2020/2021 in the Trout Pit (Unit #30) was on Thursday, October 29, 2020 of 1,411 rainbow trout. The second trout stocking occurred on November 11, 2020 of 975 rainbow trout. The third trout stocking occurred on December 3, 2020 of 1,275 rainbow trout. The fourth trout stocking occurred on December 16, 2020 of 960 rainbow trout. The fifth trout stocking occurred on February 2, 2021 of 650 rainbow trout. The sixth trout stocking occurred on February 3, 2021 of 300 rainbow trout. The seventh trout stocking occurred on February 23, 2021 of 1,000 rainbow trout. The eighth trout stocking occurred on February 24, 2021 of 720 rainbow trout. The ninth and final trout stocking for spring 2021 occurred on March 15, 2021 of 880 rainbow trout. 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. 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 inches | 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 inches | 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. Limited opportunities exist, due to not being stocked since 2016. 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 inches | Wiper are stocked on the Mined Land Wildlife Area in Unit #21 on an annual basis. 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 | |||
| Water Temperature: 89° F, 7/26/2021 Remember to continue to practice social distancing during this COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing to practice social distancing will ensure we can keep our public fishing access points open for everyone. Bathymetric maps are now available for the Mined Land Wildlife Area strip pits. This is an ongoing effort by the District Fisheries Biologist, so new pits will be added on a weekly basis. The bathymetric maps that show how deep the strip pits are and water contours can be viewed at the following link: http://ksdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3e0ba6a852d2479aa6e384b4f87a0c2b. The free Explorer GIS app can also be downloaded to use when you're out fishing from your mobile phone, or tablet. This has the ability to use your location to use similar to a depth finder while you're fishing. You can search in your Android, or iPhone, app store for "Explorer GIS", once it is installed you can search for "2020 KDWPT Fishing Access". This will allow for view while you're out fishing. Good luck! 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. 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: 7/20/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | 14-24" | Catfishing remains good. Recent sampling has indicated that catfish are moving into 3-6 feet of water during the evening hours to feed. Chicken liver has been working best. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 8-18" | Largemouth bass fishing remains good. Look for bass to be in the deeper brush piles. Swim baits mimicking shad and plastic worms have been working best. |
| Crappie | Good | 8-12" | Crappie fishing remains good. Look for crappie around deeper brush piles. Minnows under a bobber have been working best. |
| Bluegill/Redear Sunfish | Good | 6-8" | Bluegill and redear fishing remains good. Look for bluegill and redear near deeper structure. Vertical fishing jigs tipped with a worm has been working best. |
| General Comments | |||
| 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. Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill/Redear/Warmouth | |||
MOUND CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 7/1/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, &amp; Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Excellent | Size varies but most are of legal size, with some large fish | The fish feeders are ON and there are a ton of channel catfish some big ones, using the feeder. Try stink baits, chicken liver, cut shad or chunks of sunfish. The lake supports high numbers of 2 to 8 pounders. The creek in the south end maybe excellent right after a hard rain. We recently stocked channel catfish to expand the population. |
| Bluegill/Redear Sunfish | Good | varies | Use small baits, jigs or small worm under a float set for shallow water, fish maybe in shallow. |
| Crappie | Fair | 8 to 14 inches some larger | try deeper areas adjacent to shallow flats. Recent sampling indicates that majority of crappie are in the 10 inch range with some fish in the 13 to 15 inch ranges. Some males are moving in. Minnows and dark jigs are best. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | varies | Fish are in postspawn mode. Work the edges. 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., try plastics, jig and Pig, slabs |
| General Comments | |||
| The best way to measure social distancing is with a fishing pole. This lake has great shoreline angling, lots of room to spread out, for social distancing. Warm weather will really speed up the fishing. 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 and there are lots of big catfish using the feeders. Largemouth bass numbers have really improved and continues to produce great fishing. Recently there were 2,000 channel catfish stocked to spice up the fishing. Zebra Mussels have recently been found in Hillsdale Lake, and Linn Valley, Linn County, (Private Lake Development) 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: 4/10/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddlefish | Fair | Paddlefish snagging season has been slow. However, with the recent rains look for paddlefishing to improve this week. | |
| 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: 7/26/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill/Redear | Good | 6-9 inches | 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 | 7-10 inches | 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 | Good | 15-24 inches | 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 | 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 | 8-13 inches | 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. |
| Largemouth bass | Good | 12-19 inches | 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 include spinnerbaits, top-water lures, plastic worms, and live bait under a bobber are all tactics for anglers to pursue. |
| General Comment | |||
| Water Temperature: 87° F, 7/26/2021 Remember to continue to practice social distancing during this COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing to practice social distancing will ensure we can keep our public fishing access points open for everyone. 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. 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: 7/26/2021 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 | ||
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 0.25 lbs | Using worms under a bobber, jigs, and small spinners. |
| Channel catfish | Fair | 0.5-5 lbs | Using liver, stink bait, shad, nightcrawlers and cut bait. |
| Largemouth bass | Fair | 0.5-2 lbs | Casting crankbaits and jigs along shoreline cover. |
| 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 for cube clusters placed on 7/13/21 are: 1. N 38.772333 W 95.672267 4. N 38.767067 W 95.668917 2. N 38.77125 W 95.671467 5. N 38.76465 W 95.67415 3. N 38.771017 W 95.6731 6. N 38.76345 W 95.674617 Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Redear/Warmouth, White Bass, Drum, Common Carp | |||
PLEASANTON CITY LAKE EAST - Last Updated: 7/1/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, &Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wipers | Slow | size varies, | on windy days fish shoreline downwind. Use live bait or shad imitations, and hang on. lake wide trolling with sassy shads, with crankbaits, spoons, worms. Majority of fish are in the 3 to 5 pound range. |
| Channel catfish | Excellent | All sizes, | this lake has a good catfish population and produces nice fish. Anglers commonly catch fish in the 2- 7 pound range, with some over 10 pounds. Best baits are bluegill chunks, worms, liver, traditional chicken liver, shrimp, prepared baits, lakewide. Gear up for these big channels. We recently stocked 2000 channel catfish. The fish feeders are Off for the season. |
| Largemouth bass | Excellent | varies | lots of bass with a balanced population. try dropoffs, and the deep side of weed bed habitat. Try 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 | Excellent | 8-14 inches | The crappie are improving and are in the 8 inch to 15 inches long. Fish are in shallow in and around the weed beds. Use pink, blue/white tube or green jigs, minnows. Fish the creek mouth where the fresh water comes in and the fish are stacked up. |
| General Comment | |||
| The best way to measure social distancing is with a fishing pole. The best time to fish is anytime you can. This lake has great shoreline angling, lots of room to spread out, for social distancing. Warm weather will really speed up the fishing. This is a great kayaking while you are fishing lake, no recreational boating. Have the lake to yourself. 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, 2,800 are stocked in mid October to increase fishing opportunities. In April this lake was stocked with 400,000 walleye fry. This will supplement the population and maintain fishing opportunities. Zebra Mussels have recently been found in Hillsdale Lake, and (Private) Linn Valley Lake in Linn County, 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.
| |||
PLEASANTON CITY LAKE WEST - Last Updated: 7/1/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, &amp; Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| channel catfish | Good | 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. This lake is a great channel catfish lake with great shoreline access. This lake has great shoreline angling, lots of room to spread out, for social distancing. Gearup for these big channel catfish. We recently restocked this lake so the catfish numbers are even higher. |
| crappie | Fair | All sizes | Density and quality of fish is good. The crappie are in shallow water, close to the bank. 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 | 12-23 inches | water levels are good. Lots of bass in the 15 to 20 inch range. Use crank baits or spinners, recent sampling shows many bass over 3 pounds. |
| bluegill | Slow | varies | Most fish are under 8 inches. use a small worm or jig under a float. |
| General Comments | |||
| The best way to measure social distancing is with a fishing pole. This lake has great shoreline angling, lots of room to spread out, for social distancing. Warm weather will really speed up the fishing. 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. Try your luck with roadrunners, jigs, and spinners for these sizeable fish! Recently there were 2,800 channel catfish stocked to spice up the fishing. Zebra Mussels have recently been found in Hillsdale Lake, and Linn Valley, Linn County, (Private Lake Development), 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: 7/1/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish, blue catfish | Good | all sizes | Good baits are worms or dip baits and cut sunfish or cutshad, stink/prepared baits. Both of the Parks provide many good shorelines for bank fishing. The outlet can be very good when releasing larger amounts of water. There is the occasional harvest of a blue catfish. Channel catfish are in great shape, many in the 2 to 4 pound range. |
| Walleye/saugeye | Slow | varies | fish are post spawn, try the flats. Try crank baits or jigs tipped with night crawlers |
| White bass/Wipers | Good | varies | There are good white bass up to 2 pounds and good wipers up to the 5-6 pound pounds. Good baits are minnows/live baits, cut bait, sometimes for wipers use liver and shad imitation lures. |
| Crappie | Slow | varies but range 8 -12 inches | Crappie fishing has been great at this lake. Very good crappie are still being caught as these fish are moving to structure and deeper water. Recent high water has really improved angling. Sampling shows alot of good crappie over 10 inches here. Shallow windy shorelines and points are good places for crappie feeding on gizzard shad. Best baits are dark jigs and/or minnows. When releasing high volume of water the outlet/spillway is fantastic. |
| 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 | |||
| Fishing overall has been very good with the high water but high water makes it difficult. When boating please be cautious. The best way to measure social distancing is with a fishing pole. This lake has great shoreline angling, lots of room to spread out, for social distancing. Warm weather will really speed up the fishing. 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: 7/20/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location | |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 16-24" | Catfishing remains good. Channel catfish can be found near the flowing water at the upper end of the lake as well as in the shallows at dark. Shad sides have been working best. | |
| Largemouth and Spotted Bass | Good | 10-22" | Largemouth bass fishing remains good. Bass have moved into the deeper brush piles. Soft plastic worms and crayfish have been working best. | |
| Crappie | Good | 8-12" | Crappie fishing remains good. Crappie have moved into the deeper brush piles and in the creek channel. Minnows under a bobber and vertical jigging has been working best. | |
| Bluegill and Redear | Good | 6-8" | Bluegills and redears fishing remains good. Bluegill and redear have moved into the deeper structure. Jigs tipped with a worm 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: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Bait, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 6-12" | Small bass are biting well using light tackle and small lures like beetle spins, small inline spinners or small plastic baits. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 12-18" | Livers, shad sides, stink bait fished on wind blown banks, or the north end with water coming in, or fishing around the feeders. DO NOT TIE BOATS TO FEEDERS. Lots of fish in the 1-4 lb. range. |
| Walleye | Poor | 8-12" | You will be hard pressed to find a fish of harvestable length. |
| Bluegill | Fair | 4-6" | mealworms, nightcrawlers, or small jigs. |
| Crappie | Poor | The population is low in abundance and not many fish are harvestable length yet. | |
| 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: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass | Fair-Good | 1-5 lbs. | Topwater baits near the water willow or vibrating jigs and Texas-rigged plastics near the same habitat is usually productive. The water is muddy so use baits that put out a lot of vibration and displaces the most water. |
| channel catfish | Good | 1/2-15 lbs | Using shad sides livers or other prepared baits on wind blown banks should get a few bites. |
| Walleye | Slow | 10-24" | Vertical jigging spoons or small jigs near dropoffs in deeper water. |
| crappie | Slow-Fair | up to 14" | Look for crappie near deeper structure using live minnows or jigs. |
| 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: 7/16/2021 Print
| Species | Size | Rating | Baits, Methods, Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redear and Bluegill | up to 10" | Good | A good population of both species is present in this lake. Use the good ol nightcrawler or mealworm under a bobber or small jigs around the water willow or timber. |
| Largemouth Bass | 8-18" | good | Topwater baits worked around the water willow should produce some bites. White or chartreuse spinnerbaits or shallow running crankbaits also fished near the water willow. Texas rigged plastics or heavy cover jigs fished around timber and brush should also work. |
| Catfish | up to 10lbs. | Good | Shad sides, worms, or other prepared baits fished on windy flats will probably be most productive or the upper end where water comes in. The feeders are on, DO NOT TIE BOATS TO FEEDERS. |
| Wipers/White Bass | 8-18" | Fair-Good | Vertical jigging slab spoons or shad imitation jigs around the creek channel and deeper water or fish may be caught along the rocky shorelines or windy points using small spinners, crankbaits, or hair jigs. |
| Crappie | up to 12" | Fair | Fishing around the piers and brushpiles with minnows or jigs may get a few bites, but the majority of the fish have probably moved out to deeper water near the standing timber and creek channel. |
| Walleye | 15-24" | slow | Working crankbaits along the rocky shorelines or dam. |
| 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. Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Redear Sunfish | |||