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: 5/28/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | 12-18 inches | As the water warms up, bass should start feeding heavily in preparation for the spawn. Nests are usually built in shallow gravel that bass can keep free of silt. Fish can be caught around any aquatic vegetation, off the rocky jetties, and around the overhanging trees in the water. Fish can be caught use wacky worms, Senkos, Ned Rigs, spinnerbaits, roadrunners, and crankbaits. |
| Bluegill/Sunfish | Good | 5 to 7 Inches | Sunfish will be building nests to spawn. Look for bluegill around the rocks on the piers, flat shorelines, 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 | Fair to 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 as the catfish will congregate there to feed. The shallow upper end is a great area to find big catfish on warm spring days. |
| Saugeye | Fair | 18-25 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. Anglers will also find some around the brush piles and off the ends of the jetties closest to the dam. |
| Crappie | Good | 8-15 inches | Anglers should target the brush piles and other submerged structure with minnows and jigs. Focus on deeper structure like brushpiles and rocks during summer. Anglers are encouraged to harvest high numbers of crappie to help maintain a desirable level. Our recent sample indicated there are very high numbers of crappie in the lake now and anglers could have great success throughout the year. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water Temperature--70ºF CAUTION: LONGER BOAT TRAILERS MAY FALL OFF EDGE OF BOAT RAMP WHEN WATER IS LOW | |||
CEDAR BLUFF RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
| Black Bass | Good | Up to 6 lbs. | Most of the spawning activity is done. Fish have begun to orient more around secondary and mainlake points especially those with hard bottom types and other rocky structure. Fishing soft plastics, swimbaits, and crankbaits are all effective bait choices. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 8 inches | Fish are beginning to move shallow in preparation for spawning. Worms under a bobber fished over rock or gravel bottoms, especially in coves. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair | Up to 12 lbs. | Cut bait and prepared baits fished with set lines and rod and reel over shallow flats in coves and over other structures such as submerged parking lots. |
| Crappie | Good | Up to 15 inches | Fish have completed spawning and have moved deeper. Vertically fishing jigs or minnows around flooded timber standing in deeper water near the mouths of coves or the fish attractors have been productive patterns. |
| Walleye | Fair | Up to 28 inches | Drifting or casting jigs tipped with worms or minnows and casting crankbaits over well-defined main lake points and other structure has been good for a few fish. Trolling crankbaits along the edges of mainlake points has been effective too. |
| White Bass/Wipers | Fair/Good | Whites up to 17 inches Wipers up to 13 lbs. | Trolling crankbaits off the ends of mainlake points has been best for white bass. Anglers report catching good numbers of wipers in the 5 to 8 lb. range with a few in the 12 to 18 lb. range casting bucktail jigs and other larger, shallow-running shad imitations over shallow, windswept points and flats. |
| WATER TEMPERATURE-69 degrees F SURFACE ELEVATION- 2126.67 ft. above MSL-17.43 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. | |||
GLEN ELDER RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 5/28/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 9-15 inches | Crappie will move shallow to spawn when water temps get into the 50s and 60s. Spawning fish can be targeted on shallow brushpiles or gravel bottoms. White Crappie are currently spawning on structure in 8-12 feet of water. Use minnows or jigs. As the spawn winds down crappie be chasing shad near deeper brush and structure. Reports of crappie being caught in 8-10 feet of water on the dam. There are good numbers of keeper crappie in the reservoir so success can be had year-round. |
| Trout | Fair | 10-15 inches | The final stocking of trout for this season occurred on March 16th with 625 pounds of quality fish stocked in the GLEN ELDER OUTLET. Only a few weeks before that another 825 pounds of trout were stocked which should equate to a substantial number of fish in the outlet going into the end of the season. The only stocking of the GLEN ELDER STATE PARK POND was in late October of 300 pounds of fish. Many of these fish in the pond expired under the ice this winter due to the low water. Don't forget, ALL anglers fishing in the Glen Elder outlet ARE REQUIRED to have a trout permit through April 15th! |
| Walleye | Fair to Good | 11-25 inches | As the spawn winds down Walleye should move off rocky shorelines to feed. Fish can be found in shallower flats and bays that hold schools of baitfish. Fish can be found patrolling lake flats in Walnut Creek, along the river channel bends in Schoen's Cove, or off of Gibbs Point. The deeper fish are often caught using jigging spoons, minnows. Trolling crankbaits or worms can be effective post-spawn and throughout the summer. I'm hearing reports of fish being caught on river channel bends on nightcrawlers. *KDWP stocked 5 million walleye fry in Glen Elder last April. In addition, there were 245,000 walleye fingerlings stocked in mid-June. |
| Black Bass | Good | 12-20 inches | Smallmouth start to spawn when water temps rise get up to mid- to upper-50s, while Largemouth usually wait till water hits the 60s. These should be feeding heavily now in preparation for the spawn or recovering from spawning. Smallmouth tend to prefer harder, rockier bottoms, while Largemouth might be found on softer bottoms and weed beds. Don't overlook standing timber and brush piles. Look for areas that hold baitfish. Use a quarter ounce or an eighth ounce jig tipped with a baitfish or crayfish imitation. You could also have success with hair jigs and jigging spoons. 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. |
| Catfish | Fair to Good | 15-35 inches | Channel Cats can be found almost anywhere in the lake. Targeting inflows can be successful after rains. Blue Cats tend to prefer deeper structure or windblown flats. Try river channel bends, old road beds, and submerged bridges. Fall sampling indicated good numbers of blues and channel catfish in the reservoir now. Best baits to use include cut bait, stinkbait, shad sides, shrimp, and nightcrawlers. As the ice thaws dead baitfish are blown to the shoreline. Fishing cut or dead bait on windblown shorelines can be very effective in early spring. Remember, there is a 35 inch length limit on blue catfish at Glen Elder. |
| White Bass | Good to Excellent | 11-18 inches | White Bass and Wipers can be found chasing shad near brushpiles, river channels, drop offs, and other structure. Windblown points and shorelines can also attract fish this time of year. Using a variety of jigs, spinners, or minnows can catch fish all year. |
|
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: 68ºF Current Water Level: 4.9 feet low Some boat ramps are unusable due to low water conditions. This currently includes Granite Creek, North Fork River, Carr Creek, and Walnut Creek. Boller Point ramp is shallow but usable by shallow drafted vessels. Repairs to the face of the dam were completed in February. Water levels should start to rise with spring rains. | |||
JEWELL STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 5/28/2023 Print
KANOPOLIS RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 6/1/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | 16 - 21" | Fishing cut and prepared baits 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, brush piles, or the river channel with 1/16 oz. jigs and live minnows. Some fish have been caught recently along the dam. |
| Trout | Good | Last stocking for the seep stream was 3/16/2023. | |
| Saugeye | Good | 14 - 22" | Wind blown points and flats in the middle and lower ends of the reservoir are best. Also try shallow shoreline areas first thing in the morning. Shad imitating swimbaits and jigs tipped with minnows or worms can be productive baits. 2.2 million saugeye fry were stocked in April. |
| White Bass | Fair | All sizes - up to 17 inches | Casting swimbaits, bucktail jigs, and Kastmaster spoons along wind blown points and areas near the river channel. Using slab spoons or live minnows is also producing some fish right now along brush piles and in the river channel. |
| Wiper | Fair | All sizes | Similar locations and baits as those used for white bass. |
| General Comment | |||
| Buzzard Bay boat ramp is currently being repaired and is out of service for the time being. Most ramps are unusable due to low water levels. Use cation when launching from the south shore boat ramp as it is currently 2.5 feet deep in the cove and a large sandbar has formed at the end of the breakwater. 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: 5/26/2023 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 using jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. Would also be looking for them in the shallows and coves. |
| Saugeye/Walleye | Fair | 13 to 27 inches | Have had a few reports of fish being caught out in front of the Dam and along the south roadbed using worms on the bottom. An 18" minimum length limit is in effect. |
| Wiper | Good | 10 to 28 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught around the mouth of Concrete cove using jigs and casting diving lures. |
| Catfish | Fair | 10 to 30 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught up to the west end as new water has been coming down the river using shad, shrimp, cut bait and stink bait on the bottom. Would also try fishing in the shallow areas using shad, shrimp, stink bait or worms on the bottom. |
| Largemouth/Spotted Bass | Good | 10 to 20 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught in Schoen's Cove, Leota Cove and outlet area using crankbaits and plastics. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 70° SURFACE ELEVATION- 2292.79 ---- 11.51 feet below conservation pool Currently, the water level is 2.34 feet lower than it was one year ago, at this time. All boat ramps are open at this time. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water. Please discard leftover bait in a trash can. Hope everyone has a joyful and safe Memorial weekend. Now Available: A Webster District newsletter that includes fisheries related information about Webster, Kirwin and Keith Sebelius Reservoirs is available. If you would like to subscribe to this spring and fall newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. | |||
KIRWIN RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 5/26/2023 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 using jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. Also been catching fish up in the coves and shallow areas as the water warms up. |
| Walleye | Fair | 10 to 29 inches | Did hear of some walleye being caught along the Dam, drop offs and along the river channels. Would also be getting those night crawlers out and fish the river channels and up onto the flats as these fish move into feed. Trolling the Dam with diving lures could also be productive. |
| White Bass/ Wiper | Good | 10 to 28 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught around the fish attractors using jigs and slab spoons. These fish can also be caught lake wide using jigs with a minnow under a bobber or casting small spinners. |
| Catfish | Fair | 10 to 30 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught up in the shallows using shad on the bottom. Would also fish for them up in the rivers using shrimp, cut bait, stink bait and shad on the bottom. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 12 to 22 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught up in the coves and shallow areas with stick up in them using jigs with minnows, small spinners, and plastics. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 70° SURFACE ELEVATION- 1723.99 ---- 5.26' below conservation pool Currently, the water level is 4.07' lower than it was one year ago, at this time. The fish cleaning station is now open. All boat ramps are open at this time and the docks have been put back in at the South Boat Ramp and the North Boat Ramp. 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. Hope everyone has a joyful and safe Memorial weekend. 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: 5/28/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Fair to Good | 16-25 inches | Fish can be found in shallower flats and bays that hold schools of baitfish. You might find fish patrolling lake flats. Fish can be found along the river channel between Cedar Point and Walleye Point in 20-25 feet of water. Try using jigging spoons, minnows, brightly colored lures, or trolling worms. *KDWP stocked 3 million Walleye fry into Lovewell in April. |
| White Bass/Wipers | Good | 7-14 inches 15-25 inches | Look for windblown points and rocky shorelines in the main lake. Fish can also be caught near brushpiles or along river channels and drop offs looking for shad. A variety of jigs, spoons, spinners, or minnows can catch fish all year. *600,000 wiper fry were stocked into Lovewell in May |
| Crappie | Good | 8-14 inches | Crappie will begin to spawn when water temps are in the 50s and 60s. Expect to find crappie in shallow structure or staging in nearby channels and drop-offs. After the spawn crappie will return to deeper brushpiles and river channels searching for shad. A variety of jigs or minnows are popular with crappie fishing. There are very good numbers of crappie in the reservoir now so success can be had throughout the year. |
| Catfish | Good | 16 to 35 inches | Fall sampling indicated very high numbers of Channel Catfish and good numbers of quality Blue Catfish in the reservoir now. Channels can be targeted throughout the reservoir. Best baits to use include stinkbait, shad gizzards, shad sides, shrimp, and nightcrawlers. Dead or cut bait can be very effective on windblown shorelines. Anglers often report good spring catches of blue catfish near Walleye Point, the marina, and Cedar 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 | |||
|
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: 69ºF 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! | |||
ROOKS STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 5/26/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| CURRENT FISHING | |||
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 6-21 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught lake wide using crankbaits and artificial baits. |
| Bluegill | Fair | 3-9 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught lake wide using worms under a bobber. |
| Catfish | Fair | 10-25 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught lake wide using shrimp, liver and shad on the bottom. |
| Black Crappie | Fair | 5-12 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught lake wide using spinners and jigs under a bobber with minnow or worm. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water Temp. 72 Degrees Lake is approx. five feet low. Boat ramp is open at this time. Hope everyone has a joyful and safe Memorial weekend. 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: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Poor | Up to 13 inches | No Report. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | Up to 5 lbs. | Casting soft plastics along rocky shorelines, around laydown trees in shallow water. |
| Saugeye | Fair | Up to 3 lbs. | Drifting or casting jigs tipped with nightcrawlers over creek channel and other drop-offs, and along rocky shorelines. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber around shallow brush and rock structure. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair/Good | Up to 19 lbs. | Still-fishing worms or cut bait along rocky shorelines has been best. |
| Wiper | Fair | Up to 2 lbs. | Still fishing shrimp or liver off the bottom. |
| 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: 5/26/2023 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 using jigs, slab spoons and jigs with minnows. Would also be looking for them in the shallows of the coves as the water starts to warm up. |
| Walleye | Fair | 14 to 28 inches | Have heard of walleye being caught along the Dam and around the Little Sahara swim beach using night crawlers. Would also get the night crawlers out and work the Flats and river channels where the walleye will be starting to feed. Fish can also still be caught along the Dam trolling or casting diving lures. |
| White Bass/Wiper | Fair | 8 to 28 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught around the north and south shore fish attractors and breakwaters using jigs and jigs tipped with minnow. Trolling diving lures can also be productive. Fish can probably be caught lake wide and would definitely fish into the wind. |
| Catfish | Fair | 12 to 30 inches | Have had reports of catfish being caught off Goose Flats and point south out the old Methodist Camp. Would try fishing in the shallow areas using shad, shrimp, stink bait and worms off the bottom. Also, would try fishing up to the west end of the Reservoir as new water is expected to be coming in. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 12 to 22 inches | Have had reports of bass being caught in Old Marina Cove, Rock Point Cove and along the bluffs. Would be fishing in the coves and along the rocky areas using plastics and crank baits. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 70° SURFACE ELEVATION- 1882.96 ---- 9.49' below conservation pool The water level is 7.75' lower than it was one year ago at this time. All boat ramps are open at this time, except Morel which is high and dry. Fish cleaning station is now open. 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. Hope everyone has a joyful and safe Memorial weekend. 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: 6/1/2023 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, Hell Creek and towards the dam. Try trolling crankbaits, casting/jigging large bucktail jigs, or drifting live shad or sunfish along channel breaks. 1.45 million Striped Bass fry were stocked in May. |
| Walleye | Good | 18-27 inches | Trolling or casting crankbaits and swimbaits over main lake points early morning or late evening are your best bets. |
| Blue/Channel Catfish | Good | 2-20 pounds | Channel Catfish) Fish can be found from shallow to moderate depths. Try cut bait or dough bait thorough the reservoir. Blue Catfish) scattered throughout the reservoir, try fresh cutbait in 6-30 feet of water on river channel swings or flats near these swings. Some reports of fish caught in the upper end of the reservoir. 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 | Casting shad imitating swimbaits and bucktail jigs over windblown points and using slab spoons along the river channel. |
| Black Bass | Good | 12-20 inches | Reports of soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits producing fish around structure. |
| White Perch | Poor | 4 to 12 inches | - 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 = 1.66 feet below conservation pool. BOAT RAMP UPDATE: All boat ramps are currently 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: 4/27/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. Fish are being caught deeper still. |
| 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. |
| 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 has filled back in and anglers are able to launch from the boat ramp again. If you have information that you would like to contribute to the fishing report contact Nick Kramer at nick.kramer@ks.gov | |||
BROWN STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 4/27/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | Fair | up to 1.0 lbs. | A few crappie can be found by jigging over deeper brush piles along the dam. |
| 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: 5/26/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | Up to 20 pounds | The lake has maintained a great channel cat fishery for over ten years. The 2022 fall sample recorded that the number of channel catfish continue to remain at a high level with fairly good numbers of fish over 20 inches. The creel limit at the lake has been raised to 10 channel catfish per day starting in 2023. |
| White Bass | Good | 1/2 to 1 lb. | The most recent sample shows white bass numbers are the highest in over a decade. The size structure is good with most of the fish 11 to 12 inches long and 33% over 12 inches. |
| Wiper | Fair | Up to 26" | A low population of wipers are maintained with stockings of small fish. Most of the wiper are bigger fish over 22 inches. Wiper creel limit is 2 per day. |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | 1/2 to 1 pound | There has been a recent shift in the crappie population with black crappie being more numerous than white crappie for the first time in a decade. Overall numbers of crappie are looking good with the majority exceeding 10 inches. No recent reports. |
| Saugeye | Fair | 2 to 8 lbs. | The number of saugeye in the most recent sample was near the long-term average for the lake. Of those, 46% were over the 18 inch minimum length limit. Should be a decent year fishing for them. |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | 1/2 to 5 pounds | Bass numbers are improving but would still be considered an overall low population. However, the fish in the lake are big and we saw surprisingly high numbers of 5 pound fish last year. 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. | |||
CLINTON RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 5/26/2023 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 | Fair-Good | Up to 35 lbs | Blue Catfish can be found in shallow flats near the river channel and wind blown shorelines. A 35-inch minimum length limit applies. Please practice safe catch and release. |
| Walleye/Saugeye/Sauger | Good-Very Good | 1-2 lbs | Fish can be found on main lake flats in 8-15 ft. Some reports of fish being caught in the shallow timber. Trolling crawler harnesses and crankbaits are producing bites. Jigging is also a productive technique. |
| Crappie | Good | 0.5-1.5 lbs | Crappie are nearly complete with spawning, but shallow spawners can still be found in 2-4ft. Typical of Crappie, their spawn is often spread out over the course of several weeks to a month. When weather conditions are favorable, fish move in shallow. If fish are not found shallow, target staging fish in 5-10ft. As fish complete spawning activity, look for them to concentrate on deeper brush piles and standing timber in 10-20ft. Minnows and small plastics are producing bites. |
| Channel Catfish | Good-Very Good | 0.5-5 lbs | Channel Catfish are spawning and can be found on rocky shorelines. Nightcrawlers and minnows are producing the most bites. |
| White bass | Good | 0.5-2 lbs | White Bass can be found in schools near river channel. |
| Wiper | Good | 4-8 lbs | Wiper can found found near river channels and in the deep basin. |
| Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass | Good | 1-5 lbs | Bass are nearly complete spawning and males are fry guarding. Target Largemouth in shallow cover with soft plastic baits. Target Smallmouth in areas with rocky substrate using Ned Rigs, small crankbaits, or minnows. |
| 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 | |||
| Spillway (below Clinton Dam): Few reports. Discharge has remained low. Please properly dispose of Invasive Carp. Do not release fish alive or transport live Invasive Carp. Water Level and Discharge: As of May 26th, Clinton Reservoir was 1.5 ft above normal pool level. Water releases have been consistent (21 cfs). The most recent water level conditions can be found at the following website: https://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Locations/District-Lakes/Clinton-Lake/Daily-Lake-Info-2/ Invasive Species: Be sure to Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat when you leave to prevent the spread of Zebra mussels. Do not transport live bait captured from Clinton Reservoir. Fish Habitat: 20 Crappie jacks were placed near Bloomington West Park and should provide good habitat for shore fishing. | |||
DOUGLAS COUNTY-LONE STAR LAKE - Last Updated: 5/26/2023 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 | Good-Very Good | 0.5-6 lbs | Channel Catfish are spawning and can be caught near the shoreline. Nightcrawlers and minnow are producing the best bites. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 0.5-5 lbs | Bass have completed spawning and males are fry guarding. Target bass along vegetation edges using soft plastic baits. |
| Bluegill | Good-Very Good | Up to 0.25 lbs | Bluegill are spawning and can be found on spawning beds in the shallows. Target Bluegill using nightcrawlers under a bobber. |
| Crappie | Good | up to 1lbs | Crappie are nearly completed with spawning but some shallow spawners can still be caught. Small plastics and minnows are producing bites. |
| General Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Recent fisheries surveys in May 2022 documented a healthy Largemouth Bass population, with many fish in the 14-18 inch range, and a few fish exceeding 5 lbs. Brush piles were placed at the following location on 6/22/22: 2 west side of dam (~13ft): N 38 50.370', W 95 22.964'2 north west cove (~12 ft): N 38 50.348', W 95 22.947'4 east side of dam(~14ft): N 38 50.418', W 95 22.647'2 Big tree east cove near boat ramp (~12 ft): N 38 50.122', W 95 22.632'41 east point near boat ramp (~20ft): N 38 50.155', W 95 22.693' Crappie Jacks were placed around the new ADA access dock on 9/21/22 | |||
DOUGLAS STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 5/26/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
| Channel catfish | Good-Very Good | 0.5-4 lbs | Channel Catfish are spawning and can be caught near the shoreline. Nightcrawlers or minnows are producing the most bites. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good-Very Good | 0.5-3 lbs | Bass have completed spawning and males are fry guarding. Target bass along vegetation edges or brush piles using soft plastic baits. |
| Bluegill | Fair-Good | Up to 0.33 lbs | Bluegill are spawning and males are nest guarding. Fish can be caught using nightcrawlers under a bobber. |
| Crappie | Good | .5 to 1 lbs | Crappie are nearly complete with spawning, but shallow spawners can still be found in 2-4ft. Typical of Crappie, their spawn is often spread out over the course of several weeks to a month. When weather conditions are favorable, fish move in shallow. If fish are not found shallow, target staging fish in 5-10ft. Minnows and small plastics are producing bites |
| Fisheries Newsletter | If you want to keep up with what's going on at Douglas State Fishing Lake sign up for the Lawrence District Newsletter at the following link: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Lawrence-Fishing-District | ||
| General Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
GARDNER CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 5/16/2023 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 | Fair | 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. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | Up to 4 lbs | Finesse plastics, jigs, or spinner-baits target docks and vegetation edges. |
| White Bass | Fair | 14 to 17 inches | White bass can be taken in open water on shad imitation lures. |
| General Comments | |||
GEARY STATE FISHING REPORT - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | near brush/rock drop offs and channel ledges 10 ft deep on jigs, minnows, and spinners | |
| Catfish | Fair | near wind blown flats on cut bait and worms | |
| Saugeye | Fair | near dam and rock points on jigs, worms, and crankbaits | |
| Black bass | 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 2023 should be for saugeye, crappie, and largemouth bass. WARNING..ZEBRA MUSSELS NOW PRESENT!!! | |||
HERINGTON CITY LAKE (NEW) - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | Fair | near wind blown flats and creeks on cut bait and worms | |
| Crappie | Fair/Good | near points, brush, and rock 10ft deep on jigs and minnows | |
| Walleye | Fair | along the dam and edges of flats and points on jigs, worms, and spoons | |
| White Bass/Wipers | Fair/Good | along creeks, dam and points on spinners, jigs, and crankbaits | |
| General Comments | |||
| This lake provides a diverse fishery, but best in 2023 should be crappie, wiper, and white bass. | |||
HERINGTON CITY LAKE (OLD) - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | Fair | near wind blown flats and creeks on cut bait and worms | |
| Crappie | Fair | near brush and rock 5ft deep on jigs and minnows | |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair/Good | ||
| Bluegill | Fair | 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. Blue-Green Algae: Current advisories and warnings are listed here: https://www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm | |||
HILLSDALE RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 5/16/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Fair | Up to 9 lbs. | The walleye spawn is ending and walleye should be moving to the flats and actively feeding. Crawler harnesses, bottom bouncers, or trolling crankbaits should produce fish. |
| Crappie | Good | Up to 13 inches | Crappie are being caught shallow near brush, timber and riprap. Target shoreline brush or rip-rap banks. Jigs or minnows are producing fish. |
| White Bass | Fair | Up to 2 lbs. | Target white bass off wind blown points. Jigs and shad imitation lures are the best baits right now. |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | Up to 4 lbs. | 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 May 16th the water level is 0.1 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: 4/27/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Contour Map | Pretty Good | 8.5"x11" Color | Banner Creek has been mapped by the Kansas Biological Survey and there is a map available at Contour Map |
| Black Crappie | Fair | up to 1.25 lbs. | Some crappie can be caught by targeting brush in the 10-20 foot range. |
| Bluegill | Fair | up to 0.5 lbs. | Bluegill can be caught over brush piles or near rock 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 | |||
JEFFREY ENERGY CENTER - MAKE-UP LAKE - Last Updated: 5/26/2023 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 | Modest numbers of crappie with most below 10 inches. There is a brushpile just south of the fishing dock. |
| Catfish | Fair to Good | 1/2 to 6 pounds | The lake has supported a good channel catfish harvest rate through the years. The southwest 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. If the inlet is flowing, then good fishing can be found there for all three species. |
| Walleye and Sauger | Fair | 1 to 5 pounds | The 2022 fall gill netting and electrofishing samples indicate the lake has a fair walleye population available with most over the 15-inch minimum length limit. Sauger were introduced into the lake in 2021. So far sauger are doing well and fair numbers of them should reach the 15-inch minimum length limit by mid-spring of 2023. The two species (walleye & sauger) are combined in KS regulations and an angler can harvest a combined total of 2 per day at the Jeffrey Lakes. |
| White Bass | Fair | 1/2 to 2 pounds | White bass numbers have fallen rather far over the last year. Fishing for white bass should still be decent this year but below the highs seen the previous six years. |
| Wipers | Fair | Up to 12 pounds | Wiper numbers are below normal but the size structure is good with 65% of the fish collected last fall were over 20 inches. |
| 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. | |||
JEFFREY ENERGY CENTER AUX. LAKE - Last Updated: 5/26/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | Fair | 1 to 4 lbs | The smallmouth bass population is recovering from a surprising collapse 5 years ago and overall numbers are still low to modest. The dam is a great spot to start looking for smallmouth. The lake has maintained a moderate to low level largemouth bass population through the years. The 2023 sample shows the population has regressed and would be considered a poor fishery for the immediate future. The East bank, South cove and around the island are usually the best largemouth spots. |
| White Bass | Good+ | Up to 3 lbs | White bass numbers are still doing well while maintaining an excellent size structure. Of the fish collected in October 2022, 86% were at least 12 inches long and 21% were over 15 inches! Good stuff. |
| Wiper | Fair | Up to 12 lbs | Wiper numbers are right at the long-term average for abundance but are currently on the small side with only 25% over 20 inches. |
| Walleye and Sauger | Fair | Up to 5 lbs | The walleye population is maintained through regular stockings and currently has modest numbers of 16 to 19 inch fish. The lake is now home to an emerging sauger population that has already exceeded walleye sample numbers. It is hoped that sauger can help bolster the numbers of fish available for anglers that regularly target walleye. Walleye and sauger are grouped together in KS regulations and a total of 2 per day can be harvested at the Jeffrey Lakes if they are over the 15-inch minimum length limit. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 1.5 lbs | Crappie numbers have never been prolific at this lake but they have been on the upswing the last few years. The current size structure looks awesome as nearly every fish we handled last fall was over 11 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: 5/26/2023 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 | Good-Very Good | Up to 0.25 lbs | Bluegill are spawning in the shallows. Fish have made spawning beds and males are nest guarding. Fish can be caught using nightcrawlers under a bobber. |
| Channel catfish | Good-Very Good | 0.5-6 lbs | Channel Catfish are spawning and can be caught near the shoreline. Nightcrawlers and minnows are producing the most bites. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good-Very Good | 0.5-3 lbs | Bass have completed spawning and males are fry guarding. Target shallow cover near vegetation edges using soft plastic baits. |
| Wiper | Fair-Good | 2-5lbs | Wiper can be caught along the dam and near steep dropoffs using swimbaits and shad imitations. |
| Crappie | Good | .5 - 1lbs | Crappie are nearly complete with spawning, but shallow spawners can still be found in 2-4ft. Typical of Crappie, their spawn is often spread out over the course of several weeks to a month. When weather conditions are favorable, fish move in shallow. If fish are not found shallow, target staging fish in 5-10ft. As fish complete spawning activity, look for them to concentrate on deeper brush piles and standing timber in 10-20ft. Minnows and small plastics are producing bites |
| General Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Please do not use magnet fishing around fishing docks. This activity can damage fish habitat and cause fish to displace. | |||
LEAVENWORTH STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 4/27/2023 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. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | Some crappie have been caught by anglers jigging minnows off points in 15-20 feet of water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Early this year, a group of a dozen volunteers aided KDWP in installing numerous brush piles on the lake. Rural Leavenworth, Inc. also received a Friends of Reservoirs grant and purchased artificial habitat to place in the lake. The locations of these brushpiles and artificial habitat will be found here soon or are listed below:
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. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
LOUISBURG-MIDDLE CREEK SFL - Last Updated: 5/16/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Fair | 1/2 to 11 lbs. | Channel catfish can be taken right now on a variety of baits lakewide. |
| Flathead Catfish | Slow | Most 4-10lbs. But some up to 30lbs. | Target structure and vegetation edges with live bait. Boulders south of the dam also hold some flathead catfish. |
| Crappie | 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 | Fair | 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 | Fair | Up to 3 lbs. | Largemouth can be taken on finesse plastics and spinnerbaits fished near trees in the coves and at vegetation edges. Some are being taken on the flats with crankbaits. |
| Wiper/White Bass | Fair | Up to 4 lbs. | Crankbaits and shad imitation baits fished near submerged road also target near schools of gizzard shad. |
| General Comments | |||
MIAMI STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 5/16/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 0.5-5 lbs | Plastic finesse baits along vegetation edges are producing the best right now. |
| Bluegill | Good | 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 | White bass can be taken on shad imitation lures and white marabou jigs. |
| General Comments | |||
| Curly-leaf pondweed is beginning to grow and will be problematic until the water warms above 75 degrees. The curly-leaf pondweed will naturally die-off in early June. | |||
MILFORD RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 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 | Fair/Good | 10-20ft deep suspended near points, flooded brush, and ledges on jigs and minnows | |
| Walleye | Fair/Good | 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 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | ||
| Outlet | Slow/Fair | Catfish on cut bait; walleye, white bass, and wipers on jigs. | |
| General Comments | |||
| LOOK FOR RECENTLY TAGGED BLUE CATS!!! Wiper...creel limit is 5/day Blue Catfish...all between 25"-40" must be released...creel limit is still 5, but only 1 can be 40" or longer CAUTION: DO NOT TRANSFER LIVE BAIT FROM ONE BODY OF WATER TO ANOTHER!!! ALONG WITH ZEBRA MUSSEL INFESTATION, ASIAN CARP ARE IN DRAINAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE KANSAS RIVER AND CAN EASILY BE MISTAKEN FOR SHAD!!! Blue-Green Algae: Current information listed here: 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: 4/27/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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: 5/16/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Good | Up to 8 inches | Nightcrawler under a bobber fished near shoreline structure. |
| Channel Catfish | Slow | Up to 5 lbs. | Channel catfish are being taken on live and prepared baits. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 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 | Fair | 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 | Good | Most fish around 7 inches, but some are greater than 10 inches. | Jigs or minnows fished near brushpiles. |
| General Comments | |||
| Caution!!! Asian Carp have made their way up stream to below Lake Olathe dam. Remember it is illegal to move fish from below dam to above the dam or use fish captured below dam for bait above the dam. | |||
PAOLA CITY LAKE - LAKE MIOLA - Last Updated: 5/16/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 0.5-4 lbs | Finesse plastics fished near vegetation edges and structure. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 0.5-6 lbs | Channel catfish can be caught lakewide on live or prepared bait. |
| Crappie | Good | 0.5-1 lbs | Minnows and jigs are catching fish right now. Crappie are shallow near structure, brushpiles, weed edges, and rock banks. Most crappie being caught are on the small side, but some larger ones can be found. |
| Saugeye | Fair | 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 | 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: 4/27/2023 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. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | up to 10.0 lbs | 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. These fish should be running up the river soon and a few early runners may be caught now or other staging in upper ends of the reservoir. |
| White Crappie | Slow to Fair | up to 1.5 lbs. | Crappie are starting to move up shallow but not up in the rocks in numbers yet. A few can be caught along the shore line but try fishing a little deeper just off shore. |
| Blue Catfish | Fair | up to 25.0 lbs. | 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. 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: 5/26/2023 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: 5/26/2023 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 has improved 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 2022 annual sampling effort showed that the lake continues to provide a great largemouth bass fishery. Abundance was at a five year high and the size structure was solid with 34% of the fish over 12 inches. You can catch them pretty much anywhere at this lake. |
| 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. | |||
POTTAWATOMIE STATE FISHING LAKE NO. 2 - Last Updated: 5/26/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | Fair to Good | 1/2 to 4 pounds | The 2023 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. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 3/4 to 5 pounds | The lake is in the Urban Stocking Program which provides regular stockings of 12 to 18 inch channel catfish. The second stocking of 2023 went in on May 15th when the lake received 830 of these catchable sized catfish. So far the lake has been stocked with 1,630 channel catfish this year. Best baits tend to be worms or commercial catfish baits. Channel catfish creel at the lake is 5 per day. |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | 1/4 to 1 pound | The lake has supported a decent crappie population through time. The current population is doing well with above average numbers of fish over 10 inches with a few really big crappie as well. The lake produced the recent record breaking white crappie at just over 4 pounds. Seen a few other giants caught this spring. There is some habitat structures just out from the boat ramp dock and under the buoy. |
| 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. | |||
ROCKY FORD FISHING AREA - Last Updated: 5/26/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | Fair | 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. 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 | 1/2 to 8 pounds | Is a good spot for white bass and wipers. Jigs or crankbaits. |
| Drum | Fair | 1/2 to 5 lbs. | Drum are an abundant species at Rocky Ford and can be caught on worms, minnows, and jigs. |
| Saugeye | Fair | 3/4 to 5 pounds | One of the best places around to catch saugeye. Brightly colored jigs, swimbaits, crankbaits or jerkbaits. Fair numbers of 14 to 16 inch saugeye. There is no length based regulations at Rocky Ford for saugeye or walleye. |
| 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 Tuttle Creek Lake has zebra mussels and makes the lake, the River Pond, and Rocky Ford designated as 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. We will be conducting angler interviews at Rocky Ford this year to get a better understanding of what anglers want to fish for. Thank you to all that agree to be interviewed. | |||
SABETHA PONY CREEK - Last Updated: 4/27/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | Good | up to 1.5 lbs | Fish should start moving up shallow soon and accessible to shore anglers. |
| 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: 5/16/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 8 inches | Livebait under a bobber fished near shoreline structure. |
| Crappie | Fair | 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. | Bright spinnerbaits are working best right now fished near shallow structure. |
| 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: 5/26/2023 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 2022 spring electrofishing sample collected the second highest number of bass ever at the lake. The high numbers of young bass has shifted the size structure to an overall smaller average size of bass. Historically, the lake has been one of the best places around to catch largemouth over 15 inches and this should continue to be true for the foreseeable future. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crappie | Fair to Good | 1/2 to 1 pound | The crappie fishery is doing well. The October 2022 sampling produced the most crappie over 10 inches in the history of the lake. Should be a good year for fishing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Channel Catfish | Good | 1/2 - 4 pounds | The lake is in the Urban Stocking Program and is regularly stocked with 12 to 18 inch channel catfish which leads to good catch rates of fish in that size range. The second stocking of 2023 went in on April 25th when the lake received 700 pounds of these catchable sized channel catfish. So far this year the lake has been stocked with 1,970 channel catfish. The recently stocked fish usually like all the traditional catfish baits but dough baits or worms tends to do the best. Channel catfish daily limit is 5. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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.
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TUTTLE CREEK - Last Updated: 5/26/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair to Good | 1/2 to 2 pounds | Angler catches of crappie are still hit or miss. Some being caught shallow still but some people finding them holding deep. Still seeing fish with eggs. The lake has provided excellent crappie fishing the last three years by maintaining a great population. The 2022 fall sample shows that numbers of crappie are still above the long-term average but the percentage of fish over 12-inches has fallen from the record high documented in 2021. |
| White Bass | Fair to Good | 1/2 to 2 pounds | Fishing has been good in the lower half of the lake along rocky points. White bass numbers have been low due to limited spawning success for most of the last decade. The species did produce a robust spawn in 2021 which has helped bolster the fishery. The current population is offering decent numbers of white bass from 10 to 12 inches long. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | Good numbers of 20" fish with fair numbers of bigger ones. | Fishing for channels up shallow has been great the last two weeks. The lake and the connected river system maintains a good channel catfish population and has been one of the best places around to catch channel cats over 8 pounds. The 2021 sampling effort collected the most channel catfish in nine years with 11% of them over 28 inches. The 2022 sample shows a reduction of those bigger fish but also shows a group of small fish growing fast which will hopefully fill that gap. Fishing in the upper end of the lake and the river tends to be the most consistent spots for channel cats. |
| Blue Catfish | Fair to Good | Most less than 28" but getting a few over 40 pounds | Best fishing this time of year tends to be in the upper end of the lake on cut bait. New regulations starting in 2022: 10 fish daily creel limit which may include only one fish 30 inches or longer. The blue catfish population is finally becoming well established and is now able to support more harvest. Fair numbers of 22" to 28" blue catfish with a good group of 16" to 18" fish coming on. 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 | Slow to 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 to Good | Up to 6 pounds | Starting to see some legal saugeye being caught, mostly by crappie anglers fishing the shallows. Record high numbers of young saugeye from the 2021 stocking! As of October 2022, most of these saugeye had already reached 14 inches and the bulk of 2021 year-class should exceed the 15" minimum length limit by mid-spring. Fishing should be good in the Reservoir in 2023 but typically the best opportunities to harvest saugeye is 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 Tuttle Creek has zebra mussels which makes the lake, the River Pond and Rocky Ford designated as 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. | |||
WASHINGTON STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 5/26/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Fair to Good | Up to 1/3 lb | The lake has a decent bluegill population. They were up shallow this week on beds. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | Up to 15 lbs | The lake supports good numbers of channel catfish and the size of fish is well above average with 24% of the fish collected last fall were over 24 inches. |
| Crappie | Fair | Most 8"-10" | The crappie population is doing well. Ran into a pile of 14+ inchers while electrofishing last spring. One was 16" and 2.7 pounds! |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | Up to 6 lbs | The largemouth bass population continues to improve and I would now call it a good bass lake. The 2023 sample showed robust numbers of bass with plenty over 18 inches. |
| General Comments | |||
| New dock is in! | |||
WYANDOTTE COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 5/16/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | Fair | 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 | Slow | 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 | Slow | 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: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Sizes Possible | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 12 inches | Try jigs & minnows around brush and weeds near shallow structure. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | Most in the 1 lb. size range | Fishing cut bait, frozen shrimp or stink bait lake wide. |
| Largemouth bass | Fair to Good | Up to 4 lbs. | Try using soft plastics, spinner baits, and crank baits near structure. |
| Sunfish | Fair | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush. |
| Walleye | Fair | Up to 4 lbs | Try using large crankbaits or jigs near flats and points. |
Barber State Fishing Lake and all other public fishing waters in Pratt and Barber counties are now a part of the Cheney district. This district also includes Harper, Kingman, Reno, and Harvey counties.
CLARK STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 5/31/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Sizes Possible | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | No report | Up to 12 inches | Crappie should be about done spawning. Try jigs or minnows in 2 - 6 feet of water. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit. |
| Channel Catfish | No report | Most in the 1 lb size range | Fishing cut bait or stink bait lake wide. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. |
| Largemouth bass | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Casting soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation along sun-warmed shorelines. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum 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. |
| Walleye | No report | Up to 4 lbs | 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
| No report | Whites up to 17 inches | 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 16 inches. |
Lake is approximately 14 feet low and trailers have been damaged trying to use the one ramp on the southeast area.
Water temperatures should be in the low to mid 70's. These are general seasonal fishing recommendations, no reports have been received 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!
HORSETHIEF RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 5/31/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Sizes Possible | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | Good | Up to 12 inches | Minnows or jigs fished in 2 - 6 feet of water near structure or rocks. 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 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. |
| Largemouth bass | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Casting soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation along sun-warmed shorelines. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum 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. |
| Walleye/saugeye | Good | Up to 7.6 lbs | 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 aggregate creel limit. |
Lake is about 7 feet low.
Water temperatures should be in the low to mid 70'. These are general seasonal fishing recommendations, no reports have been received 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!
MEADE STATE LAKE - Last Updated: 5/31/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Sizes Possible | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | No report | Up to 12 inches | Crappie are still shallow spawning. Vertically fishing minnows, jigs, and slab spoons over the tops of the fish attractors or around the shoreline rocks should work. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit. |
| Channel Catfish | No report | Most in the 1 lb size range | Fishing cut bait or stink bait lake wide. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. |
| Largemouth bass | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Casting soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation along sun-warmed shorelines. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum 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 | No report | Up to 4 lbs | 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. |
Water temperatures should be in the low to mid 70's and has probably slowed fishing. These are general seasonal fishing recommendations, no reports have been received 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!
PRATT COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Sizes Possible | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | Fair | 4-8" | Try jigs or minnows near structure. The Crappie spawn is over. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | Most in the 1-2 lb size range but up to 7 lbs | Fishing cut bait or stink bait lake wide. |
| Largemouth bass | Good | Up to 18 inches | Try using soft plastics or crank baits near structure. The Bass spawn should be over but fish should be feeding. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush and rocks. |
| Walleye | Fair to Good | Up to 21" | Try large jigs, jerk baits, and crank baits near shallow rocks. |
| Wipers | Fair to Good | Up to 18" | Jigs, spoons, and crank baits around windblown points. |
Pratt County Lake and all other public fishing waters in Pratt and Barber counties are now a part of the Cheney district. This district also includes Harper, Kingman, Reno, and Harvey counties.
SCOTT STATE LAKE - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
| Channel Catfish | Fair/Good | Most in the 13 to 18 inch range | Drifting minnows under a bobber or still fishing cut and prepared baits off the bottom on shallow flats, up in the creek, and along rip rapped shorelines has been good. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 13 inches | Fishing minnows under a bobber around deeper brush is the best bet. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | Up to 5.5 lbs. | Casting weightless swimbaits and soft plastics around laydown logs or along rocky shorelines. |
| Sunfish | Fair/Good | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bottom fish in shallow areas possessing firm bottom types is best for fish preparing to spawn. |
| Saugeye | Fair | Up to 7 lbs. | Post-spawn fish are feeding near points, drop-offs, or other structure, especially with a hard bottom type. Casting shad or minnow imitating crank baits and swimbaits or jigs tipped with nightcrawlers or minnows can be effective. |
| 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! | |||
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: 6/1/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel catfish | Fair | 1 - 5 lbs. | Try worms and cutbait on the bottom. | |
| Crappie | Good | 8-13" | Reports of fish caught shallow on jigs and minnows. | |
| Largemouth bass | Fair | Up to 6 lb. | Try using soft plastics, spinner baits, and crank baits near structure. | |
| 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 | ||||
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ANTHONY CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel catfish | Fair | up to 12lbs | Try fishing cut bait, worms, or stink bait lake wide. |
| Crappie | Poor to Fair | Up to 14" | Try jigs or minnows near structure. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | Up to 5lbs | Try using soft plastics or crank baits. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water levels are very low. Launching a boat may not be possible. | |||
BLACK KETTLE STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 6/1/2023 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 lake wide. |
| 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: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 4 lbs | Creel limit 2/day Length Limit 15-inches Prepared baits and worms have been producing. Windy areas along the shoreline are best. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | up to 18 inches | Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and plastics are all producing fish. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 7 inches | Small jigs or small minnows are good bets. While there is an occasional big fish at Butler, most crappie run small in the 5 to 7 inch range. |
| Bluegill | Fair | up to 6 inch | Live bait fished on a small hook near shoreline cover or rock. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water level continues to drop at Butler. Use extreme caution when launching boats. Also be careful while boating as there is an abundance of shallow water in the eastern portion of the main lake and in areas along the south shoreline. | |||
CHASE STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 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 | Good | up to 5 lbs | Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit. Worms and stink baits have been producing this week. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | Up to 16 inch | There is a 13 to 18 inch slot limit on Largemouth Bass in effect at the lake. Spinner baits and crankbaits have been producing fish over rocky areas. |
| Saugeye | Fair | Up to 18 inch | Along the dam and rocky shorelines on crankbaits and twister tails. |
| Spotted Bass | Fair | up to 14 inch | Spotted bass can be found along the dam and the rocky points. 3" grubs on 1/8 or 1/4 oz jigheads are a good bet. |
| Bluegill | Good | up to 7 inch | Small piece of worm on a small hook under a float fished close to rock, weed, or brush. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 11 inch | Look for crappie in 4 to 6 feet of water. Jigs, roadrunners, or small spinners are good choices. Brushpiles and habitat cubes are holding fish. |
| General Comments | |||
CHENEY RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| SPECIES | RATING | SIZE | BAITS, LOCATION, METHODS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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" | Spoons, jigs, and Crank baits near points and drop offs in 10 -15ft of water. |
| Walleye | Fair | Up to 27" | Try using big jigs or large crank baits near shallow flats. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 17" | Try using jigs or minnows near structure in 10-15ft of water. The spawn is over. |
| Blue Catfish | Fair | Up to 45lbs | Fish with live bait or cut bait near shallow flats. Many reports of small (10"-18") Blue Catfish being caught. Be sure to identify your catch! |
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | Up to 20lbs | Try fishing cut bait or stink bait near shallow wind blown areas. |
| White Perch | Good | Up to 12" | Worms and small lures near the shore. Most White Perch are 5"-9". 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 | |||
| Water levels are very low. Use caution when boating! | |||
COUNCIL GROVE CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 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 | near gravel banks and vegetation on small jigs and worms | |
| Crappie | Fair | 10 ft deep near ledges on jigs and minnows | |
| Channel catfish | Fair | near windy flats and flooded brush on cut bait and worms | |
| Black bass | Fair/Good | on jigs, spinnerbaits, or crankbaits 5-15ft deep near docks, points, and brush | |
| Walleye | Fair | along dam and deeper points/banks on jigs and spoons | |
| White bass | 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: 6/2/2023 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 | Fair | near wind blown flats and creek channel ledges on cut bait and worms | |
| Saugeye | Fair/Good | 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/Good | 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: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Good | 4-8 inches | Small live bait offerings around structure, rock, brush, and weeds. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | up to 4 lbs | Worms or cut bait where wind is blowing in to shore. 15-inch minimum length limit 5/day creel limit |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | Up to 17 inch | Spinnerbaits or crank baits near rocks and plastics near weeds. Fish are deeper during mid-day with the clear water and shallow early and late in the day. |
| Redear Sunfish | Same as bluegill | ||
| General Comments | |||
| 38 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: 5/25/2023 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 | Up to 21 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. Wiper have been showing up along the east end of the dam and also on rocky, windblown points and shorelines. White curly tailed grubs are good bets this time of year. |
| White bass | Fair | up to 14 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. Windy points on grubs and spinners. |
| White Perch | Slow | up to 6 inch | Click HERE for info on properly identifying white perch. Small hooks with live bait offerings are usually hard for white perch to pass up. |
| Crappie | Good | Up to 15+ inches | 20/day creel limit Crappie are still being found close to shore, especially near any available cover. Reports can change hourly this time of the year so get out when you can! Good baits this time of year are minnow and bobber or jig and bobber or just jigs. |
| Blue Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 40 inches, with a lot of 18 to 24 inch "eater" sized fish. | 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. Blue catfish have moved towards deeper water and can be found near main lake structure, timber and river channels. Fresh cut bait is the usual go to while chasing blues. A blue catfish tagging project in underway at El Dorado. Please see the information below in the General Comments section for all the details! Please harvest the blue catfish that are under the 25 inch slot length limit (while following the 5/day creel limit). El Dorado has an abundance of fish under the slot. The El Dorado blue catfish population will benefit from the harvest of these "short" fish as growth rate of the remaining fish will improve. |
| Walleye | Fair to Good | Up to 28 inches | THE WALLEYE LENGTH LIMIT IS 21-INCHES WITH A 2/DAY CREEL LIMIT. Post spawn fish are moving up on to the flats and are being caught on jig and crawler combo, crawler and spinner, and crank baits. Productive depths have ranged from 2 ft to 18 ft depending on time of day with fish being shallower during low light periods. |
| General Comments | |||
| 3.4 ft below Normal Pool, releasing 9 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: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 24" | Try fishing cut bait, worms, or stink bait throughout the lake. |
| Crappie | Fair | up to 14" | Try a jig or minnow fished near structure in shallow water. The Crappie should be spawning. |
| Largemouth Bass | Poor | up to 20" | Try fishing soft plastics and crank baits near structure. |
| Saugeye | Fair | up to 25" | Fish with jigs or minnows near the dam or rocks in the morning or evening. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water levels are very low. Use cation if launching a boat! | |||
KINGMAN STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel catfish | NA | ||
| Largemouth Bass | NA | ||
| Northern Pike | NA | ||
| Crappie | NA | ||
| General Comments | |||
| The lake is under renovation. Boat ramps are closed and very little water remains. FISH SALVAGE ORDER: As authorized by K.S.A 32-807, and as further specified under K.A.R. ll5-7-1, a fish salvage conditions exists at Kingman State Fishing Lake due to a renovation project. To improve fishing and address an unbalanced fishery, Kingman State Fishing Lake is being drained and renovated summer of 2023. It shall be legal to take fish from this project as designated by this order. Legal means of take are traditional rod and reel only, all other methods including seining and snagging are still prohibited. All length and creel limits have been removed until further notice. This order will take effect when posted and remain in effect until this posted order is removed. | |||
MARION COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Fair to Good | up to 8 lbs | Catfish action has been good recently with the warmer weather. Best areas have been windy shorelines and fresh cut bait and worms have been productive. |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | up to 12 inches | 20/day creel limit Jigs, jig and bobber, or minnow and bobber are producing some crappie although action has been rather sporadic. The water level is low which reduces amount of shoreline cover. Focus where brushy/woody cover remains in the water. Also gravel and hard bottomed shorelines. |
| Bass | Fair | up to 18 inch | 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 action has been Fair the past week. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits are producing early and late in the day with plastics and jigs producing better during mid-day. |
| Saugeye | Slow | Not many saugeye reports this week. Fluke type baits, crankbaits, and jigs are all good springtime saugeye baits. | |
| Bluegill | Fair | up to 7 inch | Small live bait offerings on small hooks fished near shoreline cover on warmer days. Also small jigs and spinners. |
| White Bass & Wipers | A few have been caught but no real pattern to speak of. Whites and wipers move around a lot but can usually be found along windy points and shorelines. Jig and plastics, such as curly tailed grubs, are always a good bet. | ||
| 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: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 5 lbs | Windy shorelines on fresh cut bait and worms. |
| White Crappie | Fair | up to 13 inches | 20/day creel limit Anglers are having fair to good success recently. Crappie are being found in the brushpiles in 6 to 14 feet of water. Jigs and minnows are producing. |
| Walleye | Fair to Good | Up to 26 inches | NEW WALLEYE HARVEST REGULATIONS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2022. 18 INCH MINIMUM LENGTH LIMIT 3/DAY CREEL LIMIT WITH NO MORE THAN ONE FISH 21 INCHES OR LONGER. Walleye are being caught around points and on flats on jig and crawler combos, jig and plastics, and crank baits in depths 2 to 10 ft deep. |
| White Bass | Fair to Good | up to 14 inch | Look for white bass on the dam, rocky shorelines, and areas with wind. There are very good numbers of white bass in the lake this year and they will provide good action once their location is found. Play the wind as whites and wipers prefer wind blown areas. |
| 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 | |||
| 2.6 feet below Normal Pool, releasing 2 CFS. | |||
SEDGWICK CO. - LAKE AFTON - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 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 to Good | 4"-8" | Use a small hook with a small piece of work or panfish lures. White perch may not be possessed alive. |
| Channel Catfish | Excellent | up to 24" | Try cut bait, worms, hotdogs, or stink bait. Harvest-sized Channel Catfish are stocked regularly in the Spring and Fall. |
| Crappie | Poor | up to 12" | Crappie can be found in 6-12ft of water near brush and drop-offs. Not many big fish in the lake |
| Bluegill | Fair | up to 8" | Try a small piece of worm under a bobber around rocks and brush. |
| Largemouth Bass | Poor | up to 21" | Bass can be found near shorelines relating to deep water and off shore structures. Try soft plastics and jigs near structure/cover. |
| General Comments | |||
| Channel Catfish have been stocked. Next stocking is early-June. Visit https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Special-Fishing-Programs-for-You/Urban-Fishing-Program for more information. Lake is 3+ feet low. Take care when boating and fishing | |||
WELLINGTON CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALL BOAT RAMPS CLOSED | All boat ramps at Wellington City Lake are CLOSED due to low water levels | ||
| Channel Catfish | Fair | up to 5 lbs | Fresh cut bait fished along windy shorelines |
| Wiper | Poor | ||
| Crappie | Good | up to 12 inch | Jigs or minnows under a bobber near brush piles. |
| Saugeye | Fair to Good | up to 25 inch | Crank baits, jig and crawlers, and curly tailed grubs along the old and new dam. |
| General Comments | |||
WELLINGTON HARGIS CREEK - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | Up to 4lb | Worms and prepared bait in windy areas |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 8 inches | Minnows under a float close to cover and standing timber. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | up to 14 inch | A few bass have been caught on jigs, small spinners, grubs, and plastic worms. |
| General Comments | |||
WICHITA - URBAN FISHING REPORT - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Excellent | Up to 5lbs | The majority of public fishing waters around the Wichita Metro Area are stocked regularly in the Spring and Fall with harvest-sized Channel Catfish. They can be easily caught on worms and hotdogs. |
| Crappie | Fair | Up to 12" | Crappie spawn is over but anglers are still catching catch crappie. Try using minnows or a small jigs in deeper areas of the lakes. Crappie fishing is best at the KDOT Lakes, OJ Watson Park, and Chisholm North lake. |
| Largemouth Bass | Poor | Up to 20" | Largemouth Bass can be found in most Wichita area lakes but catching can be tough due to low populations and high angling pressure. Your best opportunities to catch bass are at the KDOT lakes, Emery Park, Blackbird/Sunflower Ponds, and Chisholm North lake. Lures that work best right now are bass jigs, soft plastics, and spinnerbaits |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 10" | Bluegill are present in every lake in the area. Try a small piece of worm or a small jig under a bobber. |
| Rainbow Trout | Fair | up to 20" | Try using floating dough baits, worms, small spoons, or spinners. The best dough bait colors this year seem to be corn/yellow and orange, but green and pink work well, too. Artificial lures only at Slough Creek Trout Season has ended, so anglers may harvest 5 trout per day without a trout permit. |
| General Comments | |||
| Channel Catfish stockings have resumed! Visit https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Special-Fishing-Programs-for-You/Urban-Fishing-Program for more information. White Perch are present at KDOT West, SG County Park Lakes, South Lake, and North Chisholm Lake. These are designated AIS waters, so no live fish can be transported from these locations. In addition, no live white perch may be possessed, and anglers are encouraged to not release any caught back into the water. | |||
WINFIELD CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 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 10 inch | Reports are of lots of smaller crappie being caught recently. 4 to 8 feet deep on minnows and jigs. Along the face of the dam has been good. | ||
| Channel catfish | Fair to Good | up to 5 lbs | Shorelines where the wind is blowing in. Worms, prepared baits, and cut bait. | ||
| Black bass | Good | 8 to 20 inch | 4 to 9 feet of water along the southern shoreline and points. Also along the dam. Lake is low so not much cover in the form of water willow or shoreline brush. Fish are relating to breaks and rock shelves. Jigs, crankbaits, and plastics all producing. | ||
| White bass | Fair | up to 13 inch | Rocky points and shorelines on white or chartreuse grubs. Windy areas are best. | ||
| Wiper | Same as white bass | ||||
| Walleye | Slow | Up to 26 inch | Few reports this week. Look for walleye in deeper water in the main lake area or off the points. Fish are moving onto north shore flats. Walleye minimum length limit 18 inches. | ||
| 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. Boat ramps are closed due to low water. The City is allowing shoreline launching of boats in approved areas. Check with the City for more info. | |||||
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: 6/1/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| channel catfish | good | 2% 11"-16" 24% 16"-24" 50% 24"-28" 24% 28"-36" | Use a worm, stink bait, or shad sides along rocks and windy shoreline. |
| white bass | good | 16% 6"-9" 18% 9"-12" 34% 12"-15" 32% 15"-18" 0% 18"+ | Use plastic jig, imitation shad, or spinner on rocky shoreline, points, and windy shoreline. Watch for white bass chasing schools of shad along the shoreline. |
| white crappie | good | 32% 5"-8" 7% 8"-10" 42% 10"-12" 17% 12"-15" 2% 15"+ | Use a jig or minnow around rocky shorelines and windy side of lake. |
| General Comments | |||
|
Link to USACE reservoir water level: http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/TORO.lakepage.html Size structures are from 2022 October test netting and 2021 May electrofishing for largemouth bass. No bass electrofishing occurred in 2022 due to high water. 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: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 6-12" | Crappie fishing remains good. Look for them moving into the shallow areas as they are spawning. Rea Bridge has also been producing fish. Minnows and small plastic jigs have been working best. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 16-24" | Catfishing has improved. Look for catfish to start moving into the shallower water in the evenings as water temps rise. Shad sides are the preferred bait. |
| Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass | Good | 12-20" | Largemouth bass fishing remains good. Largemouth are up in the shallows spawning and jigs tipped with soft plastics have been working well. Smallmouth bass fishing remains slow. Look for them near the dam or on any rocky shoreline in deeper water. Soft plastic crayfish worked slowly up the rocks have been working best. |
| Bluegill and Redears | Good | 5-7" | Bluegill and redear fishing remains good. Bluegill and redear can be found near any submerged vegetation and in the shallows as they prepare to spawn. Worms under a bobber are working 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: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill / Redear Sunfish | Good | 4-8 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. |
| Channel catfish | Good | 15-36 inches | Anglers from the shoreline should focus on the coves, both the north and south side of the dam, west end, and the handicap access on the south side of the lake near the boat ramp. Prepared baits, worms, cut or live bait will be good baits to try. Anglers from boats should focus on flats and near rock habitat. Cut and live bait are good baits to try. |
| Black Crappie | Fair | 8-14 inches | 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 (2-3") and Age-1 crappie (7-8"), as well as crappie up to 14". |
| Largemouth bass | Good |
8-12" - 15% 12-15" - 11% 15-20" - 74% | Largemouth bass 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. To bolster the current population and recruitment of Largemouth Bass at Bone Creek, the KDWP fisheries biologist has increased stocking efforts of Largemouth Bass. In 2019, 218, 377 (fry) were stocked when a hatchery surplus was available. In 2021, 13,500 phase II advanced fingerling Largemouth Bass were stocked. In April 2022, 260,000 (fry) were stocked when a hatchery surplus was available. In June 2022, 25,000 advanced fingerling Largemouth Bass were stocked. In total, 517,774 largemouth bass have been stocked since 2018. The KDWP fisheries biologist plans to request 25,000 phase II advanced fingerling Largemouth Bass for the next five years to help bolster year classes and recruitment of Largemouth Bass. In addition to, it was proposed and passed to move from a 13-18" slot length limit to an 18" minimum length limit to protect the stocked fingerlings and naturally spawned Largemouth Bass to preferred lengths for bass anglers. This went into effect on January 1, 2022. |
| Saugeye | Good | 16-26 inches | Fall sampling indicated that there is a high percentage of fish in the 18-24" 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. Anglers have reported catching saugeye near the dam on the east side of the lake on swimbaits, jigheads with plastics, and trolling crankbaits. The minimum length for Saugeye at Bone Creek is 18 inches and a daily creel of 5 fish per day! |
| Newsletter | STAY UP TO DATE ON FISH STOCKINGS, FISH SAMPLING, AND FISH HABITAT PROJECTS: 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 | ||
| General Comments | |||
| Water Temperature: 77° F, June 2, 2023 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: 5/25/2023 Print
| species | ratings | size | baits, methods, locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | varies | Use dark jigs or minnows in the trees along the drop offs. |
| 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 | varies in range | The bass are shallow and in prespawn mode. 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. 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: 4/27/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel catfish | Good | varies | Go fishing, the fish have to eat. try bluegill chunks, chicken liver. Anglers are catching big Fish. Fish feeders are OFF. Gearup. | ||
| Largemouth bass | Good | varies | lake wide, use silver crank and spinner baits, or dark jigs, | ||
| Bullheads | Good | varies | use worms,or liver lake wide | ||
| Bluegill | Good | varies | small baits and worms under floats, along weedbeds around fish attractors | ||
| Walleye | POOR | varies | also try the dam and rocky structure in the south half of the lake with jigs or minnows | ||
| Crappie | Good | some small fish but some real good ones also, with 50 limit | 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 low because of a leaky dam. Plans are underway to repair the leak. 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 repairs are made. The County and Wildlife and Parks are committed to repairing the dam and restoring the fishery. This may begin this fall. 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" your boat and equipment.
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: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass ( Largemouth and Spotted Bass) | Excellent | Fish 10 to 17 inches dominate the population | bass are along the piers, in cover, use spinners, plastic baits, crankbaits. Some fish are in deeper water breaks. |
| 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/Saugeye | Slow | varies | Fish drop offs and at the head of the inflow areas using crank baits, jigs and or minnow |
| Channel Catfish | Excellent | 12-22 inches | Use just about any catfish bait, cut bait, stink baits, chicken liver, worms, the fish feeders are off. 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. Remember the length limit is 15 inches and the creel limit is 2 per person |
| Crappie | Good | 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 | |||
| 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" The water level is full and ready to fish. Recently several hundred trees were placed in the lake to improve fish habitat. 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. | |||
COFFEY COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Methods, Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| largemouth bass | Slow-Fair | 8 in to 21 inches | Vibrating jigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits or jerkbaits fished around structure. Texas-rigged plastics or weightless stick baits are great lures for spawning bass. Quality fish are present but numbers remain low. |
| walleye | Fair | 14-25 inches | Fish should be on rocky points, humps, or drop offs. Trolling jig and crawler rigs or crankbaits around this type of structure or casting and working jighead and soft plastic slowly on same structure. |
| 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. 921 blue catfish were tagged for a population study, so be on the lookout for tags in the blue cats that you catch and please report any you do catch. If you report a tag, you will receive a prize and your name will be entered in a drawing for a Yeti cooler towards the end of the project. |
| smallmouth bass | Slow-Fair | 10-20 inches | Throwing small shad imitators like compact spinnerbaits or crankbaits. Topwater season is here grab your favorite and throw it around key structural elements. Crayfish imitating baits should also work. Ned rigs or drop shots are great techniques to use for smallmouth. Recent sampling continues to show a lower density population, however, more smaller fish were sampled this year which is a good sign. We also sampled a beautiful 5 lber. |
| white bass/Wipers | Good | up to 5lbs. | Using small shad imitating baits such as small crankbaits, bucktail jigs, slab spoons, or twister tail grubs fished on wind blown points. There are some nice wipers being caught, a 9 lber was sampled during the sping sample. |
| crappie | Fair-Good | 11-15 inches | Look for crappie to be back in deeper water near the standing timber or creek channel breaks. |
| General Comments | |||
| Entrance gate phone number is 620-364-2475 call for lake conditions. Fishing near the warm water outlet during the fall and winter can be very productive for multiple species. 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: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method &Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill / Redear sunfish | Fair | 6-8" | Bluegill can be caught using a bobber and worm, 1/16-1/32 ounce jighead, and a fly rod and small fly. 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" | 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" | 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. |
| Channel catfish | Good | 16-24" | Channel catfish can be found throughout all portions of the lake. Anglers can target in coves on the upper end of the lake, especially during periods of inflow, main lake where submerged trees and Georgia Cubes have been placed, and jetties and docks that can be fished from shore. Prepared baits, gizzard shad, live bait, and chicken liver are all popular baits that anglers might give a try. |
| Flathead catfish | Good | All sizes | Flathead catfish can be found in deep water next to submerged trees and structure. Live bait, such as green sunfish, and artificial lures are two types of fishing to try. There have been reports of flathead catfish being caught up to 30 lbs. |
| Crappie | Good | 6-10" | 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. The 6-8" crappie have been aged by fisheries staff and are 8-12 years old. 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 | 15-21" | 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 21" 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. Cedar trees were added to the lake in October of 2021 and spring of 2019 to enhance fish habitat and spawning structure. An additional fish habitat project is planned for spring of 2023 to add additional spawning structure and fish attractor locations to bolster the current structure available for largemouth bass. Largemouth bass phase II advanced fingerlings have been stocked in 2020 (7,500 fingerlings), 2021 (3,750 fingerlings) and 2022 (3,890 fingerlings). The KDWP Fisheries Biologist plans to continue to request phase II advanced fingerling stockings for the next three years to help bolster current year classes of largemouth bass. This will be evaluated through fin clips to assess genetics to realize stocking contribution to the fishery. In conjunction with the stocking, cedar trees will be added to the lake to enhance spawning, refuge, and forage structure near shore for largemouth bass to flourish. |
| Newsletter | STAY UP TO DATE ON FISH STOCKINGS, FISH SAMPLING, AND FISH HABITAT PROJECTS: 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 | ||
| General Comments | |||
| Water Temperature: 79° F, June 2, 2023 Lake levels: 5.5 feet low from normal pool KDWPT Fisheries and State Park staff enhanced current fish habitat by adding approximately 150 cedar trees near shoreline spawning areas to enhance largemouth bass and spotted bass structure, as well as added cedar trees to current brushpiles near shoreline access areas in October of 2021. Additionally, nearly 100 cedar trees and 40 "Georgia Cubes" were added to the lake in spring of 2019. Fisheries staff plan to add additional cedar trees to enhance fish habitat in the winter of 2021. Cedar trees were placed on existing brushpiles. The GPS coordinates for those existing brushpiles are as follows: N 37.642683, W 094.806843 (Northeast corner dock) 37.641414, W 094.807232 (East cove dock on west side of cove) N 37.640050, W 094.809163 (Middle arm, east side) 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 (Updated 10/13/2021): N 37.642581, W 094.808307 (North point) N 37.644641, W 094.810386 (North boat ramp) N 37.643394, W 094.811154 (Marina northeast dock) N 37.641860, W 094.812640 (Marina Cove southwest dock) N 37.643614, W 094.811419 (Marina Cafe dock) N 37.641616, W 094.813571 (Marina Cove, west end) N 37.641749, W 094.812921 (Marina Cove, southwest dock) N 37.641966, W 094.806699 (East Cove, east bank) N 37.641278, W 094.807183 (East Cove, southwest bank) N 37.641637, W 094.807649 (East Cove, northwest bank) N 37.642103, W 094.807946 (East Cove, north point) 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) 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. | |||
CRITZER LAKE - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Excellent | 13 to 18 inches with a few at 22 inches | Work the edges and out in the middle in the trees. Fish above the stratification line. Some larger fish available, best luck with dark colored jip n pigs, plastic worms, crank baits in close to cover. The majority of fish are in the 12 inch to 6 pound range. In 2021 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 | Good | 15" to 8 pounds | This is a good catfish population with a lot of fish in the 3 pounds and up to 15 pounds range. Use cut shad, cut sunfish, worms, liver, prepared baits, lakewide or along the piers along the parking lot. We recently stocked several thousand channel catfish into the lake to boost the population. |
| Crappie | Good | 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. Fish are in deeper water along the 10ft. line. |
| Walleye | Poor | most between 12 to 17 inches | Some are taken on jigs tipped with worms, spinners, dam and upper creek channel |
| General Comments | |||
| 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 200,000 saugeye 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. 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 15 to Sept 15 Visit www.ksfishderby.com for more info; Tagged Fish - Channel Catfish, Bullhead | |||
ELK CITY RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 8-14" | Crappie fishing remains good. Crappie are up spawning on the dam and in the state park. Minnows under a bobber are working best. |
| Blue and channel catfish | Good | 18-30" | Catfishing has improved. Look for catfish to be moving into the dam and state park area. Catfish are also moving into the shallows in the evenings to feed. Shad sides have been working best. |
| White Bass | Fair | 10-14" | The white bass fishing remains slow. Look for white bass near the fishing jetties at the state park and in deeper holes in the river. Minnows, soft plastics and hair jigs have been working best. |
| Outlet | Poor | 12-20" | Water release remains slow and so does the fishing. |
| 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: 6/1/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| channel catfish | good | 0% 11"-16" 29% 16"-24" 50% 24"-28" 21% 28"-36" | Use a worm, stink bait, or shad sides along rocks and windy shoreline. |
| crappie | good | 52% 5"- 8" 27% 8"-10" 15% 10"-12" 4% 12"-15" 2% 15"+ | Use a jig or minnow along rocky shoreline and windy side of lake. There are a few crappie in the brush piles. |
| white bass | fair | 4% 6"- 9" 24% 9"-12" 47% 12"-15" 25% 15"-18" | Use plastic jig, imitation shad, or spinner on rocky and windy shoreline. Watch for white bass chasing schools of shad along the shoreline. |
| General Comments: | |||
| Link to USACE reservoir water level: http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/FALL.lakepage.html Size structures listed are from 2022 October test netting and 2021 spring electrofishing for largemouth bass. No electrofishing occurred in May 2022 due to high water. 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: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| largemouth and spotted bass | Excellent | varies | spinners, shad imitating crank baits, or soft plastic baits close to fish structure, the deeper side of weed beds and along rocky points. |
| channel and flathead | Excellent | varies, some very nice | There is a good population of channel catfish, many around 3-4 pounds. Fish are lakewide, best with 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 1,000 larger channel catfish into this lake. The fish feeders are ON for the season. |
| 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 | Warm sunny days improve crappie fishing. Most fish are caught in the south end, especially around edges and along deeper water 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 boat ramps and 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. Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 15 to Sept 15 Visit www.ksfishderby.com for more info; Tagged Fish - Channel Catfish | |||
GARNETT NORTH - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | 8-14 inches | Crappie spawn should be over and the fish will be in deeper water near structure. Live bait is a good choice this time of year. |
| Channel catfish | Good | 8-30 inches | Livers, shad sides, or other prepared baits along ledges or windy banks. The upper end of the lake should be good when water is running in. Don't be afraid to fish shallow. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | up to 5lbs. | Any type of moving bait should work, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits, or vibrating jigs. If they are not successful slow it down and throw soft plastics rigged Texas style or wacky rigged stick baits. Early morning or evening topwater bite should be good as well. Recent sampling continues to show excellent numbers of good sized bass. The length limit was changed to a 15"-21" protected slot limit. You are encouraged to harvest all bass under 15" to improve the population. |
| Wipers | Fair | up to 6 lbs | Chicken livers or shad imitating baits such as crankbaits, spinnerbaits, rattletraps, soft jerkbaits, fished 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 | |||
GARNETT SOUTH - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Methods, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Fishing Opportunity | |||
| Largemouth Bass | Good | up to 5lbs. | Vibrating jigs, crankbaits, or football jigs worked around shoreline habitat. Weightless stick baits rigged Wacky style or Texas rigged creature baits are great choices as well. This time of year its hard to be the early morning topwater bite. Recent sampling continues to show excellent numbers of good sized bass. |
| Bluegill | Good | up to 8 inches | Small jigs or flies, also bobber with a worm. Good numbers of 6-7" fish are available |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 8-24 inches | chicken livers, cut bait or other prepared bait lakewide. |
| Crappie | Fair | 6-10 inches | Crappie have moved back off the banks and are roaming the open water look for fish around the limited vertical structure in the lake. Live bait is hard to beat this time of year. |
| 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: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Size | Rating | Bait, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | up to 20lbs. | Good | Drifting various baits lakewide or focusing on wind blown shorelines using various baits such as livers or fresh cut bait. Fishing the shallow timber near the upper end and in coves may be productive but use caution because of the extremely shallow water. |
| Blue Catfish | up to 30 lbs. | Fair-Good | Fishing wind blown shorelines with fresh cut bait. A few fish are harvestable size but most fish in the population are below 35". There is a 35" minimum length limit. |
| White Bass | up to 3lbs. | Fair-Good | Throwing shad imitating baits along the dam or wind blown shorelines. Fishing below the dam can be good during low to moderate releases. Good numbers of big fish are available. |
| Crappie | up to 15" | Fair | Fish have more than likely moved off of the banks and are roaming the open water looking for shad. Some schools may be found around the brushpiles or spider rigging near the dredged area may produce. |
| Comments - Fishing should be good below the dam for multiple species during low to moderate releases. 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: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel, blue and flathead catfish, | Excellent | all sizes, | 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. In the winter months try shoreline fishing at the hotwater outlet. Walk into the lake from the east side. Some blue catfish have been caught that are over 80 pounds. Catfishing can be very good just about anywhere along the shoreline. Trotlines are doing very well. | |||||||
| Crappie | Good | 9 - 12 inches | Crappie anglers are doing well. Fish the hotwater outlet, the dam/outlet, and numerous brushpiles. Sampling and angler reports indicate that there are still alot of good crappie here, most in the 10-12 inch range. Best lures to use are jigs/ minnows, near structure. | |||||||
| Largemouth Bass | Good | varies but 16 to 20 inches is common | Use surface plugs or plastic worms along the rip rap and shoreline along shaded areas. | |||||||
| White bass | Good | 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. Find surface gizzard shad and fish close to the shad. | |||||||
| Carp | Good | all sizes | newly flooded shoreline cover using dough baits | |||||||
| General Comments | ||||||||||
| Water levels have improved. Call the Linn County Park at 913-757-6633. 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. 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: 6/1/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill and Redear | good | 51% 4-7" 37% 7-9" 12% 9-11" | Use worm, small jig, or small silver spoon around brush piles, rock jetties, and weed line. Fish are spawning over gravel beds. The water is very clear and the fish spook easily. |
| Channel Catfish | good | 29% 11-16" 57% 16-24" 0% 24-28" 14% 28-36" | Use worms, shad sides, or liver around feeders, brush piles, and weed line in coves. |
| Largemouth Bass | good | 24% 8-12" 34% 12-15" 42% 15-20" 0% >20" | Use spinners or jigs around brush piles, lotus pads, and weed line. Fish spook easily due to clear water so smaller baits work better. |
| Crappie | fair | 35% 5-8" 6% 8-10" 40% 10-12" 18% 12-15" | Use small jigs or minnows around brush piles and weed line. |
| Saugeye | fair | 0% 9-14" 44% 14-18" 33% 18-22" 22% 22-27" | Drift a jig and worm on mud flats and across points in early morning. Most feeding activity ceases by 9:30am. |
| 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 2022 electrofishing. The size structures listed for crappie, bluegill, redear, and channel catfish are from November 2022 fall 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. | |||
MARAIS DES CYGNES WILDLIFE AREA - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| blue, flathead, channel catfish | Good | varies | fish in the river are concentrated below riffles, stink baits, cut shad, liver, live bluegill |
| 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 at a low flow but could produce some good fishing opportunities. Several reports about good bluecat caught on cut bait or shad with trotlines or rod n reel. 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: 5/26/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 0.25-1 lbs | Crappie are nearly complete with spawning, but shallow spawners can still be found in 2-4ft. Typical of Crappie, their spawn is often spread out over the course of several weeks to a month. When weather conditions are favorable, fish move in shallow. If fish are not found shallow, target staging fish in 5-10ft. As fish complete spawning activity, look for them to concentrate on deeper brush piles in 10-20ft. Minnows and small plastics are producing bites |
| White Bass | Good | 0.5-2 lbs | White Bass can be found in schools near river channel. |
| Walleye/Saugeye/Sauger | Good - Very Good | 0.5-3 lbs | Fish can be found on main lake flats and extended points in 8-15 ft. Trolling crawler harnesses and crankbaits are producing bites. Jigging is also a productive technique. |
| Blue Catfish | Fair-Good | 2-30 bs | Fish can be found in shallow flats near the river channel and wind-blown shorelines. A 35-inch minimum length limit applies. Practice safe catch and release. |
| Channel Catfish | Good-Very Good | 1- 6 lbs | Channel Catfish are spawning and can be found on rocky shorelines. Nightcrawlers and minnows are producing the most bites. |
| Black Bass | Good | 1-5 lbs | Most bass have completed spawning and males are fry guarding. Target Largemouth in shallow cover with soft plastic baits. Target Smallmouth in areas with rocky substrate using Ned Rigs, small crankbaits, or minnows. |
| 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. | ||
| Saugeye | 18 inch minimum length limit went into effect Jan. 1, 2023. This change makes Saugeye, Sauger, and Walleye have the same regulations at Melvern Reservoir. | ||
| General Comments | |||
| Water Level: As of May 26th, Melvern Reservoir was 1ft below normal pool level with 20 cfs discharge. Current water level conditions can be found at: https://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Locations/District-Lakes/Melvern-Lake/Daily-Lake-Info-2/ Invasive Species: Melvern Reservoir has Zebra Mussels. Remember to clean, drain, and dry your boat to prevent spread of Zebra Mussels to other waterbodies. | |||
MINED LAND WILDLIFE AREA - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill / Redear / Warmouth | Good | 6-9 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. Casting parallel to shore or the ends of the pits are good locations along vegetation. 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 | Good | 15-32 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 | Good | 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, 11, 33, 41, 44, 45 to name a few. | ||||||||||||||
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 8-21 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 2022/2023 trout season occurred on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 with a total of 1,200 rainbow trout (800 pounds). The second rainbow trout stocking occurred on Monday, November 15, 2022, with a total of 975 rainbow trout (650 pounds). The third rainbow trout stocking occurred on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, with a total of 1,190 rainbow trout (850 pounds). The fourth rainbow trout stocking occurred on Wednesday, December 28, 2022 with a total of 1,200 rainbow trout (800 pounds). The fifth rainbow trout stocking occurred on Monday, February 13, 2023 with a total of 1,200 rainbow trout (800 pounds). The sixth rainbow trout stocking occurred on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 with a total of 1,000 rainbow trout. The seventh and final rainbow trout stocking occurred on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 with a total of 1,200 rainbow trout (800 pounds). Good luck! 2022/2023 Trout Season / Unit #30 "Trout Pit" Rainbow Trout Stockings
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 during the trout season (November 1-April 15). Rainbow trout & Brown Trout are managed under a combined daily creel limit of five fish. 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 | Poor | 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. Stockings have occurred since 2007. 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. | ||||||||||||||
| Water Levels |
The pits are currently low, due to lack of rainfall, and most are 3 feet low. The Scammon Units are low up to 6 ft. Habitat efforts will take place to take advantage of low water levels, until rainfall begins. Low water levels can be a benefit to the fish populations by concentrating smaller bluegill and crappie to predatory fish, such as largemouth bass, channel catfish, wipers, and walleye. Please use caution during the spring and summer of 2023 of certain boat ramps, due to low water levels. Units 11, 15, 17, 32, 33, and 34 ramps have low water levels and please use caution to not back in too far past the edge of the boat ramp. | ||||||||||||||||
| General Comments | |||||||||||||||||
| Water Temperature: 79° F, June 2, 2023 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. 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. 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: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Good | 14-24" | Catfishing remains good. Look for catfish to move into the shallows on warm evenings. Chicken liver and shrimp are working best. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 8-18" | Largemouth bass fishing remains good. Largemouth bass are in the shallows spawning. Jigs and soft plastics have been working best. |
| Crappie | Good | 8-12" | Crappie fishing remains good. Crappie have finished spawning but some are still shallow. Minnows have been working best. |
| Bluegill/Redear Sunfish | Good | 6-8" | Bluegill and redear fishing has improved. Look for them up shallow as they are spawning. Worms under a bobber are 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 15 to Sept 15 Visit www.ksfishderby.com for more info; Tagged Fish - Channel Catfish, Black Bass, Crappie, Bluegill | |||
MOUND CITY LAKE - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | Excellent | Size varies but most are much larger than the 15 inch length limit, with some large fish | The fish feeders are ON and many catfish are using the feeders. The shoreline around the feeders has recently been improved to be nicer for families to fish. This lake produces many good channel catfish. 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 | Good | 8 to 14 inches some larger | Lots of crappie have been caught this year. Try habitat, such as brushpiles. Recent sampling indicates that majority of crappie are in the 10 inch range with some fish in the 13 to 15 inch ranges. Minnows and dark jigs are best. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | varies | A great population. There are many fish in the 3+ range. Recent sampling indicates a good population with majority of fish 14 to 19 inches. Try plastics, jig and Pig, slab, try along the rock, trees and timber |
| General Comments | |||
| This is a great Kayak or small craft lake. 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 this season. Best baits are dark colored jigs and minnows, mainly around underwater structure. Fish feeders are ON. Largemouth bass numbers have really improved and continues to produce great fishing. 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) The City of Mound City is constructing a fishing trail along the west side of the lake. This will improve shoreline angling access. 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: 4/17/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddlefish | Poor | Paddlefish snagging has been slow as water levels remain low. If there is any increase in flow look for paddlefishing to improve. | |
| 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: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill/Redear Sunfish | Good | 3-6" - 17 % 6-8" - 77 % 8-10" - 6 % | Anglers should focus their efforts near brushpiles, fishing access jetties, or shallow water. 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'. The population is trending upward with a higher percentage caught over 7" in last year's sampling. |
| Warmouth | Fair | 7-10 inches | Warmouth are a species that many anglers aren't aware of, but they're a blast to catch if you catch one. Anglers can find warmouth primarily near rocky habitats, such as jetties and on dam, similar to green sunfish. 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 | 11-16" - 11 % 16-24" - 89 % | Channel catfish can be found throughout all portions of the lake. Last year's sampling indicates a population of more fish in the 16-24" size range. Boat anglers can focus their efforts on the flats of 4-8', 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 cut bait 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 | 5-8" - 65 % 8-10" - 31 % 10-12" - 4% | 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. Crappie will congregate near structure. Last year's sampling indicates a similar size structure from last year. 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 | 8-12" - 35% 12-15" - 32% 15-20" - 28% > 20" - 4% | 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. Recent sampling indicates an improved size structure with many above quality length. |
| Newsletter | STAY UP TO DATE ON FISH STOCKINGS, FISH SAMPLING, FISH HABITAT PROJECTS: 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 | ||
| General Comment | |||
| Water Temperature: 79° F, June 2, 2023 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 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: 5/26/2023 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 | ||
| Sunfish | Fair | Up to 0.25 lbs | Osage SFL contains several sunfish populations including Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, and Warmouth. Sunfish are spawning in the shallows and making spawning beds. Target sunfish using nightcrawlers under a bobber. |
| Channel catfish | Fair | 0.5-5 lbs | Channel Catfish are spawning and can be caught near the shoreline. Nightcrawlers or minnows are producing the best bites. |
| Crappie | Good | 0.25 - 1lbs | Crappie are nearly complete with spawning but some shallow spawner can still be caught. Small plastics or minnows are producing bites. |
| Largemouth bass | Fair | 0.5-2 lbs | Bass have completed spawning and males are fry guarding. Target bass along vegetation edges using soft plastic baits. |
| 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 | |||
PLEASANTON CITY LAKE EAST - Last Updated: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, &Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wipers | Good | size varies, | look for shad on the surface and cast close. Majority of fish are in the 3 to 5 pound range. spoons, crank baits are good, use shad imitations. |
| Channel catfish | Excellent | All sizes, | This lake has a good catfish population and produces nice fish. The fish feeders are off. 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. |
| Largemouth bass | Excellent | varies | lots of bass with a balanced population. try dropoffs, and the weed bed habitat. Try using silver or blue crank baits or soft baits. Lots of bass in the 12 to 15 inch range. An angler caught 8 yesterday with the biggest at 4 lbs. |
| Walleye/Saugeye | Slow | 18-24 inches | An incidental fish taken near deeper habitat. |
| White Crappie | Good | 8-14 inches | The crappie are improving and are in the 8 inch to 15 inches long. Fish are in deeper and around the brushpiles. 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 | |||
| Water levels have improved. This is a great Kayak or small craft lake. 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. 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: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| channel catfish | Excellent | Size varies, some up to 8 pounds | The fish feeders are ON and have Lots of channel catfish and anglers are doing well. Use cut shad or sunfish or 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 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. The fish feeders are off. |
| crappie | Good | All sizes | Density and quality of fish is good. The crappie are in and out with the water temperatures. 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 and lots of fish in the 2 to 4 pound range. Use crank baits or spinners, recent sampling shows many bass over 3 pounds. Even with the colder water temperatures bass are still responding to stick baits and medium depty crank baits. |
| bluegill | Good | varies | Most fish are under 8 inches. use a small worm or jig under a float. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water levels have improved. This is a great Kayak or small craft lake. The best way to measure social distancing is with a fishing pole. The fish feeders are ON and support alot of channel catfish. This lake has great shoreline angling, lots of room to spread out, for social distancing. 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: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel, Blue, Flathead Catfish | Good | all sizes | good baits are worms or dip baits and cut sunfish or cutshad. Both of the Parks provide many great shorelines for family from the bank fishing. The Rock Quarry is a good place for shore 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. Lots of catfish caught in the spillway on worms or cut bait. |
| Walleye/saugeye | Slow | varies | Try crank baits or jigs tipped with night crawlers along the flats |
| White bass/Wipers | Slow | 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. Look for where shad are schooled up. |
| Crappie | Good | varies but range 8 -12 inches | Very good crappie are still being caught. 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 | Poor | Most are 10 to 15 inches | Pomona has a limited black bass fishery with some smallmouth bass being caught. 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 | |||
| Water levels are good. Pomona has produced many good crappie in the 10 to 14 inch range and excellent white bass. Angling will improve as the water warms up. Also remember this lake has a good wiper and an improving walleye, saugeye 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: 5/25/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location | |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 16-24" | Catfishing has improved. Look for fish to move into the shallows on warm evenings and also on the north end by the bridge. Look for any flowing water to increase your chances. Shad sides and chicken livers have been working best. | |
| Largemouth and Spotted Bass | Good | 10-22" | Largemouth bass fishing remains good. Bass have started to spawn and are up in the shallows. Jigs and soft plastics have been working best. | |
| Crappie | Good | 8-12" | Crappie fishing remains good. Crappie have finished spawning but some are still up shallow cruising for food. Minnows have been working best. | |
| Bluegill and Redear | Good | 6-8" | Bluegills and redear fishing has improved. Bluegill and redear can be found moving into the shallows as they are spawning. 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: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Bait, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 6-14" | Texas-rigged plastics, weightless stick baits, or spinnerbaits fished around structural elements such as isolated brush on flats or rocky points should produce. Topwater baits near the weedbeds should also be good. |
| Channel Catfish | Good | 12-26" | Livers, shad sides, stink bait fished on wind blown banks. Lots of fish in the 1-4 lb. range. Don't be afraid to fish shallower habitat. |
| Walleye | Slow | 8-12" | Fall sampling indicates a few fish over 15" are available. |
| Bluegill | Good | 4-7" | mealworms, nightcrawlers, or small jigs fished near shore and around vegetation or brush. |
| Crappie | Fair | 6-10" | Recent sampling has shown there are a lot of 8" fish currently with some fish tickling the 10" mark. Fishing with jigs and minnows near rocky or brushy habitat. |
| 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 | |||
The lake is about 7ft. low, use caution using the boat ramp especially with larger boats.
YATES CENTER - SOUTH OWL - Last Updated: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass | Good | 1-5 lbs. | Football jigs, vibrating jigs, Texas-rigged plastics or squarebill crankbaits worked slowly near rocky banks or water willow. Buzzbaits or frogs fished near the water willow should produce some fish early and late in the day. Recent sampling efforts indicate a good population of bass is present with fish up to 6 lbs. |
| channel catfish | Good | 1/2-15 lbs | Using shad sides livers or other prepared baits on wind blown banks should get a few bites. Don't be afraid to fish shallow around the water willow. |
| Walleye | No reports | 10-24" | |
| crappie | Fair | up to 14" | Crappie should be done spawning and have moved back off the banks to deeper water look for them around the deeper structures use 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: 6/2/2023 Print
| Species | Size | Rating | Baits, Methods, Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redear and Bluegill | up to 10" | Fair-Good | A good population of both species is present in this lake. small jigs or worms fished around deeper brush or timber. |
| Largemouth Bass | 8-18" | Good | Football jigs, Texas-rigged plastics, squarebill crankbaits, or slow rolling big spinnerbaits around various structural elements. Topwater baits early and late near the piers and brush. The slot limit was changed to a 15-21" protected slot, meaning you need to release any bass in the 15"-21" range, but you are encouraged to harvest all bass under 15" to help improve the population. |
| Catfish | up to 10lbs. | Good | Shad sides, worms, or other prepared baits fished on windy flats or upper end of lake when water is coming in. Don't be afraid to fish shallow water. Feeders are off, DO NOT TIE BOATS TO THE FEEDERS! |
| Wipers/White Bass | 8-18" | Fair | 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-Good | Fish should be moving back off the banks back to deeper water look for them around the standing timber near the creek channel. Use live bait or jigs. |
| Walleye | 15-24" | slow | No reports |
| 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. | |||