Northwest Region Fishing Reports
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: 5/20/2022
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Fair to Good | 12-18 inches | Spring is a great time to catch bass at our state fishing lakes as they feed heavy as the water warms up and also in preparation for the spawn. 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 | Look for bluegill around the rocks on the piers and around any brush in the water. Worms and small jigs are a good bet. These guys can be caught throughout the year using a variety of techniques. Some anglers prefer to fly fish with small nymphs or dry flies fished on the surface. |
| Channel Catfish | 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 throughout the spring. 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. The spring spawning season is an excellent time to catch fish that move shallow around structure to spawn. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water Temperature--75ºF CAUTION: LONGER BOAT TRAILERS MAY FALL OFF EDGE OF BOAT RAMP WHEN WATER IS LOW | |||
CEDAR BLUFF RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 5/27/2022
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
| Black Bass | Good/Excellent | Up to 5 lbs. | Black bass are shallow spawning. Casting soft plastics and swimbaits around laydown stumps in water 3 to 6 feet deep has been best. Look for smallies and spots in rockier areas. |
| Crappie | Fair/Good | Up to 15 inches | Much of the spawning activity has past, but a few fish can still be caught shallow primarily towards the lower end of the reservoir in more mainlake oriented areas. Otherwise, fishing jigs and minnows around standing timber in coves and around mouths of coves in 12 to 18 feet of water. |
| Walleye | Fair | Up to 28 inches | Casting crankbaits and swimbaits over hard-bottomed points, shelves, roadbeds, and parking lots in 12 to 18 feet of water. Anglers have reported catching a few fish, but the bite remains relatively slow compared to past years. |
| White Bass/Wipers | Good | Whites up to 17 inches Wipers up to 13 lbs. | Anglers report catching white bass trolling crankbaits or casting shad imitations near mainlake points. Casting topwater shad imitations over shallow points early and late continues to be good for wipers. |
| WATER TEMPERATURE-67 degrees F SURFACE ELEVATION- 2130.51 ft. above MSL-13.49 ft. below conservation pool NEW FOR 2022: Effective January 1, 2022 Walleye harvest at Cedar Bluff Reservoir will continue to be regulated by a 21-INCH MINIMUM LENGTH LIMIT AND 5 FISH DAILY CREEL LIMIT, EXCEPT UP TO 2 WALLEYE GREATER THAN 15-INCHES BUT LESS THAN 18-INCHES MAY BE INCLUDED IN THE 5 FISH DAILY CREEL. For additional information call the Cedar Bluff Area Office at (785)-726-3212. 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. Great Kansas Fishing Derby Tagged Species - Channel Catfish, Black Bass, Crappie, White Bass/Wiper, Walleye Cedar Bluff District Newsletter: A biannual newsletter detailing fishing related prospects and activities in the Cedar Bluff District, which includes such waters as Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Sheridan and Scott State Fishing Lakes, Antelope Lake, and other public fishing waters in northwest Kansas are available. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. The link is: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Cedar-Bluff-Fishing-District | |||
GLEN ELDER RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 5/2/2022
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Good | 9-15 inches | The crappie is just now beginning with fish having moved in shallow especially in the main lake coves like Osage and Marina. There are also fish still hanging out in prespawn areas which include brush and structure in 10-15 feet of water near spawning areas. There are very good numbers of crappie in the reservoir now so success can be had throughout the year. |
| Trout | Good | 10-15 inches | The latest round of trout was stocked on March 18th with 500 pounds of quality fish stocked in the GLEN ELDER OUTLET. This was the last stocking of the year. There are now very good numbers of fish in both the park pond and the outlet and anglers should have no problem catching trout over the next several weeks so be sure to purchase your fishing license and trout permit and head out to Glen Elder for some excellent trout fishing. 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 | Fish can be found along the river channel between the dam and the area south of the Marina in 25-30 feet of water. Some anglers often have success fishing off Gibbs Point and Schoens Cove along the river channel bends. The deeper fish are often caught using a jig and crawler combo or possibly jigs with minnows. *KDWP stocked 5 million walleye fry in Glen Elder during the month of April. In addition, there will be walleye fingerlings stocked in late May or early June. |
| Black Bass | Good | 12-20 inches | Smallmouth bass fishing is rapidly improving with the water temperatures warming. They should be spawning now which means moving in to shallow rocky cove areas. With a 21 inch length limit these fish are almost all sublegal so please handle them with extreme care and release them immediately after catching them. They can also be found along the dam, Granite Creek, and the south bluffs. Anglers typically catch them using a variety of crankbaits, soft plastics, and Ned Rigs. Largemouth bass can also be caught in most of the main lake coves as well as in the state park using spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and Senkos. |
| Catfish | Fair to Good | 15-35 inches | Catfish can be caught just about anywhere lakewide. The best numbers can be found around the mouth of Walnut Creek, along Sandy Beach, near Takota Point, and on the flats south of the golf course. Anglers can try drift fishing for them using shad sides, shad gizzards, and stinkbait. Blue catfish can be found primarily around the Cawker City causeway and west as well as south of Granite Creek along the river channel in 25 to 30 feet of water. Many of the blue catfish will be found just west of the causeway between the hazard buoys, along the submerged roadbed and near the river channels up both arms of the Solomon. Remember, there is a 35 inch length limit on blue catfish at Glen Elder. |
| White Bass | Good to Excellent | 11-18 inches | Fish have already started moving up the river channels in both the North Fork and South Fork and anglers are catching them using Mister Twisters, roadrunners, and slab spoons. Other fish will move to the rocky banks along the Cawker City causeway, Granite Creek, and the dam for the spawn. This activity should be good for the next month or so as the spawn is usually prolonged through late April and early May. |
|
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: 60°F Current Water Level: 0.3 feet low We are conducting a creel survey at Glen Elder through the end of October. One of the creel clerks may approach you asking a few questions about your fishing trip. Please take a couple of minutes to answer their questions as the data we collect is invaluable for future management of the Glen Elder fishery. | |||
JEWELL STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 5/20/2022
KANOPOLIS RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 5/24/2022
| 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. Several reports of larger fish and limits being caught when they can be located. Fish are also being caught near the banks as they spawn. |
| Trout | Good | No reports from the seep stream | |
| Saugeye | Fair | 14 - 22" | Wind blown points 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 can be productive baits. |
| 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. 619,000 wiper fry were stocked in May. |
| General Comment | |||
| Buzzard Bay boat ramp is currently being repaired and is out of service for the time being. 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: 5/25/2022
| 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. Also hearing of some crappie being caught up in the shallows of coves using jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. |
| Saugeye/Walleye | Fair | 13 to 27 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught along the Dam and around the point south of the swim beach using jigs tipped with minnow or worm. An 18" minimum length limit is in effect. |
| Wiper | Good | 10 to 28 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught around Monkey Island and concrete cove using jigs. |
| Catfish | Fair | 10 to 30 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught up in the shallows using shrimp, stink bait, liver and shad on the bottom. |
| Largemouth/Spotted Bass | Good | 10 to 20 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught along the Dam and up in the coves using crankbaits and artificial baits. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 63° SURFACE ELEVATION- 2295.13 ---- 9.17 feet below conservation pool Currently, the water level is 3.57 feet lower than it was one year ago, at this time. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water. Please discard leftover bait in a trash can. Great Kansas Fishing Derby Tagged Species - Channel Catfish, Black Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, White Bass/Wiper. Saugeye 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: 5/25/2022
| 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 and river channel using jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. Also, hearing of crappie being caught up in the shallows of coves using jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. |
| Walleye | Fair | 10 to 29 inches | Did hear of some walleye being caught off the Dam using jigs and crankbaits and off the river channel using jigs off the bottom. Also, been hearing of some being caught off the Bow creek channel using night crawlers on the bottom. |
| White Bass/ Wiper | Good | 10 to 28 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught trolling diving lures along the Dam and windward side of the reservoir. |
| Catfish | Fair | 10 to 30 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught up in the shallows using shrimp, stink bait, shad and night crawlers. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 12 to 22 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught up in the coves and around Crappie Point using crankbaits and artificial baits. |
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 63° SURFACE ELEVATION- 1728.03 ---- 1.22' below conservation pool Currently, the water level is 2.16' lower than it was one year ago, at this time. Docks are back in the water at the North ramp and South shore ramp. The fish cleaning station is back open. If you have any questions regarding Kirwin Reservoir and the surrounding public lands, contact the USFWS at 785-543-6673. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water. Please discard leftover bait in a trash can. Now Available: A Webster District newsletter that includes fisheries related information about Webster, Kirwin and Keith Sebelius Reservoirs is available. If you would like to subscribe to this spring and fall newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. | |||
LOVEWELL RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 5/2/2022
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Fair to Good | 16-25 inches | There are still some walleye spawning along the dam and other rocky areas along the bank but this is beginning to wind down a bit as many of the fish are moving out to deeper water. Fish can be found along the river channel between Cedar Point and Walleye Point in 20-25 feet of water. Some anglers often have lake fishing off the swim beach in the evening casting a variety of crankbaits and swim baits. The deeper fish are often caught using a jig and crawler combo or possibly jigs with minnows. *KDWP stocked 2 million walleye fry into Lovewell during the month of April. In addition, walleye fingerlings and intermediates have also been requested for stocking this year. |
| White Bass/Wipers | Good | 7-14 inches 15-25 inches | With the white bass spawn quickly approaching, anglers will find fish along the dam and other rip rapped shoreline around the reservoir. Casting a variety of small crankbaits, roadrunners, and slabs can all catch fish this time of year. Wipers are often found off the dam and along the creek channel on the lower half of the reservoir this time of year. Fish will also be found on the windblown points feeding on gizzard shad, especially around Cedar Point and Walleye Point. *600,000 wiper fry will be stocked into Lovewell in May with fingerlings also requested later this summer |
| Crappie | Fair to Good | 8-14 inches | The crappie spawn has begun and fish can be found moving in to the banks in shallow water over the nexst month or so. They can also be found in prespawn areas during early May. These areas include brush and structure in 10-15 feet of water near spawning areas. 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 | Anglers can find catfish lakewide throughout the spring. Fall sampling indicated very high numbers of channel catfish are in the reservoir now. Best baits to use include stinkbait, shad gizzards, shad sides, shrimp, and nightcrawlers. 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 | |||
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Anglers can now find GPS coordinates, descriptions, and histories of some of the major brush piles in Lovewell. Simply follow this link Good Fishing Spots and select the individual brush pile to find out more information. More Georgia Cubes were added in April 2020! Current water temperature: 60ºF Current water level: 0.5 feet below conservation pool Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water! | |||
ROOKS STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 5/25/2022
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| CURRENT FISHING | |||
| Largemouth Bass | Good | 6-21 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught lake wide using crankbaits and artificial baits. |
| Bluegill | Good | 3-9 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught lake wide using worms under a bobber. |
| Catfish | Good | 10-25 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught lake wide using shrimp, liver and shad on the bottom. |
| Black Crappie | Good | 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. 62 Degrees Lake is approx. one to two feet low. 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: 5/12/2022
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair/Good | Up to 13 inches | Fish have moved shallow to spawn and can be caught fishing small jigs under a bobber around brush and vegetation.. |
| Largemouth Bass | Good | Up to 5 lbs. | Casting swimbaits and soft plastics around shoreline brushpiles, along the dam, around the fishing piers, and around laydown trees. |
| Saugeye | Fair/Good | Up to 3 lbs. | Drifting jigs tipped with minnows or worms or casting crankbaits over points, shelves and along creek channel breaks is best this time of year. |
| Bluegill | Fair/Good | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber around brush, vegetation, and rock structure. |
| Channel Catfish | Fair/Good | Up to 19 lbs. | Stillfishing shrimp or cut bait off the bottom. |
| Wiper | Fair | Up to 2 lbs. | Fishing shrimp or liver off the bottom is a good bet this time of year. |
| Comments | |||
| It is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water, so please discard any unused bait in a trash can. Cedar Bluff District Newsletter: A biannual newsletter detailing fishing related projects and activities in the Cedar Bluff District, which includes such waters as Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Sheridan and Scott State Fishing Lakes, Antelope Lake, and other public fishing waters in northwest Kansas are available. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. The link is: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Cedar-Bluff-Fishing-District | |||
WEBSTER RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 5/25/2022
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Fair | 7 to 17 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught around the north and south shore breakwaters and fish attractors. Also, hearing of crappie being caught up in the coves of Old Marina and Rock Point using jigs and jigs with minnows. |
| Walleye | Fair | 14 to 28 inches | Have heard of some walleye being caught off the banks using night crawlers on the bottom and drifting/jigging on the flats around the little Sahara swim beach. |
| White Bass/Wiper | Fair | 8 to 28 inches | Have had reports of fish being caught trolling diving lures and using jigs and jigs tipped with minnow or worm. |
| Catfish | Fair | 12 to 30 inches | Have had reports of catfish being caught in Rock Point using shrimp, liver and shad. Fish the shallow areas for the cats. |
| Largemouth Bass | Fair | 12 to 22 inches | Have had reports of bass being caught in Rock Point, Old Marina and below the bait shop using crankbaits and artificial baits. |
| Rainbow Trout | THERE WILL NOT BE ANY TROUT STOCKED INTO THE WEBSTER STILLING BASIN THIS YEAR DUE TO THE BUREAU DOING MAINTENANCE ON THE SPILLWAY. SORRY FOR THE INCONVIENCE. | ||
| General Comments | |||
| WATER TEMPERATURE- 63° SURFACE ELEVATION- 1890.68 ---- 1.77' below conservation pool The water level is 2.84' lower than it was one year ago at this time. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water. Please discard leftover bait in a trash can. Now Available: A Webster District newsletter 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: 5/24/2022
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Striped Bass | Fair | 7-25 pounds | Larger fish are relating to deeper water near Lucas campground, mouth of Marshall Cove, and towards the dam. Try trolling crankbaits, casting/jigging large bucktail jigs, or drifting live shad or sunfish along channel breaks. 131 adult striped bass were stocked in May, 125,000 fry were stocked in April, and fingerlings are requested for the coming months. |
| Walleye | Good | 18-25 inches | Trolling or casting crankbaits and swimbaits over mainlake points early morning or late evening are your best bets. Several limits have been caught recently and fishing has been good as the walleye are now in their post spawn patterns. 3.7 million walleye fry was stocked in April, fingerlings and intermediates are requested for the coming months. |
| 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. NEW REGULATION FOR 2020: Release all Blue Catfish between 32 - 40 inches. Two can be kept outside this range but only one can be kept over 40 inches. |
| White Bass | Fair | 12-18 inches, up to 3 pounds | 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 = 0.37 feet above conservation pool. BOAT RAMP UPDATE: All boat ramps are open. WEAR YOUR LIFE JACKETS and be courteous at boat ramps! We have two Aquatic Nuisance Species - white perch and zebra mussels and have joined Cheney and El Dorado as lakes with both species. The law now says that if anyone leaves the lake with water in your livewell or boat, you are subject to a ticket for transporting Zebra Mussels since they will spawn and the microscopic little mussels will probably be in every drop of water in the lake. Make sure you drain all water from the boat before you leave the boat ramp area!!! We have been taking veliger samples and the samples were high so be sure to drain and dry everything!!!!!! | |||