Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism

Notice

KDWPT facilities are open to the public. Please practice social distancing and observe all safety precautions put in place by staff. Thank you.

For the latest information on the COVID-19 virus, visit http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/index.htm.

Southwest 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.

BARBER STATE FISHING LAKE - LOWER - Last Updated: 9/11/2020

Species	Rating	Sizes Possible	Baits, Method, & Location
Crappie	No report	Up to 12 inches	Summertime patterns are in place. Fish any deep brush you can find especially in the creek channels or around a drop-off. Use minnows, small slab spoons, or jigs tipped with plastics.
Channel catfish	No report	Up to 5 lbs	Try prepared stink bait, punch bait, cut bait or liver under a bobber or on the bottom. Also try night crawlers. These fish will move shallower at night.
Largemouth bass	No report	Up to 4 lbs	Summertime patterns are in place. Try bladed jigs and soft plastic around rocks, wood or vegetation. Topwater baits early morning and evening
Bluegill	No report	Up to 8 inches	Try small jigs & worms under a bobber around brush, the dam and rock piles.
Walleye	No report	Up to 4 lbs	Summertime patterns are in place. Walleye should be on the flats and points. Try small jigs with plastic swimbaits, wobble jigs tipped with worms, minnows or leaches or trolling small minnow type crank baits.

Water temperatures should be dropping into the upper 60's.

All waters in the Dodge City District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps.

We have not received any reports from anglers. You may call the Dodge City Regional office as 620-227-8609 to make a report.

Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!

A Dodge City District newsletter is available. Information about fishing and fisheries management throughout southwest Kansas will be updated at least twice each year. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Dodge-City-Fishing-District

CLARK STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 9/11/2020

Species	Rating	Size	Baits, Method, & Location
Crappie	Slow	Up to 12 inches	Summertime patterns are in place. Fish any deep brush you can find especially in the creek channels or around a drop-off. Use minnows, small slab spoons, or jigs tipped with plastics.
Channel catfish	Good	Up to 5 lbs	Try prepared stink bait, cut bait or liver under a bobber or on the bottom. Also try night crawlers. These fish will usually move shallow in the evening.
Largemouth bass	Slow	Up to 6 lbs	Summertime patterns are in place. Try bladed jigs and soft plastic around rocks, wood or newly inundated vegetation. Try topwater baits early morning and evening.
Bluegill	No report	Up to 8 inches	Bluegill about done spawning. Try small jigs & worms under a bobber around brush, the dam and rock piles.
Walleye	No report	Up to 5 lbs	Summertime patterns are in place.Walleye should be on the flats and points. Try small jigs with plastic swimbaits, wobble jigs tipped with worms, minnows or leaches or trolling small minnow type crank baits.
White bass	Fair	Up to 1.5 lbs	Small twister tail jigs, spoons and crankbaits on windblown areas. Topwater baits can also be good.

Lake is still nearly 8 feet low. Water temperatures should be dropping into the upper 60's.

All waters in the Dodge City District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps.

We have received very few reports from anglers. You may call the Dodge City Regional office as 620-227-8609 to make a report.

The repair work is completed. Boats are being put on the water only at both ramps on the south east side.

Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!

HORSETHIEF RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 9/11/2020

Species	Rating	Size	Baits, Method, & Location
Crappie	Slow	Up to 12 inches	Summertime patterns are in place. Fish any rocks or brush you can find especially in the creek channels or around a drop-off. Use minnows, small slab spoons, or jigs tipped with plastics.
Channel catfish	Excellent	Up to 12 lbs	Try fishing any areas of inflow from recent rains. Try prepared stink bait, cut bait or liver under a bobber or on the bottom. Also try night crawlers. These fish move shallow at night.
Largemouth bass	Slow	Up to 5 lbs	Summertime patterns are in place. Try bladed jigs and soft plastic around rocks, wood or vegetation. Try topwater baits early morning and evenings.
Bluegill	No report	Up to 8 inches	Try small jigs & worms under a bobber around brush, the dam and rock piles.
Walleye	Good	Up to 8.5 lbs	Summertime patterns are in place. Walleye should be on the flats and points. Try small jigs with plastic swimbaits, wobble jigs tipped with worms, minnows or leaches or trolling small minnow type crank baits.

Water temperatures should be dropping into the upper 60's.

All waters in the Dodge City District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps.

We have received very few reports from anglers. You may call the Dodge City Regional office as 620-227-8609 to make a report.

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: 9/11/2020

Species	Rating	Sizes Possible	Baits, Method, & Location
Crappie	No report	Up to 14 inches	Summertime patterns are in place. Fish any brush you can find. Use minnows, small slab spoons, or jigs tipped with plastics.
Channel catfish	No report	Up to 5 lbs	Try fishing any areas of inflow from recent rains. Try prepared stink bait, cut bait or liver under a bobber or on the bottom. Also try night crawlers. These fish move shallow at night.
Largemouth bass	No report	Up to 4 lbs	Summertime patterns are in place. Try bladed jigs and soft plastic around rocks, wood or vegetation. Topwater baits early morning and evening.
Bluegill	No report	Up to 8 inches	Try small jigs & worms under a bobber around brush, the dam and rock piles.

Water temperatures should be dropping into the upper 60's.

All waters in the Dodge City District are currently open to fishing during this COVID-19 outbreak. Remember to utilize social distancing and avoid congregating at boat ramps.

We have not received any reports from anglers. You may call the Dodge City Regional office as 620-227-8609 to make a report.

Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!

PRATT COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 8/21/2020

Restocking efforts continue. On April 9, 2020, 140 channel catfish averaging pounds each were stocked averaging 2-3 pounds to continue building fish populations back up. Largemouth bass, walleye and wipers, as well as more channel catfish, will be stocked when they are available.

Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!

SCOTT STATE LAKE - Last Updated: 10/8/2020

General Comments
Species	Rating	Size	Baits, Method & Location
Channel Catfish	Fair	Most in the 13 to 18 inch range	Prepared baits, minnows, and worms fished off the bottom in deeper water during the day or in the shallows at night has been best.
Crappie	Slow	Up to 13 inches	Minnows or jigs under a bobber around brush or along the edges of cattails adjacent to deeper water.
Largemouth Bass	Fair	Up to 5.5 lbs.	Casting soft plastics around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation has produced a few fish.
Sunfish	Fair/Good	Up to 8 inches	Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished around brush, laydown trees, rocks, and vegetation along the shoreline especially when the above mentioned habitat is in, or directly adjacent to, deeper water.
Saugeye	Slow	Up to 7 lbs.	Casting crankbaits and swimbaits over points, along rip-rapped shorelines, and edges of cattail beds adjacent to deeper water early and late.
Release all walleye/saugeye less than 18 inches and largemouth bass less than 15 inches. Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water! Cedar Bluff District Newsletter: A biannual newsletter detailing fishing related projects and activities in the Cedar Bluff District, which includes such waters as Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Sheridan and Scott State Fishing Lakes, Antelope Lake, and other public fishing waters in northwest Kansas are available. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. The link is: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Cedar-Bluff-Fishing-District

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Southwest Region Fishing Reports