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: 9/25/2019
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | No report | Up to 12 inches | Try minnows, small slab spoons, or jigs around brush in 4-8 feet of water. |
| Channel catfish | No report | Up to 5 lbs | Try fishing anywhere water is running in. Try prepared stinkbait, cut bait or liver under a bobber or on the bottom. Also try drifting nightcrawlers. |
| Largemouth bass | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Try spinnerbaits and plastics around the submerged brush and topwaters early and late in the day. |
| Bluegill | No report | Up to 8 inches | Try small jigs, crickets or worms under a bobber around brush and rock piles. |
| Walleye | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Try drifting minnows or nightcrawlers in a jig head over points and flats. |
Water temperatures should be starting to drop a bit. Most fish should be starting the fall feeding frenzy to prepare for winter.
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: 9/25/2019
Work to repair the Clark State Fishing Lake spillway will begin May 20, 2019, weather permitting, and will entail lowering the lake level only about 11 feet. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | Slow | up to 11 inches | Jigs cast around any deeper brush |
| Channel catfish | Good | Stinkbait, worms and livers fished on the bottom | |
| Largemouth bass | Good | Just about any artificial bait seems to be working right now, especially topwater baits early in the morning and late in the day. | |
| Bluegill | Good | Worms and crickets under a bobber as well and small jigs. | |
| Walleye | Slow | Try casting minnows or nightcrawlers in a jig head over points and flats. | |
| White bass | Fair | Jigs, small crankbaits and topwaters. |
The repair work is progressing with the lake about 11 feet low. Very difficult to get a boat on the water and MUCH more difficult to get it loaded back on the trailer.
Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!
A Dodge City District newsletter is available. Information about fishing and fisheries management throughout southwest Kansas will be updated at least twice each year. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Dodge-City-Fishing-District
HORSETHIEF RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 9/25/2019
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | Slow | Up to 12 inches | Try minnows, small slab spoons, or jigs around brush in 4-8 feet of water. |
| Channel catfish | Good | Up to 5 lbs | Try fishing the upper lake where water is running in. Try prepared stinkbait, cut bait or liver under a bobber or on the bottom. Also try drifting nightcrawlers. Use live bluegill fished on a slip-sinker for larger channel catfish. |
| Largemouth bass | Slow | Up to 4 lbs | Try spinnerbaits and plastics around cover and the rocks. Top water baits early morning and late afternoon. |
| Bluegill | Fair | Up to 8 inches | Try small jigs, crickets or worms under a bobber around brush and rock piles. |
| Walleye | Slow | Up to 8 lbs | Try drifting minnows or nightcrawlers in a jig head over points and flats. |
Water temperatures should be starting to drop a bit. Most fish should be starting the fall feeding frenzy on threadfin shad to prepare for winter.
Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!
A Dodge City District newsletter is available. Information about fishing and fisheries management throughout southwest Kansas will be updated at least twice each year. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Dodge-City-Fishing-District
MEADE STATE LAKE - Last Updated: 9/25/2019
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, & Location |
| Crappie | No report | Up to 12 inches | Try minnows, small slab spoons, or jigs around brush in 4-8 feet of water. |
| Channel catfish | No report | Up to 5 lbs | Try fishing on windblown side of the lake. Try prepared stinkbait, cut bait or liver under a bobber or on the bottom. Also try drifting nightcrawlers. |
| Largemouth bass | No report | Up to 4 lbs | Try spinnerbaits around the brush piles and cattails. Top water baits early and late. |
| Bluegill | No report | Up to 8 inches | Try small jigs, crickets or worms under a bobber around brush and rock piles. |
| Flathead catfish | No report | Up to 40 lbs | Live bait around brushpiles |
Water temperatures should be starting to drop a bit. Most fish should be starting the fall feeding frenzy to prepare for winter.
Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!
A Dodge City District newsletter is available. Information about fishing and fisheries management throughout southwest Kansas will be updated at least twice each year. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Dodge-City-Fishing-District
PRATT COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 9/25/2019
The fish salvage condition is no longer in place at Pratt County Lake. The repairs have been completed and the lake is filling. On July 2, 700 pounds of channel catfish averaging 1.5 pounds each were stocked to begin building fish populations back up. Largemouth bass, walleye and wipers, as well as more channel catfish, will be stocked when they are available.
Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!
A Dodge City District newsletter is available. Information about fishing and fisheries management throughout southwest Kansas will be updated at least twice each year. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Dodge-City-Fishing-District
SCOTT STATE LAKE - Last Updated: 2/21/2020
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method & Location |
| Channel Catfish | Slow/Fair | Most in the 13 to 18 inch range | Cut bait fished in the shallows on warmer days. |
| Crappie | Fair/Good | Up to 13 inches | Vertically fishing jigs around the deeper brushpiles or drifting jigs from a boat on the main lake. |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow/Fair | Up to 5.5 lbs. | Casting soft plastics and swim baits around shoreline habitat and brush piles along sun-warmed banks. |
| Rainbow Trout | Good/Excellent | Up to 2.5 lbs. | The fifth stocking of the season was conducted February 17, 2020 as approximately 650 trout were released into Barrel Springs Pond. Stillfishing powerbait, corn, marshmallows, worms off the bottom, alone or in various combinations, is a popular approach. Active fishing methods such as casting small in-line spinners and spoons with light spincasting tackle or fishing slow-sinking nymphs with a fly rod can be effective too. |
| Sunfish | Good | Up to 8 inches | Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished around deeper brush. |
| Saugeye | Fair | Up to 7 lbs. | No Report. Saugeye will spawn in March so fish should be entering pre-spawn mode. Bouncing brightly colored, curly-tailed jigs or fish imitating swimbaits over points, rocky-bottomed shelves, and along the dam can be productive. |
| General Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Report: Barrel Springs Pond and the State Lake are ice free. 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 | |||