Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism

Notice

Your safety is our priority. While visiting KDWP facilities, please practice social distancing and observe all safety precautions put in place by staff. Thank you.

For the latest information on COVID-19, 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: 9/2/2021

Species	Rating	Sizes Possible	Baits, Method, & Location
Crappie	No report	Up to 12 inches	Crappie should be back in deeper water. Try jigs & minnows around brush and weeds. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit.
Channel Catfish	No report	Most in the 1 lb. size range	Fishing cut bait, frozen shrimp or stink bait lake wide. Harvest regulations include a 5/day creel limit.
Largemouth bass	No report	Up to 4 lbs.	Casting topwater baits early and late then soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation the rest of the day. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit.
Bluegill	No report	Up to 8 inches	Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush in deeper water. There are no harvest restrictions at this time.
Walleye	No report	Up to 4 lbs	Drifting worm and nightcrawlers over points, flats and along rip-rapped shorelines adjacent to deeper water. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit.

Water temperatures should be in the mid 80's. Hopefully we will start seeing some cooler weather but for now typical summer time patterns for channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass should continue to work.

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

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

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

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

Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill/Green Sunfish

CLARK STATE FISHING LAKE - Last Updated: 9/2/2021

Species	Rating	Sizes Possible	Baits, Method, & Location
Crappie	Slow	Up to 12 inches	Should be around brush and cubes an deeper water. Try jigs or minnows. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit.
Channel Catfish	Good	Most in the 1 lb size range	Fishing cut bait, shrimp or stink bait lake wide.
Largemouth bass	Fair	Up to 4 lbs	Top water baits early and late then soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation the rest of the day. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit.
Bluegill	Fair	Up to 8 inches	Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush in deeper water. There are no harvest restrictions at this time.
Walleye	Good	Up to 4 lbs	Lots of 12 - 14 inch fish being caught on jig and worm. Also casting crankbaits and swimbaits over points, shelves, and along rip-rapped shorelines adjacent to deeper water. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit.
White Bass	Good	Up to 17 inches	Shad bodies on small jig heads have been doing ok. Vertically fishing slab spoons over the tops of fish attractors or prominent windblown main lake points and shelves. Most of the larger white bass range from 12 to 17 inches. There are no harvest restrictions at this time.

Water temperatures in the low to mid 80's and the lake is 5 feet low. Hopefully we will start seeing some cooler weather but for now typical summer time patterns for channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass should continue to work.

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

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

Boats are being put on the water only at ramps on the south east side.

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

HORSETHIEF RESERVOIR - Last Updated: 9/2/2021

Species	Rating	Sizes Possible	Baits, Method, & Location
Crappie	Fair	Up to 12 inches	Should be about done spawning. Still catching lots of fish around shallow rocks. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit.
Channel Catfish	Good	Most in the 1 lb size range	Fishing cut bait, shrimp or stink bait lake wide. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit.
Largemouth bass	Fair	Up to 4 lbs	Try topwater baits early and late and then soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation the rest of the day. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit.
Bluegill	No report	Up to 8 inches	Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush in deeper water. There are no harvest restrictions at this time.
Walleye	Good	Up to 8 lbs	Drifting jig and nightcrawlers over points, shelves, and along rip-rapped shorelines adjacent to deeper water. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 5/day creel limit.

Lake is above conservation pool after rains last Sunday. Water temperatures should be in the upper 70's. Hopefully we will start seeing some cooler weather but for now typical summer time patterns for channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass should continue to work.

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

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

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

MEADE STATE LAKE - Last Updated: 9/2/2021

Species	Rating	Sizes Possible	Baits, Method, & Location
Crappie	No report	Most of these fish are 5-7 inches with an occasional 14 incher.	Crappie should be in deeper water. Try jigs or minnows around deeper brush and weeds. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit.
Channel Catfish	Good	Most in the 1 lb size range	Fishing cut bait or stink bait lake wide. Harvest regulations include a 5/day creel limit.
Largemouth bass	Slow	Up to 6 lbs	Try topwater baits early and late then casting soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation the rest of the day. Harvest regulations include a 13-18 inch slot length limit and 5/day creel limit.
Bluegill/Redear	No report	Up to 8 inches	Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush in deeper water. There are no harvest restrictions at this time.
Saugeye	Slow	Up to 16 inches	Casting crankbaits and swimbaits over points and along rip-rapped shorelines adjacent to deeper water. This is a new species in the lake and a few should make it to the minimum length limit of 18-inches by this summer. There will be a 2/day creel limit when they do reach 18 inches.

Lake is about 3 feet low, water temperature in the mid 80's. Hopefully we will start seeing some cooler weather but for now typical summer time patterns for channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass should continue to work.

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

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

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

PRATT COUNTY LAKE - Last Updated: 9/2/2021

Species	Rating	Sizes Possible	Baits, Method, & Location
Crappie	Slow	Mostly 3 - 5 inch fish that were spawned last year.	Crappie should be back in deeper water. Try jigs or minnows around any deeper cover. Harvest regulations include 50/day creel limit.
Channel Catfish	Good	Most in the 1-2 lb size range but up to 7 lbs	Fishing cut bait or stink bait lake wide. Harvest regulations include a 15-inch minimum length limit and 2/day creel limit.
Largemouth bass	Fair	Up to 18 inches	Try topwater baits early and late then casting soft plastics, swimbaits and jerk baits around fish attractors, shoreline brush and vegetation the rest of the time. Harvest regulations include a 18-inch minimum length limit and 2/day creel limit.
Bluegill/Redear	No report	Up to 8 inches	Worms under a bobber and small jigs fished vertically around brush in deeper water. There are no harvest restrictions at this time.
Walleye	No report	Nearing 15 inches	Try drifting ji9g & nightcrawlers over points and along rip-rapped shorelines adjacent to deeper water. Harvest regulations include a 18-inch minimum length limit and 2/day creel limit.
Wipers	Fair	Nearing 15 inches	Jigs around windblown main lake points. Harvest regulations include a 18-inch minimum length limit and 2/day creel limit.

Water temperatures should be in the low to mid 80's. Hopefully we will start seeing some cooler weather but for now typical summer time patterns for channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass should continue to work.

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

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

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

SCOTT STATE LAKE - Last Updated: 12/2/2021

General Comments
Species	Rating	Size	Baits, Method & Location
Channel Catfish	Fair	Most in the 13 to 18 inch range	Still fishing cut or prepared baits off the bottom over shallow shelves or up in the creek.
Crappie	Fair/Good	Up to 13 inches	Vertically fishing jigs or minnows around deeper brushpiles or drifting the same baits over open water of the main lake.
Largemouth Bass	Fair/Good	Up to 5.5 lbs.	Casting soft plastics and swimbaits around shoreline brush and laydown trees.
Sunfish	Good	Up to 8 inches	Worms under a bobber along riprapped shorelines, around brush, or along the edges of cattail beds.
Saugeye	Fair/Good	Up to 7 lbs.	Drifting or casting jigs tipped minnows or minnow imitating swim baits over points and shelves early and late.
Rainbow Trout	Good	0.5 lb. average	The 2021-2022 trout season is currently underway and runs from Nov. 1-April 15, all anglers must possess a trout permit, including youth trout anglers 15 and younger. In addition, all residents age 16-74 and nonresidents 16 and older must also have a valid fishing license. The second stocking occurred on November 29, 2021 and consisted of approximately 900 fish. Still fishing powerbait, worms, corn and other baits off the bottom or casting small in-line spinners are all good bets. Casting various sinking nymphs such as gold ribbed hare's ear and prince nymphs with a fly rod can be effective too.
Release all saugeye less than 18 inches and largemouth bass less than 15 inches. Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water! Cedar Bluff District Newsletter: A biannual newsletter detailing fishing related projects and activities in the Cedar Bluff District, which includes such waters as Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Sheridan and Scott State Fishing Lakes, Antelope Lake, and other public fishing waters in northwest Kansas are available. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter you can go to the following link to get on the mailing list. The link is: http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Cedar-Bluff-Fishing-District Great Kansas Fishing Derby May 1 to July 31 - for more info visit www.ksfishderby.com Tagged fish at this location = Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Saugeye

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Southwest Region Fishing Reports