Tuttle Creek Reservoir Fishing Information
| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method, and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | Slow | 1/2 to 2 pounds | High water and muddy water has greatly hampered the crappie fishing. |
| White Bass | Slow | 1/2 to 2 pounds | White bass numbers continue to be low due to poor spawning success the last six years. |
| Catfish | Fair | Up to 40 pounds | The lake and the connected river system maintains a good channel catfish population and is one of the best places around to catch channel over 8 pounds. The blue catfish population is finally starting to get established. The vast majority of the fish are below 28 inches and not sexually mature yet. To protect these fish until they have a chance to spawn, a new 35-inch minimum length limit is in place starting January 1, 2018. The plan is to only have a length limit on blue catfish for a few years until the population can sustain itself through natural reproduction. Please check any blue catfish for a yellow tag in its back as we have been tagging some of these 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 (785) 539-7941 or ely.sprenkle@ks.gov A big THANK YOU to all who report their catch! |
| Largemouth Bass | Slow | 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 a distant second best. |
| Saugeye | Fair | Up to 6 pounds | The high release rates have moved a lot of saugeye from the Reservoir downstream which has led to some good fishing in the River Pond, the river below the dam or at Rocky Ford for 2019. Starting in 2017, the minimum length limit does not apply to saugeye in the River Pond or at the "tubes". The 15-inch minimum length limit is still in effect in the Reservoir. |
| Rainbow Trout | Fair | Up to 5 pounds | The first stocking of rainbow trout for the fall was completed on October 29th. Willow Lake was stocked with 1,280 trout in preparation for trout season opener on November 1st. A trout permit is required for fishing at Willow Lake during the trout season. |
| General Comments | |||
| Very few anglers have been fishing the lake due to the high water levels. You can check current water conditions HERE Zebra mussels were found in Tuttle Creek on August 16, 2017. This makes the Reservoir, River Pond and Rocky Ford as designated 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. Do you want some more information on fishing in the Manhattan area? You can subscribe to the free Manhattan Fisheries Newsletter by clicking the link. | |||
| Fishing Population | Creel Limit | Min Length Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Catfish | 5 | 35 |
| Bluegill | ||
| Channel Catfish | 10 | |
| Crappie | 50 | |
| Flathead Catfish | 5 | |
| Green Sunfish | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 5 | 18 |
| Saugeye | 5 | 15 |
| White Bass | ||
| Trout | 5 |
* Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted Bass in Combination
** Striped Bass or Wiper in Combination
*** Walleye, Sauger or Saugeye in Combination