Marion Reservoir Fishing Information

Counties:

Marion

GPS:

N38 22 3.72 W97 5 22.07

Surface Acres:

6,160 acres

Maximum Depth:

N/A

Normal Lake Level:

1350.5 conservation pool

View Live Lake Information

Marion, KS

2101 Located just north of US 56 between the communities of Marion and Hillsboro

US Army Corps of Engineers 620-382-2101

Marion Reservoir Fishing Report - Updated: 09/08/2023

Species	Rating	Size	Baits, Method & Location
Zebra Mussels			Zebra mussels can be found attached to rocks lakewide. Zebra mussel veligers are too small to be seen with the unaided eye and they can be found in boat livewells, minnow buckets, boat bilges, water toys and anything else that is capable of holding even a small amount of water. Be sure to drain all equipment before leaving the lake to avoid moving veligers to other waters. THIS INCLUDES MINNOW BUCKETS, BOAT LIVEWELLS AND BILGES!
Channel Cat	Fair to Good	up to 5 lbs	Windy shorelines on fresh cut bait and worms. Also drifting flats in the main lake.
White Crappie	Fair	up to 13 inches	20/day creel limit Anglers are having fair success recently. Crappie are being found in the brushpiles in 10 to 18 feet of water. Jigs and minnows are producing. Early and late in the day have been the most productive.
Walleye	Fair	Up to 26 inches	NEW WALLEYE HARVEST REGULATIONS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2022. 18 INCH MINIMUM LENGTH LIMIT 3/DAY CREEL LIMIT WITH NO MORE THAN ONE FISH 21 INCHES OR LONGER. Walleye are being caught around points and on flats on jig and crawler combos, jig and plastics, and crank baits in depths 3 to 18 ft deep. The trolling bite has improved as young of the year gizzard continue to grow in to larger sizes.
White Bass	Good	up to 14 inch	Look for white bass on rocky shorelines and areas with wind. There are very good numbers of white bass in the lake this year and they will provide good action once their location is found. Play the wind as whites and wipers prefer wind blown areas.
Wiper	Good	18 to 24 inches	Same as white bass
Coordinates for habitat cubes			4 cubes N38 22.450’ W 097 04.669’ 4 cubes N38 22.455’ W 097 04.664’ 4 cubes N38 22.426’ W 097 04.694’ 3 cubes N38 22.757’ W 097.05.227’ 3 cubes N38 22.763’ W 097 05.211’ 3 cubes N38 23.407’ W 097 05.460’ 2 cubes N38 23.467’ W 097 05.384’ 2 cubes N38 23.478’ W 097 05.399’ 4 cubes N38 23.481’ W 097 05.408’
Coordinates for brushpiles and cubes.	The first 3 coordinates are for one large brushpile.	Coordinates mark areas with multiple habitat structures in the area.	N 38 21.907' W 097 05.562' N 38 21.912' W 097.05.560' N 38 21.920' W 097.05.557' N 38 22.425' W 097 04.697' N 38 22.767' W 097 05.208' N 38 22.757' W 097 05.227' N 38 23.250' W 097 05.491' N 38 23.357' W 097 05.470'
Coordinates for brushpiles		Near shore brushpile placements fishable from shore in Cottonwood Cove.	N 38 23.438' W 097 05.398' N 38 23.436' W 097 05.404' N 38 23.428' W 097 05.402' N 38 23.426' W 097 05.405' N 38 23.499' W 097 05.393' N 38 23.489' W 097 05.399' N 38 23.480' W 097 05.401' N 38 23.472' W 097 05.398'
Coordinates for brushpiles constructed March 2018			N 38 24.459' W 097 06.907' N 38 24.450' W 097 06.975' N 38 22.685' W 097 06.279' N 38 22.680' W 097 06.279' N 38 22.216' W 097 06.065'
Coordinates for historical habitat sites that had brush added to them in March 2018.			N 38 21.911' W 097 05.569' N 38 22.426' W 097 04.702' N 38 22.776' W 097 05.220'
Coordinates for new brushpiles constructed April 2019			N 38 23.464' W 097 05.412' N 38 23.149' W 097 05.476' N 38 23.169' W 097 05.516'
General Comments
4 feet below Normal Pool, releasing 4 CFS.

Creel Length/Limits

Fishing Population	Creel Limit	Min Length Limit
Channel Catfish	10
Flathead Catfish	5
Largemouth Bass	5	18
Walleye	3 with no more more than one over 21	18
Wiper	5
Crappie	20
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
White Bass

* Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted Bass in Combination
** Striped Bass or Wiper in Combination
*** Walleye, Sauger or Saugeye in Combination

Fishing Forecast Information

View Fishing Forecast definitions

+Walleye Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	Big fish	Bio rating
WALLEYE
	(>15")	(>20")	(>25")	(lbs.)
	RES
WILSON	4.92	2.18	0.28	8.52	G
KIRWIN	4.67	0.56	0.11	8.46	G
MARION	3.33	0.22	0.00	4.65	G
CEDAR BLUFF	2.88	0.50	0.01	7.93	G
WEBSTER	2.75	0.83	0.14	6.60	G
EL DORADO	2.69	1.11	0.13	7.94	G
MILFORD	2.67	0.23	0.02	6.17	G
GLEN ELDER	2.50	0.32	0.01	6.61	G
CHENEY	1.38	0.89	0.13	7.54	F
LOVEWELL	1.35	0.54	0.02	8.16	G
HILLSDALE	0.81	0.08	0.03	5.74	G
WOLF CREEK	0.59	0.20	0.02	5.99	F
MELVERN	0.50	0.06	0.00	4.59	F
CLINTON	0.45	0.00	0.00	2.91	F
POMONA	0.37	0.06	0.00	4.58	F
KANOPOLIS	0.07	0.00	0.00	1.94	P
BIG HILL	0.03	0.00	0.00	1.17	P
COUNCIL GROVE	0.02	0.02	0.00	2.80	P
ELK CITY	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.30	P
SEBELIUS	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.51	F

+Black Crappie Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	Big fish	Bio rating
BLACK CRAPPIE
	(>8")	(>10")	(>12")	(lbs.)
	RES
SEBELIUS	29.67	15.60	1.47	1.64	G
CEDAR BLUFF	22.55	2.24	0.06	1.29	G
KIRWIN	12.02	11.19	5.92	2.06	G
WEBSTER	5.17	2.02	0.02	1.40	G
LOVEWELL	4.33	0.38	0.07	1.43	G
KANOPOLIS	3.50	2.39	0.44	1.43	G
MILFORD	2.77	0.81	0.02	1.63	F
GLEN ELDER	1.94	1.55	0.17	1.26	G
HILLSDALE	1.33	0.29	0.06	1.36	G
CLINTON	1.30	0.93	0.04	1.10	P
MARION	1.25	0.50	0.25	1.31	P
BIG HILL	0.63	0.13	0.07	0.92	P
WILSON	0.62	0.22	0.11	1.68	P
JOHN REDMOND	0.48	0.10	0.03	1.29	P
PERRY	0.35	0.11	0.00	0.81	P
TORONTO	0.28	0.15	0.04	1.19	P
WOLF CREEK	0.17	0.06	0.06	1.39	P
EL DORADO	0.14	0.07	0.02	1.19	P
FALL RIVER	0.10	0.08	0.02	1.14	P
POMONA	0.10	0.06	0.00	0.66	P
TUTTLE CREEK	0.04	0.02	0.02	1.17	P
CHENEY	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.20	P
ELK CITY	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.13	P

+Channel Catfish Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	Big fish	Bio rating
CHANNEL CATFISH
	(>16")	(>24")	(>28")	(lbs.)
	RES
LOVEWELL	6.11	0.96	0.13	13.83	G
HILLSDALE	5.81	0.22	0.06	10.62	G
BIG HILL	5.47	0.63	0.03	8.60	G
MARION	5.36	0.20	0.02	5.48	G
TORONTO	3.75	2.36	0.53	12.78	G
KANOPOLIS	3.70	0.48	0.00	6.54	G
ELK CITY	3.11	0.47	0.03	8.42	G
WILSON	2.76	0.48	0.03	10.11	G
PERRY	2.54	0.65	0.14	12.70	G
MELVERN	2.46	0.30	0.06	11.45	G
CLINTON	2.45	0.09	0.00	6.06	G
CHENEY	2.29	0.51	0.09	14.81	G
LACYGNE	2.27	0.02	0.00	7.26	G
GLEN ELDER	1.94	0.45	0.17	16.60	G
POMONA	1.51	0.09	0.06	11.96	G
FALL RIVER	1.43	1.06	0.37	14.53	G
WEBSTER	1.28	0.08	0.03	10.64	F
KIRWIN	1.22	0.33	0.08	11.23	F
COUNCIL GROVE	1.18	0.20	0.04	7.59	F
JOHN REDMOND	0.98	0.24	0.10	14.02	F
CEDAR BLUFF	0.90	0.12	0.04	14.15	F
WOLF CREEK	0.81	0.00	0.00	4.16	F
TUTTLE CREEK	0.75	0.12	0.07	14.31	F
EL DORADO	0.67	0.02	0.00	5.39	F
MILFORD	0.30	0.03	0.02	9.23	F
SEBELIUS	0.17	0.10	0.10	22.56	F

+White Bass Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	Big fish	Bio rating
WHITE BASS
	(>9")	(>12")	(>15")	(lbs.)
	RES
GLEN ELDER	19.40	15.73	3.22	3.49	E
MARION	15.40	9.84	0.40	1.87	E
KANOPOLIS	10.74	5.05	0.49	2.86	G
CEDAR BLUFF	8.56	7.87	2.47	2.49	G
PERRY	8.42	4.26	0.33	2.51	G
CLINTON	8.00	7.17	0.83	2.31	G
WEBSTER	6.39	4.19	0.11	2.73	G
POMONA	6.26	3.31	0.14	1.88	G
JOHN REDMOND	5.75	4.85	1.19	3.12	G
HILLSDALE	4.75	2.03	0.08	1.66	G
MILFORD	4.50	2.73	0.17	1.91	G
TORONTO	4.36	3.44	1.36	2.85	G
KIRWIN	3.94	3.39	0.72	2.64	G
FALL RIVER	3.94	2.77	1.00	3.29	G
LOVEWELL	3.46	2.09	0.37	2.15	G
EL DORADO	3.27	1.42	0.38	2.01	G
BIG HILL	2.87	2.43	0.27	2.35	G
MELVERN	2.82	2.28	0.32	2.34	G
WOLF CREEK	2.78	2.13	0.43	1.72	F
LACYGNE	2.75	1.66	0.39	2.88	G
WILSON	2.72	2.22	0.88	2.96	F
COUNCIL GROVE	2.16	1.33	0.18	2.23	F
CHENEY	1.67	1.45	0.59	2.58	F
TUTTLE CREEK	0.27	0.07	0.03	2.96	F
ELK CITY	0.25	0.17	0.03	1.94	F

+Percids Combined Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	3 yr avg	Size	Rating
Sebelius Reservoir	12.40	2.50	0.00	9.43	Reservoir	Good
Wilson Reservoir	8.70	3.97	0.70	6.72	Reservoir	Excellent
Cedar Bluff Reservoir	4.04	0.54	0.00	4.00	Reservoir	Good
Perry Reservoir	3.96	0.65	0.22	2.25	Reservoir	Excellent
Kirwin Reservoir	2.92	0.67	0.25	2.97	Reservoir	Good
Milford Reservoir	2.60	0.45	0.05	2.05	Reservoir	Fair
El Dorado Reservoir	2.53	1.40	0.13	2.22	Reservoir	Good
Marion Reservoir	2.40	0.07	0.00	1.73	Reservoir	Good
Glen Elder Reservoir	2.04	0.42	0.00	3.15	Reservoir	Good
Webster Reservoir	2.00	0.67	0.25	2.03	Reservoir	Good
Council Grove Reservoir	1.93	1.71	0.50	1.82	Reservoir	Fair
Clinton Reservoir	1.75	0.88	0.13	1.29	Reservoir	Fair
Cheney Reservoir	1.70	1.19	0.11	1.31	Reservoir	Fair
Kanopolis Reservoir	1.43	0.48	0.19	3.74	Reservoir	Fair
Lovewell Reservoir	1.15	0.30	0.05	0.83	Reservoir	Fair
Melvern Reservoir	1.10	0.45	0.10	0.95	Reservoir	Fair
Horsethief Reservoir	0.80	0.60	0.00	1.23	Reservoir	Fair
Wolf Creek Reservoir	0.70	0.30	0.00	0.53	Reservoir	Fair
Hillsdale Reservoir	0.33	0.08	0.00	0.42	Reservoir	Good
Pomona Reservoir	0.29	0.14	0.00	0.18	Reservoir	Fair
Tuttle Creek Reservoir	0.05	0.00	0.00	0.05	Reservoir	Poor
Big Hill Reservoir	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	Reservoir	Poor

+Temperate Basses Combined Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	3 yr avg	Size	Rating
Glen Elder Reservoir	22.83	15.33	3.38	20.35	Reservoir	Excellent
Webster Reservoir	17.08	5.42	0.17	11.31	Reservoir	Good
Clinton Reservoir	16.38	12.13	1.31	10.56	Reservoir	Good
Kanopolis Reservoir	15.19	3.33	0.76	16.19	Reservoir	Good
Marion Reservoir	11.60	3.60	0.20	11.84	Reservoir	Good
John Redmond Reservoir	10.00	8.57	0.95	7.92	Reservoir	Good
Hillsdale Reservoir	9.42	2.08	0.17	3.89	Reservoir	Good
Milford Reservoir	8.35	1.50	0.10	7.78	Reservoir	Good
Sebelius Reservoir	7.80	0.80	0.10	7.03	Reservoir	Good
Cedar Bluff Reservoir	7.71	7.58	2.63	8.74	Reservoir	Good
Cheney Reservoir	6.00	4.63	1.15	6.27	Reservoir	Good
El Dorado Reservoir	5.47	3.93	0.47	5.49	Reservoir	Good
Pomona Reservoir	5.29	2.43	0.00	3.49	Reservoir	Good
Perry Reservoir	5.17	1.57	0.35	2.97	Reservoir	Good
Kirwin Reservoir	5.00	2.17	0.75	5.96	Reservoir	Good
Big Hill Reservoir	4.30	3.90	0.60	3.33	Reservoir	Good
Wilson Reservoir	4.13	2.73	1.20	2.74	Reservoir	Good
Toronto Reservoir	2.58	2.42	0.25	2.37	Reservoir	Fair
Wolf Creek Reservoir	2.50	2.30	0.50	2.26	Reservoir	Good
Lovewell Reservoir	2.15	1.45	0.35	5.66	Reservoir	Fair
Fall River Reservoir	1.92	1.42	0.75	5.29	Reservoir	Fair
LaCygne Reservoir	0.57	0.50	0.21	3.08	Reservoir	Good
Melvern Reservoir	0.50	0.50	0.10	4.06	Reservoir	Fair
Council Grove Reservoir	0.29	0.14	0.00	1.72	Reservoir	Poor
Tuttle Creek Reservoir	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	Reservoir	Poor
Elk City Reservoir	0.00	0.00	0.00	4.54	Reservoir	Fair

+Crappie Combined Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	3 yr avg	Size	Rating
Pomona Reservoir	23.83	6.83	1.89	19.80	Reservoir	Excellent
Cedar Bluff Reservoir	20.22	2.17	0.00	9.11	Reservoir	Good
Marion Reservoir	17.13	4.13	1.50	12.84	Reservoir	Good
Lovewell Reservoir	14.00	2.50	0.36	33.17	Reservoir	Good
Kirwin Reservoir	13.88	12.00	3.88	18.81	Reservoir	Good
Hillsdale Reservoir	12.56	7.88	1.31	20.98	Reservoir	Good
Tuttle Creek Reservoir	11.81	10.25	1.25	11.81	Reservoir	Excellent
Sebelius Reservoir	11.60	6.20	0.40	14.87	Reservoir	Good
Melvern Reservoir	9.94	6.75	0.63	11.60	Reservoir	Good
El Dorado Reservoir	9.88	8.63	3.63	7.51	Reservoir	Good
Glen Elder Reservoir	7.79	4.08	0.54	9.93	Reservoir	Good
Webster Reservoir	7.38	2.31	0.00	9.02	Reservoir	Good
Toronto Reservoir	6.38	2.50	0.81	8.15	Reservoir	Good
Big Hill Reservoir	5.70	2.60	0.70	5.00	Reservoir	Good
Milford Reservoir	5.56	4.13	1.38	5.56	Reservoir	Good
Perry Reservoir	5.50	4.56	0.67	13.59	Reservoir
Wolf Creek Reservoir	5.00	2.29	0.41	4.94	Reservoir	Fair
Horsethief Reservoir	4.40	0.00	0.00	6.80	Reservoir	Fair
Fall River Reservoir	4.19	0.81	0.63	5.47	Reservoir	Good
Council Grove Reservoir	3.62	2.62	0.92	5.07	Reservoir	Good
Kanopolis Reservoir	2.92	1.58	0.17	7.56	Reservoir	Good
Clinton Reservoir	2.75	1.94	0.25	18.31	Reservoir	Fair
Cheney Reservoir	2.40	1.40	0.00	2.40	Reservoir	Fair
LaCygne Reservoir	1.62	0.94	0.31	3.10	Reservoir	Good
John Redmond Reservoir	1.44	1.13	0.13	4.13	Reservoir	Fair
Elk City Reservoir	1.00	0.44	0.44	7.16	Reservoir	Good
Wilson Reservoir	0.53	0.53	0.20	1.09	Reservoir	Fair

+Wiper Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	Big fish	Bio rating
WIPER
	(>8")	(>10")	(>12")	(lbs.)
	RES
SEBELIUS	9.63	2.37	0.03	15.17	G
WEBSTER	9.44	1.33	0.19	10.88	G
KIRWIN	8.25	0.61	0.06	7.99	G
MILFORD	5.23	1.73	0.07	7.85	G
MARION	4.31	1.49	0.00	5.38	G
CHENEY	2.72	1.70	0.08	9.26	G
CEDAR BLUFF	2.19	1.56	0.18	13.10	G
EL DORADO	2.13	1.49	0.00	5.92	F
POMONA	2.06	0.49	0.00	4.73	G
LOVEWELL	1.59	0.78	0.02	7.35	G
CLINTON	1.43	0.36	0.00	6.48	F
GLEN ELDER	1.03	0.71	0.23	9.26	G
LACYGNE	0.36	0.02	0.00	5.37	G
WOLF CREEK	0.19	0.19	0.00	5.81	F
KANOPOLIS	0.13	0.13	0.00	6.70	F
COUNCIL GROVE	0.04	0.04	0.02	6.15	P
JOHN REDMOND	0.02	0.02	0.00	5.02	P

+White Crappie Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	Big fish	Bio rating
WHITE CRAPPIE
	(>8")	(>10")	(>12")	(lbs.)
	RES
LOVEWELL	23.81	8.74	0.83	2.50	E
MELVERN	22.73	10.07	1.34	1.61	E
HILLSDALE	18.94	9.56	1.21	1.49	G
MARION	15.88	3.63	1.25	1.59	G
PERRY	12.39	5.54	0.54	1.42	G
ELK CITY	9.96	2.90	1.02	2.40	G
TORONTO	8.91	6.13	1.89	2.40	G
TUTTLE CREEK	8.63	6.38	1.19	1.69	G
WOLF CREEK	7.34	2.85	0.45	1.64	F
BIG HILL	7.27	3.43	0.37	1.04	G
EL DORADO	7.23	4.52	1.82	2.10	G
CLINTON	6.93	2.28	0.20	1.16	G
COUNCIL GROVE	6.69	3.86	1.53	1.87	G
FALL RIVER	5.02	1.81	0.48	2.58	G
MILFORD	5.00	3.71	0.75	1.95	G
LACYGNE	4.17	1.27	0.15	2.30	G
POMONA	3.44	2.06	0.10	1.73	G
GLEN ELDER	3.41	0.91	0.42	2.02	G
CHENEY	2.40	1.40	0.00	0.73	G
KANOPOLIS	1.81	0.58	0.08	2.25	G
SEBELIUS	1.67	1.10	0.50	1.43	G
WEBSTER	1.60	1.06	0.13	1.79	G
JOHN REDMOND	1.13	0.83	0.18	3.04	F
CEDAR BLUFF	0.73	0.73	0.16	1.14	F
KIRWIN	0.63	0.29	0.27	1.97	G
WILSON	0.09	0.09	0.02	1.12	P

+Spotted Bass Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	Big fish	Bio rating
SPOTTED BASS
	(>11")	(>14")	(>17")	(lbs.)
	LAKES
WILSON SFL	24.89	8.37	0.00	2.14	G
BOURBON SFL	21.57	1.31	0.65	4.21	G
CRAWFORD SFL	9.87	2.35	0.00	1.57	G
COUNCIL GROVE CITY LAKE	5.27	1.31	0.00	1.65	G
CHASE SFL	4.50	0.50	0.00	1.21	G
WINFIELD CITY LAKE	3.31	0.67	0.00	2.11	P
MARION COUNTY LAKE	3.00	1.00	0.00	1.30	F
EUREKA CITY LAKE	2.43	1.04	0.00	1.38	P
HOWARD-POLK DANIELS LAKE	1.05	0.35	0.00	1.74	P
LYON SFL	0.99	0.66	0.00	2.22	P
GARNETT CITY LAKE-NORTH	0.31	0.00	0.00	0.90	P
GARNETT-CEDAR CREEK LAKE	0.26	0.26	0.00	1.96	P

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Marion Reservoir Fishing Information