Melvern Reservoir Fishing Report

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism

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Melvern Reservoir Fishing Report - Updated: 6/22/22

General Comments
Crappie	Fair -Good	0.25-1 lbs	Crappie bite has been decent. Some days are better than others. Search brush piles in 10-20ft to find active fish.
White Bass	Fair - Good	0.5-2 lbs	White Bass can be caught on blown points, shorelines, or on the dam using jigs or crank baits.
Walleye	Fair	0.5-2 lbs	Walleye are being caught in 10-15ft on extended points adjacent to deep water. Baits that are producing bites include jigs with live bait or deep diving crank baits.
Blue Catfish	Fair-Good	2-30 bs	Blue catfish are being caught using cut shad. Target wind-blown shorelines and mud flats.
Channel Catfish	Good	1- 6 lbs	Channel catfish are spawning and can be found on rocky shorelines with rip rap. Work these areas with a bobber and nightcrawler.
Black Bass	Fair - Good	1-4 lbs	Target brush and vegetation in coves for Largemouth Bass. Smallmouth can be found on rocky points, shorelines, and along the dam.
Fisheries Newsletter			If you would like to receive additional information about this lake a couple of times a year, sign up for the newsletter at the following link http://kdwp.state.ks.us/news/KDWP-Info/News/Newsletter-Request-Forms/Request-a-Newsletter-for-the-Lawrence-Fishing-District
Blue Catfish			35 inch minimum length limit and 5 fish daily limit went into effect January 1, 2016. This regulation change is to protect adult brood fish which hopefully will allow increased production of young blue catfish, translating into increased numbers of blues in Melvern.
Sauger			18 inch minimum length limit went into effect Jan. 1, 2016. This change makes sauger and walleye have the same regulations at Melvern Reservoir.
Spotted Bass			18 inch minimum length limit went into effect Jan. 1, 2016. This change makes all black bass (i.e. largemouth, smallmouth and spotted) have the same regulations at Melvern Reservoir.
Several good reports of multi-species action on the dam! Water Level: As of June 20th, Melvern Reservoir was 1ft above normal pool level with 1000 cfs discharge. Current water level conditions can be found at: https://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Locations/District-Lakes/Melvern-Lake/Daily-Lake-Info-2/ Invasive Species: Melvern Reservoir has Zebra Mussels. Remember to clean, drain, and dry your boat and fishing equipment when leaving the lake to keep from spreading them to other lakes.

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