Guide To Popular Choices For Great Fishing In Kansas
All about fishing in the Sunflower State
The state of Kansas offers a wide variety of fishing opportunities for anglers of all skill levels. The vast majority of fishing in Kansas is for bass, walleye, crappie and Catfish. There are also waters offering striper and "wiper" (a cross between white bass and stripers) fishing. Ice fishing is available at a limited number of lakes in winter, when conditions allow.
The state of Kansas offers a very wide variety of fishing choices. Here, you can fish for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, brown trout, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, redear sunfish, warmouth, white bass, yellow perch, stripers, longnose gar, northern pike, paddlefish, sauger, saugeye and spotted gar in local lakes, rivers, ponds and/or streams.
Additionally, there are small ponds and streams which offer a variety of panfish including bluegills. Some streams and lakes are also stocked with trout. Look here for stocking locations for trout fishing in Kansas.
Major Kansas Lakes & Species

Lake & Fish Chart
This section of the website is focused on the larger impoundments and lakes. The lakes chart lists the major fishing lakes and cross references these waters with the major species to be found there. Many of these lakes offer fishing boats for rent.
For a detailed list of primary fish species in KS, plus state fish records, see the list below.
Fishing lake sizes and locations in the state.
Big Hill Lake is a 1,200-acre lake in the southeast part of the state, at Dennis.
Cedar Bluff Lake is a 6,000-acre lake in the northwest part of the state, 10 miles north of Brownell.
Cheney Reservoir is a 9,500-acre lake in the south-central part of the state, 5 miles north of Cheney.
Clinton Lake is a 7,000-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, on the southwest outskirts of Lawrence.
Coffey County Lake is a 5,100-acre lake in the eastern part of the state, at New Strawn.
Council Grove Lake is a 3,300-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, at Council Grove.
El Dorado Lake is an 8,000-acre lake in the central part of the state, at El Dorado.
Elk City Lake is a 4,500-acre lake in the southeast part of the state, at Independence.
Fall River Lake is a 2,500-acre lake in the southeast part of the state, at Fall River.
Glen Elder Reservoir, aka Waconda Lake is a 12,600-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, at Glen Elder.
Hillsdale Lake is a 5,400-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, 2 miles southwest of Spring Hill.
John Redmond Reservoir is a 9,400-acre lake in the eastern part of the state, at New Strawn.
Kanopolis Lake is a 3,400-acre lake in the central part of the state, 5 miles southeast of Kanopolis.
Keith Sebelius Lake is a 2,200-acre lake in the northwest part of the state, 2 miles southwest of Norton.
Kirwin Reservoir is a 5,000-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, at Kirwin.
La Cygne Lake is a 2,600-acre lake at the eastern border of the state, 3 miles east of La Cygne.
Lovewell Reservoir is a 3,000-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, 2 miles south of Webber.
Marion Reservoir is a 6,200-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, 2 miles west of Marion.
Melvern Lake is a 7,000-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, at Olivet.
Milford Lake is a 15,700-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, at Milford.
Perry Lake is a 11,100-acre lake in the central-eastern part of the state, at Ozawkie.
Pomona Lake is a 4,000-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, at Vassar.
Toronto Lake is a 2,800-acre lake in the southeast part of the state, at Toronto.
Tuttle Creek Lake is a 12,500-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, at Randolph.
Webster Reservoir is a 3,700-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, 7 miles east of Bogue.
Wilson Lake is a 9,000-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, 5 miles south of Wilson.
Winfield City Lake is a 1,200-acre lake in the south-central part of the state, 5 miles northwest of Winfield.
Fish Species & State Records in Kansas
Bass
Largemouth bass
World record: 22 lbs 4 oz
State Record: 11.80 lbs
Smallmouth bass
World record: 11 lbs 15 oz
State Record: 6.88 lbs
Spotted bass
World record: 9 lbs 8 oz
State Record: 4.44 lbs
Catfish
Channel catfish
World record: 58 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 36.5 lbs
Flathead catfish
World record: 123 lbs 9 oz
State Record: 123.0 lbs
Blue catfish
World record: 143 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 102.8 lbs
Crappie
Black crappie
World record: 6 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 4.63 lbs
White crappie
World record: 5 lbs 3 oz
State Record: 4.02 lbs
Walleye
Walleye
World record: 25 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 13.16 lbs
Sauger
World record: 17 lbs 7 oz
State Record: 4.80 lbs
Saugeye
World record: 15 lbs 6 oz
State Record: 9.81 lbs
Trout
Rainbow trout
World record: 42 lbs 2 oz
State Record: 15.72 lbs
Brown trout
World record: 40 lbs 4 oz
State Record: 4.62 lbs
Panfish
Bluegill
World record: 4 lbs 12 oz
State Record: 2.31 lbs
Green sunfish
World record: 2.2 lbs
State Record: 2.36 lbs
Hybrid sunfish
World record: N/A
State Record: 2.65 lbs
Redear sunfish
World record: 5.4 lbs
State Record: 1.69 lbs
Warmouth
World record: 2.4 lbs
State Record: 1.11 lbs
White Bass
World record: 6.8 lbs
State Record: 5.67 lbs
Yellow perch
World record: 4 lbs 3 oz
State Record: 1.06 lbs
Stripers
Striped Bass
Saltwater world record: 81 lbs 14 oz
State Record: 44.0 lbs
Hybrid Striper (Wiper)
World record: 27 lbs 5 oz
State Record: 25.0 lbs
Other species
Longnose gar
World record: 50 lbs 5 oz
State Record: 31.5 lbs
Northern pike
World record: 55 lbs 1 oz
State Record: 24.75 lbs
Paddlefish
World record: 144 lbs
State Record: 144.0 lbs
Spotted gar
World record: 9 lbs 12 oz
State Record: 7.75 lbs
Click the images and links above for species details.
State of KS Fishing Information
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has a website loaded with information about fishing in Kansas including rules and regulations. Apply online, here, for a Kansas fishing license.
Visit AA-Boats-Boating.com to find information about fishing boats in Kansas.

Fish for big bass
Excellent largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass fishing opportunities are available to anglers.
Fishing in all states
KANSAS

