Page 58 - Kansas Sportsman

FISHING

FISH ALL-YEAR-ROUND
Kansas Offers Fishing Opportunities During All Four Seasons

By Brian Ondrejka / Kansas Angling Experience Guide Service

There are very few places in the or suspended in deep water adja-
Midwest that are able to enjoy 12 cent to structure.
months of open water fishing, but
Kansas is one of them. From Winter The beauty of Kansas reservoirs
Crappie, Spring White Bass, Sum- is that you will often find multiple
mer Hybrid Striped Bass, and fall species of fish in the same areas.
Walleye, the Sunflower State has a Pre-spawn Walleyes will also con-
fishing season for all anglers. gregate with the Wipers & White
Bass in the spring, summer, and
While most anglers associate fall. Walleyes will make their way
Crappie with springtime, the cold to the dam face from mid- March
water winter bite is something to through April to go through their
behold, boasting large schools spawning motions. This is also a
Ondrejka poses with a great-looking walleye.
in deep brush piles or in the old great opportunity to catch them
river channels. Water temperatures dipping into the low 40s/high from shore at night using jerkbaits, or small jigs & plastics. While
30s will be your first indicator that the Crappies will be in their this bite is not always easy, it’s a great opportunity to contact a
winter pattern. trophy Walleye.

Using your electronics is very important to locate these key areas Once the Walleyes have finished their spawning rituals, they will
in any given reservoir. Any sort of bend in the river channel, or make their way back to main lake structure and mud flats to feed.
edge of the channel with brush or timber will hold Crappie all May and June are two of the best months to catch a bunch of
winter long. Using 1/8th oz jigs with 2" plastics or hair jigs will hungry, active Walleyes.
generally be the crowd favorites.
Trolling bottom bouncers and spinners, crankbaits, or even a
If cold weather fishing isn’t your thing, the Crappie spawn in April
jig and nightcrawler will produce a lot of fish during this time,
& early May will be your best option. Finding rocky or gravelly
and can be caught all summer. Wipers & White Bass can also be
shorelines is where you will find spawning Crappies, and can be
caught all summer. Look for seagulls diving into the water feeding
caught with small jigs and twister tails, or even just a minnow
on Shad close to sun down. The fish will be right there waiting!
under a bobber. This is also a great opportunity to get the kids
out fishing.
Fall is far and away the best time to be fishing in Kansas. With
dropping water temperatures, every fish in the lake has their feed-
As winter begins to fade and things start warming up, the opportu-
bag on. Wipers, Walleyes, and White Bass can be found in most
nities arise for hard fighting gamefish like Hybrid Striped Bass,
the same areas as early spring though generally in deeper water
White Bass, and Walleyes. During the month of March, White
in or close to the river channel and main lake structure. However,
Bass can generally be caught all over the lake, but as they prepare
shallow windblown points or shorelines will also be holding fish as
to spawn, a large population will migrate towards the feeder
creeks/rivers. well. Moving baits are key—swimbaits or crankbaits will be your
best bet.
This can present a very fun shore fishing opportunity for all an-
glers in smaller areas. Small jigs with 3" swimbaits or twister tails Kansas offers so many angling opportunities year-round. I hope
will produce day in and day out. Hybrid Striped Bass, or Wipers, these tips will help you put a few more fish in the boat, no matter
can also be found in the main river channel, main lake structure, what season!

58 THE KANSAS SPORTSMAN | SPRING 2024