Where To Fish And Camp In Kansas

[jrsmith_80]

I live in Wichita and my wife and I are looking to go fishing and camping this weekend. I am looking for some place different to go. I typically fish, locally so anywhere outside 50 mile radius of Wichita would be fine with me. What suggestions would you guys have for me?? I've looked into Perry Lake and Glen Elder. Where else would you suggest. We will be fishing from a boat as well so a boat ramp is a must! Thanks in advance.

[Bluebasser86]

What kind of activities are you looking for at the lake you camp at? What kind of stuff do you want nearby? Melvern has great fishing for lots of different kinds of fish and the state park has a very nice campground with lots of spaces availiable. Milford is very nice also and even better fishing for mor species of fish. Bot

[jrsmith_80]

All we plan to do is fish for the weekend. It's probably impossible but I'm also looking for a lake that if the wind blows like it has the last couple of days, I will still be able to get out and fish. Showers would be a plus. Other then that, I plan on fishing for two days and just relaxing.

[Bluebasser86]

All we plan to do is fish for the weekend. It's probably impossible but I'm also looking for a lake that if the wind blows like it has the last couple of days, I will still be able to get out and fish. Showers would be a plus. Other then that, I plan on fishing for two days and just relaxing.

What kind of fish are you wanting to fish for? Milford and Melvern both have places you can get out of the south winds you'll most likely be encountering. Milford has nicer shower housed but Melvern has them also. Both have good smallmouth, white bass, and channel cats. Milford has really good blue cats, wipers, and if you can find them, walleye. 

[jrsmith_80]

Mainly bass fishing

[Mr_Scrogg]

If they allowed camping, Id say Critzer. I have a friend that says at a hotel in Iola when he fishes Critzer. Are you wanting big lakes or SFL size?

Personally, Mound City, Wabuansee, Bourbon, Critzer, and Ft Scott are lakes Id love to spend a weekend fishing. They are far enough away to make a day trip hard.

[Bluebasser86]

Mainly bass fishing

The smallmouth at Melvern or Milford are both great if you're wanting to stick to the bigger lakes. For what it's worth, if your wife is planning on fishing you'll want to take into consideration her ability. If she isn't having fun, you're not going to be having fun. My wife loves Melvern and Milford because there is very little cover other than rocks so she can just cast a Ned rig or power minnow and catch every fish that swims in the lake.

[jrsmith_80]

I think we are looking at more SFL type lakes. She is not real fond of big water. She mentioned big hill reservoir, I had never hear of it but read some pretty decent things about it. Any of you guys know much about it??

[Mr_Scrogg]

Its a bigger lake, but fishes small by the looks. Read there is lots of timber. Yates Center Lakes are suppose to be nice lakes too

[Bluebasser86]

I think we are looking at more SFL type lakes. She is not real fond of big water. She mentioned big hill reservoir, I had never hear of it but read some pretty decent things about it. Any of you guys know much about it??

I fished it once and wasn't impressed. It was during the summer though and maybe we just never located the fish. It does have lots of timber but it was nothing like I expected. Everything I read said it was like "an ozark lake in southeast KS". I guess I've never seen an Ozark lake that has dirty water and almost all mud/clay banks? We caught some fish but the constant sunfish pulling our baits all over the place was driving me crazy and something about the trees was extremely snaggy. 

 

Wabaunsee allows camping and is a really nice lake but there's no shower house that I know of, but not many SFL have shower houses that I can think of. 

[rockchalk06]

If your just going to go fishing and nothing else, I suggest Pratt county Lake. Its about 70 miles west of you on 54. Its my home lake. I fished that lake for almost 25 years. Its made for bass fishing. Has some decent walleye and crappie mixed in too. Nice boat ramp too. Its only 5-6 miles from town if you need to make a run for supplies.

[tallydude]

Hey, jrsmith, where did you end up going? I also live in Wichita and am going fishing/camping this weekend.

[jrsmith_80]

We ran down to big hill lake reservoir. It's a beautiful lake but loaded with trees. A lot of locals said it was a bear to fish in the heat of summer an they weren't lying. Caught a couple nice ones and quite a few small ones.

Campgrounds are really nice but you can't get to the water from them very easy which meant lots on loading and unloading the boat.

Where do you plan to go this weekend, tallydude??

[Stren_g]

Lovewell, glen elder, and Keith sebelius are good. I just went to sebelius last week. Caught 24 bass, the largest around 3lbs. I know there are some 5-6 lb bass in there too. Anyway if you're willing to drive a little further Harlan county reservoir in NE isn't too far from Wichita. Good fishing, camping areas, showers, boat ramps. Check it out

[tallydude]

I'll just be bank fishing so I was considering Milford Lake or perhaps Elk River. Honestly, I'd almost given up fishing here because it is so much different than Florida. I can handle the heat, but I HATE this wind. Hate, hate, hate it. It never stops.

 

Will probably head to Marion County Lake tomorrow to catch bluegills on ultralight tackle.

[Stren_g]

I'm originally from alabama, I understand your concern with wind. But I've learned it can be your friend. There's a couple articles here that give some insight about it.

[tallydude]

I'm not afraid of the wind. More like utterly annoyed by it.

[jrsmith_80]

Marion county is a nice lake to fish and also camp, i fish there quite a bit. So far the biggest bass I've pulled from there is about 3 pounds but we catch a bunch of small bass around a pound or so.

Marion County has a lot of big catfish if your into that.

Another decent lake around here is Chase State Fishing Lake up by Cottonwood Falls. It's got really clear water for Kansas and is "kind of" out of the wind as it sits it a little valley.

Good luck with your fishing and camping, let me know it goes.

[aavery2]

Polk Daniels is a nice lake with camping, not sure about the shower.    Butler Co. lake is another good lake with camping but no showers,   Melvern lake is as close as anything else and as mentioned is fairly easy to fish.

[tallydude]

I ended up not going out at all. Just too hot for me. I planned on getting up and heading to Marion County Lake this morning but obviously the thunderstorm erupting overhead at 4:30 convinced me to roll over and go back to sleep. 

[Stren_g]

Thanks for this thread though, I'm makin a list of places to go in KS!

[jrsmith_80]

I got up and fished McPherson State Fishing Lake this morning in the rain. It was a decent morning considering the storms that blew through right before I showed up. Ended up catching 6, 4 of them were over 2 pounds.