For Us KC Area Guys - Fishing Reports

[KansasBassin]

Went out to lake lenexa today for about three hours.  Was there about sun up, and started with some top water.  Got a few slaps at the bait, but no hook ups.  Then went with a lucky craft rouge style and caught a few non keepers.  Switched over to the plastics after about an hour.  Kept trying to target these deep trees by the boat ramps.  Finanlly found a pattern with a senko rigged wacky style.  I would cast it into the trees and just shake it as it fell.  Caught two keepers, and about 4 more dinks.  Felt good about finally putting a pattern together on the sunken timber. 

[KS_Frog]

Fished Trophy Country in MO last week and caught 29 bass in a little over 10 hours, including 3.5 lb 19.5 on a Fat Ika.  There were six of us and we caught 153 fish on buzz baits, spinners, crank baits, jigs and a variety of soft plastics.  It was extremely hot Tuesday afternoon and we got soaked Wednesday morningbut I will go back!  Has anyone heard anything about Iron Gate Inn in Oswego, KS?

[KansasBassin]

Where is this Trophy Country you speak of? 

[ks cranker]

Anyone been to Lone Star Lake?  I'm going for the first time tomorrow... How's the fishing been? Thanks

[KS_Frog]

KansasBassin,

Sorry I was off for a few days and I see Revo replied with information on what to take under the Trophy Country post. I would add that I caught my biggest bass, 3.5 lbs on a fat Ika.  Out of the 27 I caught, at least 10 were on soft plastics and the remainder on crank baits.

KS Cranker,

I have not been to Lone Star but talked about it with another fisherman at Kill Creek.  He said he caught several bass on a small craw crank bait, this was about a month ago.  Let me know what you think, I may make the drive from Johnson County!

[Fishes in trees]

Got out yesterday (8/20) - went to Indian Creek Lake in Livingston County.  Tough day - it was't that hot,but I couldn't get any kind of a pattern going.  Every 10 or 20 minutes I'd catch a slot fish 8 - 15 feet down on the bubba drop shot rig.

Started raining at 3 - variable rains the rest of the afternoon.  Boat  & gear got soaked, but Frogg Toggs worked.  Bite picked up a little bit, but nothing stellar.  One stumpy mid lake hump produced 5 fish in 5 casts (all 13-14 inch slot fish) and then it stopped.  Fish wouldn't hit the shallow crank anymore.  Wouldn't hit the spinnerbait.  Wouldn't hit the chatterbait.  Wouldn't hit the Magic Swimmer.  Don't know what was up.  5 fish in 5 casts, I know I didn't catch all the fish in the area, but they just shut down.  I didn't make any stupid amounts of noise and I didn't have my trolling motor very high.

I don't know.  Bite just stopped.

Probably try a different lake next week.

[KC Bass Fanatic]

Fished Truman Friday night and Saturday. The bite was pretty good early and late. All the fish I caught were tight on standing hardwood timber. The cedars didn't seem to be holding them. Fish were in 4-12' of water near channel swings. The best bite was a 10" worm in purple but I caught them early Saturday on a buzzbait and Shadalicious swimbait in green gizzard. We only caught 1 big one, she went 5-12, early Saturday morning on a 10" worm.

Flip big plastics to the stumps all day for keeper bass right now.

[Fishes in trees]

Firday 8/27  ended up not trying at different lake this week, returned to Indian Creek Lake in Livingston County.  Bright sunshine & breezy all day.  Significant drop in water temp compared to last week. (surface temp, don't have any way to measure temp at different depths)   Last week 87 to 89 degrees all over the lake (roughly 180 acres)  This week, didn't find any water over 80 degrees until after 3 in the afternoon, back in a cove, and not everywhere in the cove.  Fishing was basically slower then last week.  Outside of a couple of crank bait fish, all the fish (15 or so slot fish, no keepers) come on the drop shot rig.  A couple of major points had the southern wind blowing in to them.  Fish should have been stacked on the points.  I marked a few, but I couldn't get a major bite going.  A couple of crank bait fish (1 off each point) and that was it.  I spent a little over 2 hours covering 2 points, which were less than 50 yards each.

I threw shallow & deep cranks, t-rigs, 1/2 oz jig with a Chompers.  Water was borderline clear enough for jerk baits, so I spent a short amount of time looking for suspended fish with Lucky Craft pointers.

Most productive patten was Beaver dams.  Every cove in that lake has 1 or 2 beaver dams in it.  Drop shot 8 to 15 feet of water in front of the dam and you'd get bit.  Come back 20 minutes later and you'd get bit again.

As breezy as it was, I caught a major sun burn & didn't realize it until I was driving home.  You can carry all the sunscreen you want in your fishing truck, but it doesn't work unless you actually put it on.  I don't know what I was thinking, I just forgot to do the sunscreen thing.  The first serious burn I've got this year.  Ears, cheeks, back of neck - bright red.   Coincidentally, the first time this year I forgot my doofus hat, it looks stupid, but it covers all the areas that got burned.  I wore a ball cap instead.  my mistake.  I got no clue where my doofus hat is, I'll  have to go get another.

[IneedAnewScreenName-515156154]

I'm in the same situation - a bank fisherman who's hittin all the small ponds/lakes in Johnson county. There's quite a few. Is all the traffic stuff cleared up for Cedar yet? Will hit Lenexa Lake this weekend for first time.

New to the site, thank you Revo_Carrot Stix, but excited to learn more about KC area fishing opportunities! I am primarily a bank fisherman and have fished many of the small lakes and ponds in southern Johnson County. Fished Heritage this morning for 45 minutes on the way to work and caught two dinks, one on a Ribbet Frog and one on a black buzz bait. Last weekend I fished Kill Creek and caught 4, two on a black buzz bait and two on Ribbet frog including an 18'er, my largest at Kill Creek to date. Heading to Trophy Country, with Revo and 4 others, next week where I hope to tie into some larger fish.

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2010 - 297

2009 - 312

[Revo_Carrot Stix]

I'm in the same situation - a bank fisherman who's hittin all the small ponds/lakes in Johnson county. There's quite a few. Is all the traffic stuff cleared up for Cedar yet? Will hit Lenexa Lake this weekend for first time.

Cedar Lake is open @ Lone Elm entrance. North entrance (off 159th?) will be closed until the city revamps that end of the park. Lake has been murky every time I go out there, regardless of weather.

[skunked_again]

I'm in the same situation - a bank fisherman who's hittin all the small ponds/lakes in Johnson county. There's quite a few. Is all the traffic stuff cleared up for Cedar yet? Will hit Lenexa Lake this weekend for first time.

Cedar Lake is open @ Lone Elm entrance. North entrance (off 159th?) will be closed until the city revamps that end of the park. Lake has been murky every time I go out there, regardless of weather.

the way the city changed the drain-off, thats how that lake is going to be for the next few years.

p.s. i have it on good account that there have been a few bass over 5 lbs landed out at kill creek.

 

[KansasBassin]

Where are these 5lbers at Kill Creek? was one of those yours skunked?

[ks cranker]

Don't know about 5lbers.  But I did catch a 4+lber about 2 weeks ago at Kill Creek.  Did not weigh her but she measured 20.25".   ;D

[KansasBassin]

Don't know about 5lbers. But I did catch a 4+lber about 2 weeks ago at Kill Creek. Did not weigh her but she measured 20.25". ;D

Where did you catch that fish?  Pattern?

[Revo_Carrot Stix]

Don't know about 5lbers. But I did catch a 4+lber about 2 weeks ago at Kill Creek. Did not weigh her but she measured 20.25". ;D

Where did you catch that fish? Pattern?

That is HUGE for Kill Creek!! I think my biggest out there is 18"...with the majority in the 12-14" range. Great job man!

[Bluebasser86]

I fished Bone Creek Wednesday and Cedar Creek Lake Thursday. The crazy weather on Wednesday made it pretty tough at bone. It really sucked when I noticed it was getting ready to start raining and I realized both pairs of my rain gear were at home in the garage  :'( . We still managed to catch a bunch of fish but nothing over 18 inches. Wish I could find the bigger fish in that lake! Cedar Creek was at least 2 feet high after all the rain but still pretty clear. All the standing timber in that lake makes it interesting to fish to say the least. I caught fish on tubes, cranks, worms, and spinnerbaits but again nothing over 18 inches. I did have one crush a 100 series bandit then see how many laps around a tree it could swim before my line broke. Going to go back to Bone Creek next Wednesday and probably Banner Creek Thursday. If I figure out how to post pictures and I catch anything worth showing I'll put them on here!

[Revo_Carrot Stix]

I fished Bone Creek Wednesday and Cedar Creek Lake Thursday. The crazy weather on Wednesday made it pretty tough at bone. It really sucked when I noticed it was getting ready to start raining and I realized both pairs of my rain gear were at home in the garage :'( . We still managed to catch a bunch of fish but nothing over 18 inches. Wish I could find the bigger fish in that lake! Cedar Creek was at least 2 feet high after all the rain but still pretty clear. All the standing timber in that lake makes it interesting to fish to say the least. I caught fish on tubes, cranks, worms, and spinnerbaits but again nothing over 18 inches. I did have one crush a 100 series bandit then see how many laps around a tree it could swim before my line broke. Going to go back to Bone Creek next Wednesday and probably Banner Creek Thursday. If I figure out how to post pictures and I catch anything worth showing I'll put them on here!

BB86

Where's Bone Creek and Cedar Creek Lake located? I didn't see any listings on KDWP. Are they in KC metro area?

[skunked_again]

Don't know about 5lbers. But I did catch a 4+lber about 2 weeks ago at Kill Creek. Did not weigh her but she measured 20.25". ;D

5 lbs 8 oz, and im 100% sure. also have seen pics of a few fish that were over 5 lbs. those fish still live there.

[Bluebasser86]

Bone Creek is about 10 minutes south of Ft.Scott. Cedar Creek is about 10 minutes north west of Ft.Scott. Go to kansas department of wildlifes website kdwp.state.ks.us and go to the fishing tab. then click on where to fish in kansas. it lists almost every fishable body of water in the state by region. It has been a very useful tool for me.

[KansasBassin]

Went to kill creek today. 0630 to about 0930. Hit three right off he bat with a lucky craft sammy close to the spillway bridge. Nothing big but i was feeling good. After 30 minutes I went to the shaky head in the deeper trees, again hooked up a couple but nothing huge. Spent the rest of the time hanging in the deeper trees throwing wacky worms, and numerous texas rigs. Had a decent day with 8 fish but not that 5lber skunked says lives in there! Then watched the Chiefs kick some butt, well not really but they won!

[Fishes in trees]

I got to go last Friday 9/17.  A beautiful day, sunny with some clouds and a little breezy.  Remembered the sun screen so there were no serious skin issues.  Water temps were 71 around 9 am off the dam in deeper water to 76 later in the afternoon back in a cove.  I tried a bunch of different baits.  Got one fish early on a Stacy King Lucky Craft, but couldn't  duplicate it with another hit.  I got a couple of random hits on crankbaits, but couldn't generate anything consistent. 

Throughout the day, the only fish I was marking were very close to the bottom, so those were the ones I fished for.  Caught more than 10 - less than 20 -  13 to 14.5" slot fish.  All came on a drop shot.  Water visibility was a foot to a foot and a half in the main lake, probably less than a foot of visibility in the coves.  Tried a variety of baits, all fish came on various senko imitators - a slurpee, or a Chompers or a Gulp sinking minnow.

I'd use the sinking minnows all the time if they didn't dry out so quick when they are laying on the deck.

Highlight of the day was throwing the sinking minnow to the shady side of a stump in 12 foot of water and a 20" channel cat hit it.  For a moment, I thought I had a personal best - it didn't want to come to the surface at all.

I'm probably going to get to go next Friday, long range forecast is 70's with rain showers throughout the day.  At some point this fall, fish will start to aggregate in the coves, that's where I'm going to start on Friday.

[KansasBassin]

I got to go last Friday 9/17. A beautiful day, sunny with some clouds and a little breezy. Remembered the sun screen so there were no serious skin issues. Water temps were 71 around 9 am off the dam in deeper water to 76 later in the afternoon back in a cove. I tried a bunch of different baits. Got one fish early on a Stacy King Lucky Craft, but couldn't duplicate it with another hit. I got a couple of random hits on crankbaits, but couldn't generate anything consistent.

Throughout the day, the only fish I was marking were very close to the bottom, so those were the ones I fished for. Caught more than 10 - less than 20 - 13 to 14.5" slot fish. All came on a drop shot. Water visibility was a foot to a foot and a half in the main lake, probably less than a foot of visibility in the coves. Tried a variety of baits, all fish came on various senko imitators - a slurpee, or a Chompers or a Gulp sinking minnow.

I'd use the sinking minnows all the time if they didn't dry out so quick when they are laying on the deck.

Highlight of the day was throwing the sinking minnow to the shady side of a stump in 12 foot of water and a 20" channel cat hit it. For a moment, I thought I had a personal best - it didn't want to come to the surface at all.

I'm probably going to get to go next Friday, long range forecast is 70's with rain showers throughout the day. At some point this fall, fish will start to aggregate in the coves, that's where I'm going to start on Friday.

Where were you fishing?  I am waiting for that day when they get back in the shallows as well...this summer has been so hot.  Would love to get back to my strengths, which definitely isnt deeper water.

[ks cranker]

Went to kill creek today. 0630 to about 0930. Hit three right off he bat with a lucky craft sammy close to the spillway bridge. Nothing big but i was feeling good. After 30 minutes I went to the shaky head in the deeper trees, again hooked up a couple but nothing huge. Spent the rest of the time hanging in the deeper trees throwing wacky worms, and numerous texas rigs. Had a decent day with 8 fish but not that 5lber skunked says lives in there! Then watched the Chiefs kick some butt, well not really but they won!

KB - Sounds like you were doing the right things. How deep where you fishing in those trees?

[KansasBassin]

When I was wacky worming I was trying all depths, cant remember my sweet spot.  What have you been throwing around the trees? 

I did hit up hillsdale last night and landed a 3lber and a ton of white bass and walleye. 

[ks cranker]

When I was wacky worming I was trying all depths, cant remember my sweet spot. What have you been throwing around the trees?

I did hit up hillsdale last night and landed a 3lber and a ton of white bass and walleye.

I was throwing a Bass-X jig.  Tried a brush hog, but they didn't seem to want that though.

Might go out there tomorrow, but not sure yet.

Catching keepers at Hillsdale is pretty amazing too!  Good job!