For Us KC Area Guys - Fishing Reports

[SuperVehicle001]

I just repaired the tip myself with a Fuji kit. Looks bad but it works. I'm hitting La Cygne this Friday. I need to get a fish and I'll have the day off and the wind forecast is under 10mph.

[BTSyndrome]

Was too nice of a day to stay home, but I had no desire to be around any other boats (I'm talking about you CC)

The water temp in the small lake in the SE part of the state was sitting around 39*

It was a good day with 23 bass caught but the biggest were only just over 2-1/2lbs.

Cannot beat that for a January day and had the whole lake to our self. Mostly jerkbaits and shakyheads with an occasional swimbait fish.

Tried to catch some crappie in the trees that where on the depthfinder with tiny 1/16 jigs but the bass kept hitting them, never caught any crappie. ha ha 

 

Hope everyone has a great year. And we get some rain sooner than later.

[Midwest Outdoorsman]

On 1/15/2018 at 7:08 PM, TinBoatBassin said:

Headed out to Wolf on Saturday, 3rd boat on the water at 10am.  Only one ramp was free of ice when we launched and I'm glad no one was behind us since the boat was frozen to the trailer and took a while to break loose.  Fishing was pretty good, got my first green fish on a buzzbait for the new year, also got an 18# blue on a jerkbait which took me for a ride up and down the wall.  

 

Ice fishing has also been good, hit up a local pond and did well with gills and a few bass.  You should be able to get a limit of trout pretty easily in Lawrence right now with artificial or live bait.  

I currently live in Lawrence. Where do you fish for trout in Lawrence? Any other details are welcomed

[TinBoatBassin]

29 minutes ago, Tristan Hayes said:

I currently live in Lawrence. Where do you fish for trout in Lawrence? Any other details are welcomed

I went to Henry's Trout pond in Clinton State Park, make sure you have a trout permit even if you don't plan on keeping any.   You can get them using trout power bait, wax worms, night crawlers, colored marshmallows, mepps spinner, or a little cleo.  If its open water just rig the bait under a float about 3 to 4 feet down.  The lake is only about 5 feet deep in the center.  Shouldn't take long to get a bite.  Under the ice is the same deal just drop it to the bottom then one crank up.  Lake Shawnee in Topeka has the biggins.

[Midwest Outdoorsman]

10 minutes ago, TinBoatBassin said:

I went to Henry's Trout pond in Clinton State Park, make sure you have a trout permit even if you don't plan on keeping any.   You can get them using trout power bait, wax worms, night crawlers, colored marshmallows, mepps spinner, or a little cleo.  If its open water just rig the bait under a float about 3 to 4 feet down.  The lake is only about 5 feet deep in the center.  Shouldn't take long to get a bite.  Under the ice is the same deal just drop it to the bottom then one crank up.  Lake Shawnee in Topeka has the biggins.

Thanks for the advice man! Forgot I had heard about that Henry's place. Average size trout in Henry's? Largest and average size you have caught in Lake Shawnee?

[Bluebasser86]

24 minutes ago, Tristan Hayes said:

Thanks for the advice man! Forgot I had heard about that Henry's place. Average size trout in Henry's? Largest and average size you have caught in Lake Shawnee?

Shawnee gets a ton of trout over 4 pounds stocked every stocking, including at least 4 state record sized fish up to 15 pounds. It has the best average size and top end size anywhere in the state. This video was from this last fall out there.

 

[Midwest Outdoorsman]

9 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Shawnee gets a ton of trout over 4 pounds stocked every stocking, including at least 4 state record sized fish up to 15 pounds. It has the best average size and top end size anywhere in the state. This video was from this last fall out there.

 

That's insane! I see you obviously are not fly fishing. What are some good presentations for trout down there at shawnee?

[Bluebasser86]

5 minutes ago, Tristan Hayes said:

That's insane! I see you obviously are not fly fishing. What are some good presentations for trout down there at shawnee?

Spoons, small jigs, wiggle warts, and Ned rigs are my favorites.

[Bluebasser86]

In case someone was going to go there this weekend, not a puff of smoke from the La Cygne stack this morning. 

[SuperVehicle001]

24 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

In case someone was going to go there this weekend, not a puff of smoke from the La Cygne stack this morning. 

Is that a good or a bad thing?

[Russ E]

25 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

In case someone was going to go there this weekend, not a puff of smoke from the La Cygne stack this morning. 

Thanks,

. Hopefully they fire it back up. I was planning on fishing it later next week.

[Bluebasser86]

8 minutes ago, SuperVehicle001 said:

Is that a good or a bad thing?

Very bad, no smoke=no generation=no warm water discharge 

[Russ E]

Just now, Bluebasser86 said:

Very bad, no smoke=no generation=no warm water discharge 

not good when you are planning a trip to fish the warm water.

With no KC traffic, it is a good hour drive from my house.

[Dirtyeggroll]

I was driving through KC from Omaha this afternoon and it was amazing to see open water. We are all still frozen in Omaha. Who needs a warm water discharge when theres no ice? Haha

[Bluebasser86]

3 minutes ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

I was driving through KC from Omaha this afternoon and it was amazing to see open water. We are all still frozen in Omaha. Who needs a warm water discharge when theres no ice? Haha

I'm fishing cold water this week, already decided. 50s both weekend days then 70s Monday. I'll probably catch more in a cold water lake than I would in a recently shut down power plant lake. 

[SuperVehicle001]

Watkins Mill near Kearney is still frozen. I called the state park office there. I could hit James A. Reed but I'd just lose at least 5 baits and get skunked anyway.

[TinBoatBassin]

We hit up Shawnee Lake in Topeka, both main ramps are still frozen but the little ramp that no one would normally use is ice free.  Tossed deep jerks, dragged neds, and bounced blade baits....nada.  It was nice to get out without having to fight the winter crowds.  Might try something closer to home tomorrow before the wind kicks up. 

[Drew03cmc]

Man, I'm reading these reports and wishing my days off coincided with decent weather. I've not caught a fish yet this year, but hope to remedy that in the next week or less. Keep posting fellas.

[senile1]

FYI

If you are near the metro area and fish the Missouri side now and then, you might want to give Lake Remembrance a try.  It is on the outskirts of the metro area at the Adams Dairy Parkway exit and is managed by the MDC.  You can see the lake from I-70.  It is 55 acres and no motors are allowed.  You have to walk your craft down to the water as the ramp is blocked by poles inserted into the concrete.  I have fished there a few times over the last two years and there are some decent fish in there.  I haven't caught anything over 6 lbs yet but I have caught quite a few 3s and 4s along with a couple of 5 plus fish. I fished it Saturday, and back in the middle of December and both times produced 5 lb'ers in rather cold water.  The water is somewhat clear to mildly stained usually, though it can remain heavily stained for a few days after a rain.  Currently the water is down about 4 feet.

 

Weights for the fish below in order from top to bottom:

 

5 lb 4 oz

5 lb 4 oz (Same fish as the above)

5 lb 11 oz

4 lbs 9 oz

 

 

 

[Drew03cmc]

Lake Remembrance, the one just north of 70? I've looked at it driving by a few times. May have to get out there this summer. I'm still looking for good water south of 470 towards Raymore and Belton.

[senile1]

2 hours ago, Drew03cmc said:

Lake Remembrance, the one just north of 70? I've looked at it driving by a few times. May have to get out there this summer. I'm still looking for good water south of 470 towards Raymore and Belton.

That's right.  In the warmer months most people fish from the dam.  I have never seen more than 4 or 5 boats/kayaks at a time out there.  

[redbirdsfan44]

On 2/17/2018 at 12:23 PM, SuperVehicle001 said:

Watkins Mill near Kearney is still frozen. I called the state park office there. I could hit James A. Reed but I'd just lose at least 5 baits and get skunked anyway.

shhhhh theres no fish out there at the Mill

[Bluebasser86]

On 2/19/2018 at 11:12 AM, senile1 said:

FYI

If you are near the metro area and fish the Missouri side now and then, you might want to give Lake Remembrance a try.  It is on the outskirts of the metro area at the Adams Dairy Parkway exit and is managed by the MDC.  You can see the lake from I-70.  It is 55 acres and no motors are allowed.  You have to walk your craft down to the water as the ramp is blocked by poles inserted into the concrete.  I have fished there a few times over the last two years and there are some decent fish in there.  I haven't caught anything over 6 lbs yet but I have caught quite a few 3s and 4s along with a couple of 5 plus fish. I fished it Saturday, and back in the middle of December and both times produced 5 lb'ers in rather cold water.  The water is somewhat clear to mildly stained usually, though it can remain heavily stained for a few days after a rain.  Currently the water is down about 4 feet.

 

Weights for the fish below in order from top to bottom:

 

5 lb 4 oz

5 lb 4 oz (Same fish as the above)

5 lb 11 oz

4 lbs 9 oz

 

 

 

That's interesting because it seems it's usually listed as being fair and only for small to mid sized fish. Sounds like it might be a fun lake to check out with the kayak. 

 

 

Talked to the fisheries biologist that covers La Cygne, sounds like the plant is down for at least 5 weeks for regular maintenance. 

[senile1]

7 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

That's interesting because it seems it's usually listed as being fair and only for small to mid sized fish. Sounds like it might be a fun lake to check out with the kayak. 

 

 

Talked to the fisheries biologist that covers La Cygne, sounds like the plant is down for at least 5 weeks for regular maintenance. 

Two or three years ago I seem to recall the MDC report that stated what you described above though I believe it did say there was an occasional 20 inch fish.  At the time, the lake was about 7 - 8 years old.  This is not a numbers lake but there are nice drop-offs into deeper water that make for quite a few good spots for deep summer and winter fishing.  The latest "prospects" I read from the MDC states the following:

 

Largemouth bass are moderately abundant in the lake. Anglers will find fair numbers of both catch-and-release bass that are up to 15 inches long, and harvestable fish 15 to 20 inches long and larger. 

 

https://fishing.mdc.mo.gov/reports/lake-remembrance

   

9 hours ago, redbirdsfan44 said:

shhhhh theres no fish out there at the Mill

  Unfortunately, anybody who reads the online prospects from MDC knows about the Mill.  

[redbirdsfan44]

2 hours ago, senile1 said:

 

  Unfortunately, anybody who reads the online prospects from MDC knows about the Mill.  

At least most of them are bank beaters and don’t know how to fish offshore