For Us KC Area Guys - Fishing Reports

[skunked_again]

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!

very true.

if you do kill creek tomorrow youll probably bump into me. im on the fence between there and Gardner Lake. i found a very nice drop off at Gardner the other day.

[ks cranker]

Ok, your going to have to explain that screen shot to me...  Is that some sort of lipped ledge? :-?

[KU_Bassmaster.]

And how has Garnder been?

I used to go out there all the time 5-6 years ago. Seems like fishing was awesome at the beginning of that time and started slowly but surely declining over the next few years. Then about 3 years ago I believe I went out there during the spawn and saw very very few beds. I don't know about you, but that's how I kind of gauge the type of population that lake has. I stopped going. Then come to find out I met a guy at a wedding this summer that said the largemouth bass virus hit that lake hard. Made sense from what I had seen over the past few years.

Making a comeback?

[KansasBassin]

And how has Garnder been?

I used to go out there all the time 5-6 years ago. Seems like fishing was awesome at the beginning of that time and started slowly but surely declining over the next few years. Then about 3 years ago I believe I went out there during the spawn and saw very very few beds. I don't know about you, but that's how I kind of gauge the type of population that lake has. I stopped going. Then come to find out I met a guy at a wedding this summer that said the largemouth bass virus hit that lake hard. Made since from what I had seen over the past few years.

Making a comeback?

I didn't go to gardner all year because the last two years have been really slow.  I heard they had LM b disease as well.  For that reason I have stuck to Kill Creek, Lake Olathe, SMP, and as of late,  Lake Lenexa.  I really like Gardner and hope it comes back, I will for sure check the spawn there next year.  I have caught good fish there in years past, but as I said the last couple have been slow.  I really look for lake lenexa to heat up in the coming years, a great little lake perfect for my 9 ft bass magnum. 

[ks cranker]

And how has Garnder been?

I used to go out there all the time 5-6 years ago. Seems like fishing was awesome at the beginning of that time and started slowly but surely declining over the next few years. Then about 3 years ago I believe I went out there during the spawn and saw very very few beds. I don't know about you, but that's how I kind of gauge the type of population that lake has. I stopped going. Then come to find out I met a guy at a wedding this summer that said the largemouth bass virus hit that lake hard. Made since from what I had seen over the past few years.

Making a comeback?

I've gone to Gardner way too often this year... just too close to home.

There are a ton of 11-13" bass.  The biggest I've seen this year was around 3.5#'s. 

It really isn't that hard to go out and catch a dozen or more small guys in a few hours. 

I've heard there was a 7lber caught this spring, so there are a few biggens left out there...

[Bluebasser86]

I also heard of someone catching a 7lber from Gardner this spring. I heard it was a homeowner on the lake that caught it on a goldfish while he was catfishing. I did catch 2 around 4 or 4 1/2 in March on a spinnerbait but other than that I caught one over 15inches on a jerkbait early in the year and that was it. I fished it a bunch because it was only about a 5 minute drive but I stopped going because I didn't see the point when there really isn't any chance at a bigger fish.

[Bluebasser86]

I fished bone creek saturday in a small tournament. Had 3 keepers on but put zero of them in the boat. Thought I had a really nice fish on a crankbait early in the morning but it turned out to be a catfish  > . Lots of small fish on cranks. About 15 lbs won it so it was a pretty good day for someone! Might go to Melvern Wednesday and fish for some of those brown bass!

[KansasBassin]

Thanks for the report bluebasser86.  Sounds like we all got about the same feelings about Gardner.  It is also shaping up to be a good group of KC fishing reports.  Keep up the good work gentleman!  Hope to have a Hillsdale report for you Sunday morning. 

[skunked_again]

And how has Garnder been?

I used to go out there all the time 5-6 years ago. Seems like fishing was awesome at the beginning of that time and started slowly but surely declining over the next few years. Then about 3 years ago I believe I went out there during the spawn and saw very very few beds. I don't know about you, but that's how I kind of gauge the type of population that lake has. I stopped going. Then come to find out I met a guy at a wedding this summer that said the largemouth bass virus hit that lake hard. Made since from what I had seen over the past few years.

Making a comeback?

I've gone to Gardner way too often this year... just too close to home.

There are a ton of 11-13" bass. The biggest I've seen this year was around 3.5#'s.

It really isn't that hard to go out and catch a dozen or more small guys in a few hours.

I've heard there was a 7lber caught this spring, so there are a few biggens left out there...

gardner is a great numbers lake. for myself, 18" bass is the max ive pulled out.

i fished kill creek today. popping lipless baits through the grass is still a good pattern.

[ks cranker]

Any one fished La Cygne lately?  Going out there on Saturday....

[skunked_again]

Any one fished La Cygne lately? Going out there on Saturday....

buddy tells me its been good there all year. B & J jigs he says.

[Bluebasser86]

What is a B & J jig? I fished La cygne a couple weeks ago and did decent on a chart/black 100 series bandit in the river. Fish were really healthy.

[Bluebasser86]

My wife and I fished Leavenworth State Lake for about 4 hours this afternoon. Caught 8-9 on a 1.5 Rick Clunn silent crankbait. My wife caught 5 bass and a channel cat on a gulp minnow on a jighead. Caught a couple more fish on crawdad colored 100 series bandit and my 2 biggest ones on a shakey head with a green pumpkin trick worm. Nothing big, probably 15 or 16 inches or so. My wifes catfish was about 3lbs and on a 6' 8" light shimano dropshot rod and 6lb test, was a pretty proud moment, gave her all she wanted!

[skunked_again]

What is a B & J jig? I fished La cygne a couple weeks ago and did decent on a chart/black 100 series bandit in the river. Fish were really healthy.

a hair jig.

[zerofivenismo]

Need a little help guys.  I've never fished Lenexa Lake.  I know gas motors are prohibited.  I have a 25hp tiller.  Do I remove the gas tank, or just have the motor trimmed out.  Also do you just use the TM to put it back on the trailer?  Thanks.

[KansasBassin]

Need a little help guys. I've never fished Lenexa Lake. I know gas motors are prohibited. I have a 25hp tiller. Do I remove the gas tank, or just have the motor trimmed out. Also do you just use the TM to put it back on the trailer? Thanks.

I am pretty sure you can leave the gas tank, just not fire it up. As far as trailering your boat yeah I would say trolling motor is best option. Get a good run at it I guess at least until you could get the cranked hooked up. I have a small boat so I do the heavy lifting.

[Chino_kc]

Does anyone fish at Longview Lake? I have yet to catch anything there. I am pretty new to bass fishing (I'd say only about a week, so I am not expecting to land much haha) and not only am I not catching bass, I couldnt catch anything. I was at it at 8am and tried catfishing and all I see was a feeding frenzy on my cat bait with no catch haha

[zerofivenismo]

Need a little help guys. I've never fished Lenexa Lake. I know gas motors are prohibited. I have a 25hp tiller. Do I remove the gas tank, or just have the motor trimmed out. Also do you just use the TM to put it back on the trailer? Thanks.

I am pretty sure you can leave the gas tank, just not fire it up. As far as trailering your boat yeah I would say trolling motor is best option. Get a good run at it I guess at least until you could get the cranked hooked up. I have a small boat so I do the heavy lifting.

Thanks KB.  I'll give it a shot in the morning.

[skunked_again]

Need a little help guys. I've never fished Lenexa Lake. I know gas motors are prohibited. I have a 25hp tiller. Do I remove the gas tank, or just have the motor trimmed out. Also do you just use the TM to put it back on the trailer? Thanks.

i dont do anything to my gas motor. i myself use my TM to get my boat back on the trailer, i know others do not. wear shorts, worst case scenario youre a bit wet on the ride home.

ill also note, watch the water in front of your trolling motor, there is heavy brush out in the middle of the lake where you would never expect it.

[KansasBassin]

Need a little help guys. I've never fished Lenexa Lake. I know gas motors are prohibited. I have a 25hp tiller. Do I remove the gas tank, or just have the motor trimmed out. Also do you just use the TM to put it back on the trailer? Thanks.

i dont do anything to my gas motor. i myself use my TM to get my boat back on the trailer, i know others do not. wear shorts, worst case scenario youre a bit wet on the ride home.

ill also note, watch the water in front of your trolling motor, there is heavy brush out in the middle of the lake where you would never expect it.

And thank them later for leaving that brush ;D

[Bluebasser86]

Does Lenexa have any bigger fish in it? I had no problem catching fish but only had one over 15" unless you count the channel cat I caught on a trick worm then I had two. It seemed like it had great potential. I don't know much about the lake but I think it is pretty new isn't it? I did have a double on a Zell Pop of a largemouth and a green sunfish, never done that before.

[KansasBassin]

Does Lenexa have any bigger fish in it? I had no problem catching fish but only had one over 15" unless you count the channel cat I caught on a trick worm then I had two. It seemed like it had great potential. I don't know much about the lake but I think it is pretty new isn't it? I did have a double on a Zell Pop of a largemouth and a green sunfish, never done that before.

Yeah I have not heard of any big fish yet, but in a couple years I bet it starts to produce well.  I think they opened it for fishing in 2008, and filled it in 2006 or 2007.  Probably 3 or 4 year old fish. 

[flipinstick88]

I have only fished Lenexa one time, the first spring it was open. Caught one that was just shy of 4lbs.

[Bluebasser86]

I saw on kansas department of wildlife that they had sampled fish over 4lbs out of there so I was just wondering if anyone had caught any bigger fish, I guess so!

[skunked_again]

we all need to plan a day to invade Melvern or La Cygne.

my father and i are testing the waters at Melvern saturday. the fishing should start coming on fast down there.