The short answer: For crappie, go to Melvern, Hillsdale or Perry. For walleye, Perry is the top pick, with El Dorado and Hillsdale close behind. For wipers, try Clinton or Milford, and for catfish, Hillsdale, Perry, Cheney and Tuttle Creek. A medium spinning combo, a heavier catfish rod and a tackle box with jigs, crankbaits, hooks, sinkers and bobbers will get you through almost any Kansas reservoir.
Kansas has a lot of big water. The eight reservoirs below are some of the most popular in the state. Every rating here comes from the 2026 KDWP Fishing Forecast or the latest KDWP fishing reports by reservoir. KDWP biologists build the forecast from fall test netting and electroshocking and rate each lake Poor, Fair, Good or Excellent by species. Conditions change, so read the full reports before you go.
Before you go: licenses and rules
Most anglers need a Kansas fishing license. Buy one or check who needs one on the KDWP fishing licenses page. Several reservoirs have their own length and creel limits, so read the current KDWP fishing regulations before you keep fish. We do not list limits here because they can change.
Milford Reservoir (north-central Kansas, near Junction City)
Milford is a real mixed bag. In the 2026 forecast KDWP rated its wipers Good, with walleye, white bass, smallmouth and largemouth all Fair. KDWP's fall report found crappie suspended 10 to 20 ft deep near points, flooded brush and ledges, caught on jigs tipped with minnows and on crankbaits. For catfish, KDWP suggests wind-blown flats and river channel ledges, with cut bait, worms or stink bait for channel cats and fresh cut bait for blues.
Gear: Bring a medium spinning combo like the Lew's American Hero 6 ft 6 in spinning combo for jigs and crankbaits, plus a stout catfish rod.
Perry Reservoir (northeast Kansas, near Topeka)
If you're after walleye, start at Perry. It was the only reservoir here rated Excellent for walleye in the 2026 forecast. Its crappie were rated Good, with one of the higher counts of crappie over 10 inches, and its channel catfish were rated Good as well. Smallmouth and largemouth were rated Fair.
Gear: A light to medium spinning rod for jigs and crankbaits handles most of it. The Lew's Wally Marshall Speed Shooter 6 ft ML combo is a handy crappie and walleye stick.
Clinton Lake (northeast Kansas, near Lawrence)
Clinton is a strong pick for wipers, rated Excellent in the 2026 forecast. Its smallmouth were rated Good, and so were its crappie and channel catfish. Walleye and largemouth were rated Poor, so plan around the other species.
Gear: Wipers pull hard, so spool a medium spinning combo with fresh line from the fishing line aisle and bring a few crankbaits and swimbaits.
Tuttle Creek Lake (northeast Kansas, near Manhattan)
KDWP's latest report rated Tuttle Creek crappie Good, with about a third of the fall sample between 10 and 12 inches and anglers doing well in the standing timber at Stockdale Cove. Blue catfish were rated fair to good with a strong size structure, and KDWP says the upper end of the lake is the most consistent area for blues and channel cats. For largemouth, try the coves in the southern third of the lake, with McIntyre Cove and Carnahan Cove the best bets. White bass were slow to fair.
Gear: Pack a jig pole like the B'n'M Bucks Graphite Jig Pole 10 ft for timber crappie and a heavy rod like the Eagle Claw Cat Claw 8 ft MH casting rod for blues on fresh cut bait or shad.
El Dorado Lake (south-central Kansas, east of Wichita)
El Dorado walleye were rated Good in the 2026 forecast, and KDWP sampling turned up walleye over 7 pounds. Wipers, white bass, channel catfish, smallmouth and largemouth were all rated Fair, so it's a good lake for a little of everything.
Gear: Bring a medium spinning combo for walleye jigs and crankbaits, and a casting rod like the Lew's TP2 6 ft 10 in squarebill casting rod if you plan to chase bass.
Cheney Reservoir (south-central Kansas, west of Wichita)
Cheney walleye were rated Fair, but the lake showed the most walleye over 25 inches of any reservoir in this guide. Channel catfish were rated Good. KDWP's report points walleye anglers to live bait and jigs near deeper points and channels, and white bass and wiper anglers to crankbaits, live bait and swimbaits in the same areas. Crappie hold near structure in 25 ft of water or deeper, and channel cats bite cut bait or stink bait in windblown areas. Cheney also has white perch and zebra mussels. White perch cannot be used as live bait, so check KDWP rules on bait and cleaning your boat.
Gear: A medium spinning combo and a longer rod like the Okuma Tundra 9 ft MH spinning rod for catfish cover most of Cheney.
Hillsdale Lake (eastern Kansas, south of Kansas City)
Hillsdale is an easy drive from Kansas City, and it's loaded with fish. It earned Excellent ratings for both crappie and channel catfish in the 2026 forecast, and its walleye were rated Good. Largemouth and smallmouth were rated Poor.
Gear: Small jigs, minnows and bobbers for crappie, plus a catfish rod with cut bait or stink bait. Shop sinkers, hook sets and corks and floats.
Melvern Lake (east-central Kansas, south of Topeka)
Melvern led every reservoir in the 2026 forecast for crappie density and earned an Excellent rating for crappie. It was also rated Excellent for smallmouth, and its channel catfish were rated Good. Walleye and largemouth were rated Poor.
Gear: A light spinning combo with small jigs for crappie, and the Lew's American Hero 6 ft 6 in spinning combo with soft plastics from Z-Man or Zoom for smallmouth.
Kansas reservoir fishing by season
- Spring: crappie move shallow to spawn and white bass run up the creeks and rivers. Small jigs, minnows under a bobber and small crankbaits shine.
- Summer: fish go deeper and bite best early and late. Troll or cast crankbaits for walleye, wipers and white bass along points and channels, and fish cut bait for catfish on wind-blown banks.
- Fall: baitfish school up and so do the predators. Watch for surface-feeding white bass and wipers, and fish crappie on deeper brush and timber.
- Winter: slow way down. Fish jigs and minnows vertically over deep structure, and dress in layers for wind on open water.
Rod and reel by target species
| Species | Rod | Line | Try |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | 10 to 12 ft jig pole or 6 ft light spinning combo | 4 to 6 lb mono | B'n'M jig pole, Lew's Speed Shooter combo |
| Walleye | 6 ft 6 in to 7 ft medium spinning | 6 to 10 lb mono or braid with a leader | Lew's American Hero 6 ft 6 in spinning combo |
| White bass and wiper | 6 ft 6 in to 7 ft medium spinning | 8 to 12 lb mono | Lew's American Hero 6 ft 6 in spinning combo |
| Smallmouth bass | 6 ft 6 in to 7 ft medium spinning | 6 to 10 lb fluorocarbon or braid with a leader | Lew's American Hero 6 ft 6 in spinning combo |
| Largemouth bass | 6 ft 10 in to 7 ft medium-heavy casting | 12 to 17 lb fluorocarbon | Lew's TP2 casting rod |
| Channel and blue catfish | 7 to 9 ft medium heavy | 15 to 30 lb mono | Eagle Claw Cat Claw, Okuma Tundra |
Browse all fishing rods, reels and rod and reel combos, or the full Lew's lineup.
Starter tackle box checklist
- Medium spinning combo, plus a heavier catfish rod
- Spare spool of line in the weight you use most
- Jig heads from 1/16 to 1/4 oz and small soft plastics
- Crankbaits and swimbaits from Rapala, Strike King and Berkley
- Hooks, sinkers and slip bobbers from the hook sets, sinkers and corks and floats aisles
- Cut bait, stink bait or worms for catfish
- Minnow bucket if you fish live bait
- Pliers, line clippers and a stringer or cooler from fishing accessories
- Life jackets, sunscreen, polarized sunglasses and a wind layer
- Your Kansas fishing license on your phone or on paper
Need more lures? See lures, baits and attractants or shop the whole fishing department.
Kansas reservoir fishing FAQ
What is the best Kansas reservoir for crappie?
In the 2026 KDWP Fishing Forecast, Melvern and Hillsdale both earned an Excellent rating for crappie, and Perry, Clinton and Tuttle Creek were rated Good. Melvern posted the highest crappie density of any reservoir in the forecast.
Where can I catch walleye in Kansas reservoirs?
Perry earned an Excellent walleye rating in the 2026 forecast, and El Dorado and Hillsdale were rated Good. Cheney and Milford were rated Fair, but Cheney showed the most big walleye over 25 inches of the reservoirs in this guide.
Which Kansas reservoirs are best for catfish?
Hillsdale earned an Excellent rating for channel catfish, and Perry, Cheney, Clinton, Melvern and Tuttle Creek were rated Good. Tuttle Creek is also known for good-sized blue catfish, with the upper end of the lake the most consistent area.
Where should I fish for smallmouth bass in Kansas?
Melvern earned an Excellent smallmouth rating in the 2026 forecast, and Clinton was rated Good. Milford also holds smallmouth and was rated Fair, with recent KDWP reports calling the fishing fair to good.
What gear do I need for a Kansas reservoir trip?
A medium spinning combo in the 6 to 7 ft range covers crappie, walleye, white bass and smallmouth. Add a heavier rod for catfish, a jig pole for crappie in brush or timber, and a tackle box with jigs, crankbaits, hooks, sinkers and bobbers.
Do I need a fishing license in Kansas, and where are the limits?
Most anglers need a Kansas fishing license, and some lakes have their own length and creel limits. Check the KDWP fishing license page and the current KDWP fishing regulations before your trip, since limits can change.
How current is the Kansas fishing forecast?
KDWP builds the annual Fishing Forecast from fall test netting and electroshocking, and not every lake is sampled every year. For on-the-water updates, KDWP biologists post fishing reports for all 24 federal reservoirs.
