Graphic by Josh Rouse
Outlook: The first weekend of August looks to offer some great fishing, according to the Fishing Calendar smartphone app.
The app predicts 81 percent fishing efficiency Friday, Aug. 3, 98 percent Saturday, Aug. 4, and 81 percent again Sunday, Aug. 5.
The following weekend again should provide great fishing, with 100 percent efficiency predicted for Aug. 10-11 and 77 percent for Aug. 12.
The third weekend of the month won’t be quite as hot as the first two, but the final weekend should see 100 percent efficiency Aug. 25-26, with 88 percent on Monday, Aug. 27.
The second week of the month will likely see temperatures in the mid-90s, according to Weather.com, but temperatures are expected to drop into the mid- to high-80s and remain there throughout the month beginning Aug. 12. Some showers are expected Aug. 7 and Aug. 11, but the forecast otherwise is sunny or partly cloudy for the first two weeks.
LAKE LEVELS
Date — July 28
Reservoir Pool Elev. Dis.
Milford. 1,144.4 1,143.91 1,000
Tuttle Creek 1,075.0 1,076.00 5,061
Perry. 891.5 889.29 25
Clinton 875.5 874.37 21
Pomona 974.0 971.42 15
Melvern. 1,036.0 1,033.51 20
LAKE REPORTS
Banner Creek, Holton — Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism reports as of early July show fair to good channel catfish numbers with fish up to 12.5 pounds being caught from shore. Fair crappie and bluegill bites near structure, with a slow walleye and sauger bite.
Clinton Reservoir, Lawrence — Fair to good channel catfish bite on fish up to 5 pounds reported near feeders. Anglers chumming with soybeans or running lines have been catching lots of fish, according to the KDWPT. Crappie found in standing timber in Wakarusa arm at about 15 feet. Wiper and white bass chasing shad at surface, can be caught with crankbaits or swim baits just before sunset.
Jeffrey Energy Center Aux. Lake, St. Marys — Good white bass population up to 3 pounds seen chasing shad near surface. Fair wiper numbers caught trolling crankbaits and jigging spoons below shad.
Milford Reservoir, Junction City — KDWPT reporting good largemouth, smallmouth and white bass/wiper populations. Largemouth sitting near points and deeper coves with brush/rock. Smallies near deep gravel/rock points and banks. White bass/wipers targeted along windy banks, points. Blue catfish up to 73 pounds along channel ledges and edges of flats. Be on lookout for recently tagged fish.
Perry Reservoir, Ozawkie — Good channel cat bite up to 10 pounds as of early July. Blue catfish up to 25 pounds in fair numbers. Crappie bite fairly slow as of right now but will improve as water temperatures cool toward end of month.
Lake Shawnee, Topeka — Fair channel cat and bluegill bite, but fishing can be tough during high water traffic days.
Shawnee State Fishing Lake, Silver Lake — Largemouth population in great shape, according to the KDWPT. Sampling produced the second highest abundance of fish in the past decade. The lake has been stocked several times with smallmouth bass but they haven’t taken off, according to the agency. Crappie size structure improving. Decent channel cat fishing in rocks/off dam.
Tuttle Creek, Manhattan — Fair crappie bite on fish weighing between a half-pound and 2 pounds. Crappie scattered along rocky shores or in brush at 8 to 12 feet. Record numbers of young saugeye sampled in the lake in 2017 and the river pond has provided good saugeye fishing by dragging nightcrawlers or casting jigs and crankbaits. Blue catfish and flatheads up to 40 pounds possible, with channel cat over 8 pounds readily available.
The following weekend again should provide great fishing, with 100 percent efficiency predicted for Aug. 10-11 and 77 percent for Aug. 12.
The third weekend of the month won’t be quite as hot as the first two, but the final weekend should see 100 percent efficiency Aug. 25-26, with 88 percent on Monday, Aug. 27.
The second week of the month will likely see temperatures in the mid-90s, according to Weather.com, but temperatures are expected to drop into the mid- to high-80s and remain there throughout the month beginning Aug. 12. Some showers are expected Aug. 7 and Aug. 11, but the forecast otherwise is sunny or partly cloudy for the first two weeks.
LAKE LEVELS
Date — July 28
Reservoir Pool Elev. Dis.
Milford. 1,144.4 1,143.91 1,000
Tuttle Creek 1,075.0 1,076.00 5,061
Perry. 891.5 889.29 25
Clinton 875.5 874.37 21
Pomona 974.0 971.42 15
Melvern. 1,036.0 1,033.51 20
LAKE REPORTS
Banner Creek, Holton — Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism reports as of early July show fair to good channel catfish numbers with fish up to 12.5 pounds being caught from shore. Fair crappie and bluegill bites near structure, with a slow walleye and sauger bite.
Clinton Reservoir, Lawrence — Fair to good channel catfish bite on fish up to 5 pounds reported near feeders. Anglers chumming with soybeans or running lines have been catching lots of fish, according to the KDWPT. Crappie found in standing timber in Wakarusa arm at about 15 feet. Wiper and white bass chasing shad at surface, can be caught with crankbaits or swim baits just before sunset.
Jeffrey Energy Center Aux. Lake, St. Marys — Good white bass population up to 3 pounds seen chasing shad near surface. Fair wiper numbers caught trolling crankbaits and jigging spoons below shad.
Milford Reservoir, Junction City — KDWPT reporting good largemouth, smallmouth and white bass/wiper populations. Largemouth sitting near points and deeper coves with brush/rock. Smallies near deep gravel/rock points and banks. White bass/wipers targeted along windy banks, points. Blue catfish up to 73 pounds along channel ledges and edges of flats. Be on lookout for recently tagged fish.
Perry Reservoir, Ozawkie — Good channel cat bite up to 10 pounds as of early July. Blue catfish up to 25 pounds in fair numbers. Crappie bite fairly slow as of right now but will improve as water temperatures cool toward end of month.
Lake Shawnee, Topeka — Fair channel cat and bluegill bite, but fishing can be tough during high water traffic days.
Shawnee State Fishing Lake, Silver Lake — Largemouth population in great shape, according to the KDWPT. Sampling produced the second highest abundance of fish in the past decade. The lake has been stocked several times with smallmouth bass but they haven’t taken off, according to the agency. Crappie size structure improving. Decent channel cat fishing in rocks/off dam.
Tuttle Creek, Manhattan — Fair crappie bite on fish weighing between a half-pound and 2 pounds. Crappie scattered along rocky shores or in brush at 8 to 12 feet. Record numbers of young saugeye sampled in the lake in 2017 and the river pond has provided good saugeye fishing by dragging nightcrawlers or casting jigs and crankbaits. Blue catfish and flatheads up to 40 pounds possible, with channel cat over 8 pounds readily available.
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