Kansas

Sunflower State — Surprising Trophy Bass & Wipers

Fishing in Kansas

Kansas reservoirs produce trophy-class largemouth and smallmouth bass, excellent white bass runs, and growing wiper fisheries. Milford, El Dorado, and Clinton are top destinations.

Tournament Scene

Active tournament scene on major reservoirs.

Local Tips

Milford Reservoir is the top fishery. El Dorado for bass and walleye. Clinton Lake near Lawrence. White bass runs on Kansas rivers are legendary.

Local Circuits

Kansas Bass FederationKansas BASS Nation

Public Access

Good access on Corps of Engineers and state lakes.

Species in Kansas

What you can target and when

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass

good
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Best Waters

Milford Lake · Clinton Lake · El Dorado

JigCrankbaitSenkoSpinnerbait
White Bass

White Bass

excellent
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Best Waters

Milford Lake · Wilson Lake · Cheney Reservoir

Road RunnerSmall crankbaitInline spinnerGrub

Top Waters in Kansas

Lakes, rivers, bays, and coastal fisheries

Milford Lake

lakePublic AccessBoat RampsKayak

Kansas' largest reservoir with excellent white bass runs.

Top Species

White BassWalleyeLargemouth Bass

Best: Spring

Upcoming Tournaments in Kansas

46 tournaments found

Rainbow Trout
Freshwater

Giant Cheney Trout Cup

Cheney, Kansas
Apr 3, 2026 – Apr 4, 2026
Rainbow Trout
$60Details
Spotted Bass
Kayak

King Kansas City Bass Madness

Kansas City, Kansas
Apr 7, 2026 – Apr 8, 2026
Spotted Bass
$35Details
Brown Trout
Freshwater
5 days

Thunder Wichita Trout Extravaganza

Wichita, Kansas
Apr 18, 2026 – Apr 21, 2026
Brown Trout
$750Details
Spotted Bass
Open
5 weeks

Liberty Perry Bass Invitational

Perry, Kansas
May 13, 2026 – May 15, 2026
Spotted Bass
$1000Details
Bluegill
Freshwater

Ultimate Milford Bluegill Championship

Milford, Kansas
May 27, 2026 – May 28, 2026
Bluegill
FreeDetails
Common Carp
Freshwater

Ultimate Olathe Carp Smackdown

Olathe, Kansas
May 27, 2026 – May 29, 2026
Common Carp
$200Details

Fishing Licenses & Regulations

Resident License

Annual Resident: $27.50.

Non-Resident License

Annual Non-Resident: $52.50. 5-Day: $27.50. 24-Hour: $7.50.

Short-Term License

24-Hour and 5-Day licenses available.

Youth & Senior

Free for residents under 16. Reduced for seniors 65+.

Boat Registration

Required for motorized vessels.

Tournament Permit

Permits required on some waters.

Regulations Overview

5 bass daily limit. 15-inch minimum on some waters. Special regulations on trophy lakes.

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