| Species | Rating | Size | Baits, Method &Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill / Redear sunfish | Good | 4-8" | Bluegill can be caught using a bobber and worm, 1/16-1/32 ounce jighead, and a fly rod and small fly. Locations to try would be near the swim beach in the northwest corner, main lake coves, and marina cove. |
| Saugeye | Fair | 18-21" | The fall sample indicated a low-density, high-quality population of saugeye up to 21". A variety of ways to target saugeye are trolling with swimbaits and Rapalas, or vertical jigging. Anglers can also find saugeye up shallow in the fall, winter, and spring when water temperatures are cooler and where they can be found feeding on the flats and shallow habitat. |
| Wiper (White bass x Striped Bass hybrid) | Poor | 21-24" | Wiper have been stocked in Crawford State Lake and provide a quality sportfish for anglers to target. Wipers are pelagic, or open water, predators lurking in deeper water during the day, but come up shallow to feed in the morning, evening, and during the night. Some baits to try would be jerkbaits, swimbaits, jigs, and live bait. Trolling and vertical jigging over schools of gizzard shad may yield a fish, or two. |
| Channel catfish | Good | 16-24" | Channel catfish can be found throughout all portions of the lake. Anglers can target in coves on the upper end of the lake, especially during periods of inflow, main lake where submerged trees and Georgia Cubes have been placed, and jetties and docks that can be fished from shore. Prepared baits, gizzard shad, live bait, and chicken liver are all popular baits that anglers might give a try. |
| Flathead catfish | Good | All sizes | Flathead catfish can be found in deep water next to submerged trees and structure. Live bait, such as green sunfish, and artificial lures are two types of fishing to try. There have been reports of flathead catfish being caught up to 30 lbs. |
| Crappie | Good | 6-10" | The crappie population has a slightly improved size structure with fish sampled up to 13". There is a 2021 year class of Black Crappie that are reaching lengths up to 12 inches, a 2022 year class of Black Crappie that are up to 9 inches, and another 2023 year class of Black Crappie that are 4 inches. This is a good sign for the future, as Black Crappie are growing. The majority of the white crappie that anglers may find at the end of their line will be in the 8-10" size range. Please consider harvesting your daily creel limit of 50 crappie per day to help reduce numbers of White Crappie and open up space for the year classes of Black Crappie to grow. Anglers should try live minnows under a bobber, jigs with a twister tail, and streamers with a fly rod. |
| Largemouth bass | Good | 15-21" | Largemouth bass densities and size structure are improved, since being infected with LMBV (Largemouth Bass Virus) in 2007. Strong year classes in the 8-12" size category indicate good numbers that haven't been as prominent since 2005. Quality fish up to 21" were sampled and anglers will benefit from the improved numbers and quality of largemouth bass in Crawford State Lake. Anglers should focus on coves and jetties using a variety of methods, which include spinnerbaits, top-water lures, plastic lures, and jerkbaits. An often overlooked method, the "Ned Rig" can also be utilized during all times of the year, but specifically in the summer months, when largemouth bass don't seem as willing to bite other types of lures. Largemouth bass phase II advanced fingerlings have been stocked in 2020 (7,500 fingerlings), 2021 (3,750 fingerlings) 2022 (3,890 fingerlings), 2023 (7,500 fingerlings), and 2024 (7,500 fingerlings - 6/4/2024). The KDWP Fisheries Biologist plans to continue to request phase II advanced fingerling stockings for the next two years to help bolster current year classes of largemouth bass. This will be evaluated through fin clips to assess genetics to realize stock contribution to the fishery. In conjunction with the stocking, cedar trees will be added to the lake to enhance spawning, refuge, and forage structure near shore for largemouth bass to flourish. |
| General Comments | |||
| Water Temperature: 64° F, November 4, 2024 Be sure to Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat, bait buckets, and recreational watercraft before and after launching your boat. It is required by law to remove your drain plug on your watercraft upon departure to drain live wells and water inside of your boat; it will protect our natural resources in Kansas for current anglers and future generations to enjoy. Be sure to stay up to date on information regarding Aquatic Nuisance Species. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water! Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism fisheries staff recently undertook a project to produce lake maps, or bathymetric maps, for public waters statewide. The lake map for Crawford State Fishing Lake can be found at the following link: https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Where-to-Fish-in-Kansas/Bathymetric-Lake-Maps.This link will provide you with a link for all bathymetric lake maps for the state of Kansas. Scroll down to find Crawford State Fishing Lake. This will allow for anglers to view the depths of the lake to choose different habitats and lake depths to fish for different species, year-round. You will also find current GPS locations of habitat structures placed by KDWPT fisheries staff to easily input into your sonar unit, or find if you are fishing from shore. If you would like to provide a fishing report for Crawford State Fishing Lake, don't hesitate to contact Connor Ossowski, District Fisheries Biologist, at (620) 231-3173. | |||
