Kansas And Oklahoma Lake Decisions? 2024

Sturgeon reply :

Looking for some opinions on what lake to go to next weekend. I live 20 min outside of Wichita and I am thinking about heading north a couple of hours. My options are Perry, Melvern, or Tuttle Creek. Fairly new to Bass fishing and boat fishing. Also im looking to head to oklahoma in the next few weeks and would like some opinions on the 3 lakes im looking at there. Tinkiller, Arbuckles, and Grand. So far im pretty basic and all my fishing consist of cruising shore line casting to bank and reeling back, which has worked out really great, because I have yet to not caught something with this method. Thanks

Long Mike reply :

Of the three lakes in Oklahoma that you mentioned, I would recommend Lake Tenkiller. I have never fished Arbuckle but it is only 2800 acres. On the other hand Grand Lake is huge, at about 47,000 acres. Although the bass fishing can be pretty good, it is always rough because of all of the yachts and cigarette boats screaming up and down the lake. Tenkiller is a smaller lake, but it is still about 13,000 acres. It is one of the prettiest lakes in Oklahoma and has some of the clearest water. Other good bass lakes in Eastern Oklahoma you may want to consider are Ft. Gibson and Eufaula (the largest lake in Oklahoma at well over 100,000 acres.)

Sturgeon reply :

Tenkiller was my number one choice. Smaller the lake the better since it will just be a weekend trip. Gives me a chance to cover more of the lake. Any recommendation on a good starting point as far as location on the lake? Thanks for the input Mike!

Hi Salenity reply :

Check the wind forecast before you go to Melvern

I'd try Wabunsee. If I were you

aavery2 reply :

If you are leaving from Belle Plaine, you might consider Sooner lake also, again you will want to see what the wind is doing.

Bluebasser86 reply :

If I was in your area I may never fish in Kansas.

kanasbassfisher08 reply :

On 9/7/2014 at 1:57 PM, Bluebasser86 said:
If I was in your area I may never fish in Kansas.

agreed maybe melvern for smallies but that would be it! sucks you guys are so far from ozarks and all those lakes!

aavery2 reply :

From the greater Wichita area it is about 2hrs to find any really good bass fishing lakes. Bluecat, Flathead, Crappie, Walleye, Saugeye, Whitebass, and Wiper can all be found much closer. Many guys around here have access to great watersheds and sandpits, and catch large numbers of quality fish.

IMO the closest lake that produces quality bass to this area is Butler Co. Lake and it is very small.

Mr_Scrogg reply :

Butler gets pounded on so much. Ive never had a stellar day there. I did get a 4-5 earlier this year.

aavery2 reply :

I have had many stellar days there, seen several fish in the 6lb class caught, and pictures of a few over 10. Try a spro jr frog in natural green. I have left the lake with my partner and I both having 16-18 lbs. The secret is being committed to the frog, you will have long periods of time with no action, but when it turns on it gets exciting fast.

Mr_Scrogg reply :

Ive seen a 7 from there, but thats it. Ive also seen pics of 6s in peoples back yards right before they met a fillet knife. Sad actually.

aavery2 reply :

On 9/8/2014 at 12:59 AM, Mr_Scrogg said:
Ive seen a 7 from there, but thats it. Ive also seen pics of 6s in peoples back yards right before they met a fillet knife. Sad actually.

There is a guy that comes into Zeiners once in a while, has a picture of one over 11, I think he said 11-3. Said he caught it from the bank at Butler. Sadly it was removed from where ever he caught it.

Mr_Scrogg reply :

I come in once in a while.

If it was 11, chances she was very close to the end. A old girl.

Ive been on longer trips lately. Think Ill start staying closer to home. Butler, Cowley, maybe Kingman and McPherson.

aavery2 reply :

There is a great pit right in Wichita that can be fished. I am in Zeiners most everyday, introduce yourself sometime and I will tell you about it.

Mr_Scrogg reply :

I know of it. Ive struck out a bit there lately. Bad Algae bloom. Did get one last year that went 6-7.

And a friend had one nearly 8.

aavery2 reply :

Is that Dale Johnston? I can see by the background that you were fishing near the Elk pen. Nice fish, I fished for a while there Friday and the water is better and the fish were biting. We caught lots of fish around 3 and my biggest was a little over 4.

Sturgeon reply :

I am fairly new to Bass Fishing, so I am slowly learning new baits and techniques. I was able to acquire a nice boat this summer, so I have really became addicted. Before I got the boat I was bank fishing all the little Wichita area public ponds. Now that I have the boat my bass fishing fun has over tripled in the fun factor. I was introduced to Butler by a friend earlier this year and I got my personal best 3-4 pounder 19". I have caught every trip I have been on this year and to me that's a good day fishing compared to lots of days on the bank with nothing. I recently went to Marion Lake and had a good day no monsters but me and two buddies caught close to 20 total for the day. Last weekend headed up to McPherson State Fishing Lake and it was slow going for me, but me and my two sons were able to pull out 8 total biggest one only 15". However I watched a guy pull 3 fish 5lbs plus and was amazed. I have never fished in that type of water so much vegetation and weeds every where. Trolling motor was just cutting through it and I was hating it. Met the guy at docks when we pulled out and he told me he was using 1 1/4 ounce jig and punching through. So after that information I logged onto *** and picked up 6 jigs and some trailers and of course started hitting youtube and bassresource.com to learn how to use these things. New to baitcaster as well, but I already got the pitching bit down, so I am looking forward to going back out to McPherson. What about Wilson lake? My friends im going with are trying to talk me into Wilson, but im still leaning towards Perry. Any info on Wilson. Ive never even caught a small mouth yet, but they look fun too. Im heading to one of them early probably head out around 3am so we can be on the water at first light. Thanks for the responses.

aavery2 reply :

Wilson is one of the nicest lakes in KS in my opinion. I has very clear water and lots of scenery, does not look like it should be in KS. The fishing can be good, but like any other lake it can kick your rear. Wind is a huge factor on that lake, 15 MPH or better and that place turns into the Pacific Ocean. If you want to catch a small mouth they have been catching lots of them at El Dorado on the Dam, but I would drive the extra distance and hit Melvern.

Sturgeon reply :

So is this sand pit open to public or do i need to get permission from owner? Boats allowed? I would love to increase my chances of landing a big lm. Pm me info.

Mr_Scrogg reply :

I got one 5lb 6oz from McPherson this year. Biggest so far for the year.

There are much bigget in there. Ive heard 7s caught 8 years ago. Those fish still in there, they would be pushing Double Digits.

Mr_Scrogg reply :

Mcpherson fish

Sturgeon reply :

*Update* Well finally made it out and ended up going to Wilson this weekend. The lake was beautiful nothing like I have ever seen in Kansas. I was able to land my first smallmouth and striper, so it was a succesful trip. Friday was nuts on the water I only fished a couple of hours in the late evening wind was in upper 20mph range all day and temps in the 50s. Saturday morning we hit it early after sleeping in the tent and waking up to 34 degrees, however there was not a hint of wind and the lake was a sheet of glass. Fishing was tough though I only caught 5 for the day, but I was glad to get out there. I will defienitly be going back up there in the future. Next long trip will more than likely be Tinkiller.

Chris S reply :

A bunch of us fished Melvern Saturday in the cold, my boat caught over 50 smallys and our biggest was just shy of 3 pounds. All on the ned rig

Sturgeon reply :

Wow that's awesome Chris sounds like a pretty good day on the water. I'm pretty green to bass fishing what's the ned rig? I only caught 3 smallys and they all came on a buzz bait and I caught my striper on a football jig with a rage craw for a trailer. Maybe I need to hit Melvern this year. I'm really thinking I will not need to winterize my boat its looking like a year round toy I purchased. lol

Bluebasser86 reply :

A ned rig is half a stick worm on a small jighead, it catches about anything that swims. Smallies at Melvern will eat about anything right now, but the Ned will catch a smallmouth as long as you can get your line in the water. We caught a lot of ours on traps and jerkbaits Saturday.

Chris S reply :

On 10/8/2014 at 5:00 PM, Bluebasser86 said:
A ned rig is half a stick worm on a small jighead, it catches about anything that swims. Smallies at Melvern will eat about anything right now, but the Ned will catch a smallmouth as long as you can get your line in the water. We caught a lot of ours on traps and jerkbaits Saturday.

I think I am going to pull the hammer spoon out next weekend!!

BassThumbAddict reply :

Tenkiller is a great place to fish. Nicest lake in oklahoma. You might give some consideration to ft Gibson. It's a pretty underrated lake. Arbuckle is awesome. It's small but it doesn't get a whole lot of pressure. Grand is great to fish on weekdays. Whole lots of fun timber to flip.

BigBassBarry reply :

On 9/6/2014 at 8:55 AM, Long Mike said:
Of the three lakes in Oklahoma that you mentioned, I would recommend Lake Tenkiller. I have never fished Arbuckle but it is only 2800 acres. On the other hand Grand Lake is huge, at about 47,000 acres. Although the bass fishing can be pretty good, it is always rough because of all of the yachts and cigarette boats screaming up and down the lake. Tenkiller is a smaller lake, but it is still about 13,000 acres. It is one of the prettiest lakes in Oklahoma and has some of the clearest water. Other good bass lakes in Eastern Oklahoma you may want to consider are Ft. Gibson and Eufaula (the largest lake in Oklahoma at well over 100,000 acres.)

I agree with Mike's statements, I really like Ft. Gibson as well. Tenkiller is great in the spring.

Buckhunter2323 reply :

I agree on Ft. Gibson had alot of luck late summer.I fished Grand a week ago did real good on Saturday and ok on Sunday. Tenkiller I did real good late spring early summer but I haven't been out there in a while. Green pumpkin anything was working real good on Grand.

MO_LMB reply :

On 10/14/2014 at 2:54 AM, BigBassBarry said:
I agree with Mike's statements, I really like Ft. Gibson as well. Tenkiller is great in the spring.

On 10/15/2014 at 11:19 PM, Buckhunter2323 said:
I agree on Ft. Gibson had alot of luck late summer.I fished Grand a week ago did real good on Saturday and ok on Sunday. Tenkiller I did real good late spring early summer but I haven't been out there in a while. Green pumpkin anything was working real good on Grand.

You guys have any tips for fishing Ft. Gibson?

BigBassBarry reply :

On FTG don't be afraid to fish shallow, find the rocks and you will find bass. My best day on gibson was 12.3 lbs 3 fish jackpot.

Buckhunter2323 reply :

Rocks have been real good for me also. Also with it getting into the fall season I caught alot when I would find the schools of shad.

Long Mike reply :

I pulled in about a 5 pounder (batteries were dead on my scale) last week on Gibson, pitching the brush into three feet of water. Looks like the girls are moving up.

Bigsteve1830 reply :

Check out bone creek down by ft Scott it's an awesome little lake lots of trees

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