KANSAS - While Kansas might be known for its wide-open prairies, the Sunflower State offers enjoyable trout fishing opportunities, primarily focused on stocked waters. Let's explore where to find your next Kansas trout.
Where to Cast Your Line in the Sunflower State
Stocked Waters: Your Main Focus
During the cooler months, Kansas trout fishing centers around heavily stocked streams, ponds, and lakes.
- Hotspots:
- Community Fisheries: Many cities and towns across Kansas stock trout in smaller lakes and ponds, providing accessible fishing near home.
- Kanopolis Lake: This reservoir is regularly stocked with rainbow trout, offering boat and shore fishing opportunities.
- State Parks: Several Kansas state parks offer stocked trout fishing, particularly during winter. Check the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) website for a complete list of locations.
- Tips: During the winter stocking season, focus on baits like corn, trout pellets, or PowerBait. More petite spinners, spoons, and flies can produce strikes as the season progresses.
Important Considerations
- Seasonality: Trout fishing in Kansas is essentially a winter activity. Trout generally cannot survive the warmer summer water temperatures.
- Regulations: Always consult the KDWP website for the most current trout fishing regulations, licensing requirements, and designated stocking locations: https://ksoutdoors.com/
- Stocking Schedule: Kansas stocks its waters heavily during the winter. Target recently stocked areas for the best success, and check the KDWP website for stocking schedules.
Kansas Trout: A Wintertime Delight
Kansas might not offer year-round trout fishing or wild populations, but its winter stocking program provides a fun change of pace for anglers. If you're in the Sunflower State during the colder months, grab your rod and discover the joy of Kansas trout fishing!
Please note: There might be very few tiny, spring-fed streams with water temperatures cool enough to hold a limited number of trout year-round, but Kansas's trout fishing is generally restricted to its winter stocking program.