White Crappie | Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

The white crappie is abundant across Kansas and ideally suited to the large reservoirs. Known for its prolific numbers and delicious white meat, the white crappie is one of the most popular sportfish in the state. The rich waters of northeastern Kansas reservoirs produce some of the finest fishing for slab-sided white crappie found anywhere in the U.S. The world record white weighed 5 pounds, 3 ounces. The Kansas record tipped the scales at 4 pounds, 1/4 ounce.

2026 White Crappie Fishing Forecast

Lakes

BIOLOGIST'S RATING: P=Poor, F=Fair, G=Good, E=Excellent
Updated 03/18/26

Location	(>8")	(>10")	(>12")	(lbs.)	Fishing Rating
ALMA CITY LAKE	4.5	2.25	0.75	1.46	G
ANTHONY CITY LAKE	10.7	6	2	1.66	F
ATCHISON CITY LAKE #23	13.2	2.8	0.8	1.4	G
ATCHISON STATE FISHING LAKE	10.71	3.86	0.71	1.54	G
BANNER CREEK LAKE	9.96	1.46	0.08	0.87	G
BARBER STATE FISHING LAKE	1.23	0.54	0.08	1.01	F
BOURBON STATE FISHING LAKE	0.5	0	0	0.5	F
BROWN STATE FISHING LAKE	10.86	2.14	0.14	1.1	G
BROWNING OXBOW	0.5	0.25	0	0.9	P
BUTLER STATE FISHING LAKE	0.5	0.25	0	0.76	P
CARBONDALE CITY LAKE - E	58.88	10	0.5	0.9	E
CENTRALIA CITY LAKE	5.79	1.13	0	0.84	G
CHANUTE CITY LAKE	40.5	3	0.5	1.33	G
CHASE STATE FISHING LAKE	21.13	3.75	0.5	1.11	F
CLARK STATE FISHING LAKE	0.92	0.08	0	0.5	P
COLDWATER LAKE	12.82	3.27	0.27	1.16	G
COUNCIL GROVE CITY LAKE	30.83	13.42	1	1.02	G
CRAWFORD STATE FISHING LAKE	1.38	0.88	0	0.75	G
DOUGLAS CO - LONESTAR LAKE	11.13	3.38	0.88	1.44	G
DOUGLAS STATE FISHING LAKE	5.55	3.09	0.82	1.21	F
EDNA CITY LAKE	1.5	0.5	0	0.61	F
ELLIS CITY LAKE	8.13	4.38	2.5	1.93	P
EUREKA CITY LAKE	35.42	6.42	1.17	1.58	G
FORD STATE FISHING LAKE	12.5	8.75	7.75	1.93	G
FORT SCOTT - GUNN PARK W POND - #2	13.67	1.5	0.5	1.52	G
GARNETT - CEDAR CREEK LAKE	19	5.4	1.13	1.54	G
GARNETT CITY LAKE - N	18	12.67	1.33	1.1	G
GARNETT CITY LAKE - S	8.5	0.5	0	0.43	F
GEARY STATE FISHING LAKE	2	1	0	0.93	P
GRAHAM CO - ANTELOPE LAKE	0.44	0.22	0.22	1.11	P
GREAT BEND - STONE PARK LAKE	0.22	0	0	0.41	G
GREAT BEND - VETS PARK LAKE	20.67	5.67	0.33	0.96	G
HAIN STATE FISHING LAKE	19.5	18.75	4.75	1.24	G
HARVEY CO LAKE - E	1.71	1.71	1.57	1.88	F
HARVEY CO LAKE - W	2.25	1.58	0.42	1.61	P
HERINGTON CITY LAKE - NEW	9.92	5.58	2.67	1.39	G
HODGEMAN STATE FISHING LAKE	0	0	0	0.13	P
HOLTON - PRAIRIE LAKE	14.25	3	0.75	0.96	G
HORSETHIEF	8.86	2.93	0	0.84	P
HORTON - MISSION LAKE	1.75	0.25	0.25	1.21	F
HOWARD - POLK DANIELS LAKE	31.5	9.58	1.83	1.89	G
JEFFREY EC - AUXILIARY LAKE	2.04	0.96	0.63	1.5	F
JEFFREY EC - MAKE UP LAKE	3.83	0.67	0.08	0.9	F
JETMORE CITY LAKE	0	0	0	0.08	P
JOHNSON CO - KILL CREEK PARK LAKE	2.5	1.17	0.33	1.77	F
JOHNSON CO - SHAWNEE MISSION LAKE	7.29	2.14	0.14	0.75	G
KIOWA STATE FISHING LAKE	1.88	0.63	0.25	0.97	F
LAKE OLATHE	5.42	1.67	0	0.75	G
LAKE SHAWNEE	0.54	0	0	0.4	F
LEBO CITY LAKE	24.88	12.38	2.5	1.11	G
LOUISBURG CITY LAKE	22.5	1.5	0.5	0.8	P
LYON STATE FISHING LAKE	3.67	2.92	1.42	1.7	G
MADISON CITY LAKE	1	0.83	0.58	1.56	P
MARION CO LAKE	37	7.5	1.75	1.41	G
MCPHERSON STATE FISHING LAKE	3.89	1.28	0.44	1.52	G
MEADE STATE FISHING LAKE	1.17	0.5	0.17	1.35	F
MELVERN RIVER POND	18.2	7.4	1.4	1.86	G
MIAMI STATE FISHING LAKE	7.1	0.9	0.4	2.38	G
MIDDLE CREEK STATE FISHING LAKE	3.67	0.58	0.08	1.26	F
MINED LAND PIT #44A	3.75	1.75	0	0.69	F
MOLINE NEW CITY LAKE - N	15.42	2.42	0.83	1.43	G
MOLINE OLD CITY LAKE - S	3.75	1.25	0.25	1.92	G
MONTGOMERY STATE FISHING LAKE	9.88	0.13	0.13	1.72	G
MOUND CITY LAKE	21.75	4.5	0.5	1.29	G
NEBO STATE FISHING LAKE	8.83	6.83	2.67	2.03	G
NEOSHO STATE FISHING LAKE	13.75	3.38	1.63	2.26	G
OLPE CITY LAKE	4.92	2.5	0.92	2.31	G
OSAGE CITY LAKE	20.75	7.75	3.25	1.45	G
OSAGE STATE FISHING LAKE	2.75	0.38	0.25	0.92	F
OSAWATOMIE CITY LAKE	2	1.5	0	0.69	P
OTTAWA STATE FISHING LAKE	33	1.65	0.29	1.45	G
PAOLA CITY LAKE - LAKE MIOLA	7.09	3.36	0.45	1.13	G
PARSONS CITY LAKE	41	18.63	5.5	2.25	G
PLEASANTON E LAKE	1	0.57	0.14	0.8	G
PLEASANTON W LAKE	7.5	2.25	0.5	1.23	G
POTTAWATOMIE STATE FISHING LAKE #2	2.73	1.64	0.45	1.29	F
PRATT CO LAKE	14.67	1.89	0	0.76	F
RICHMOND CITY LAKE	0.75	0.5	0	0.75	P
SABETHA CITY LAKE	23	12.25	2.75	1.55	G
SCOTT STATE FISHING LAKE	84.35	71.88	11.82	2.86	E
SEVERY CITY LAKE	0.5	0.33	0	0.57	P
SHAWNEE STATE FISHING LAKE	1.75	1.5	0.25	0.96	F
SPRING HILL CITY LAKE	2.5	2	0.5	0.88	G
THAYER CITY LAKE - NEW	1	1	0	0.71	F
WASHINGTON STATE FISHING LAKE	9.1	2	0.2	2.05	G
WELLINGTON CITY LAKE	4.25	3.75	0	0.89	G
WICHITA - CHISHOLM N LAKE	0.75	0.5	0.25	1.04	P
WILSON STATE FISHING LAKE	1.25	0.58	0.25	1.59	G
WINFIELD CITY LAKE	13.67	4.44	0.11	0.93	G
YATES CENTER - S OWL LAKE	9.17	3.33	1.08	1.67	G
YATES CENTER CITY LAKE - NEW	5.18	1.36	0.36	1.3	G

Ponds

BIOLOGIST'S RATING: P=Poor, F=Fair, G=Good, E=Excellent
Updated 01/14/26

Location	(>8")	(>10")	(>12")	(lbs.)	Fishing Rating
EMPORIA - JONES PARK E POND	4	0.67	0.33	0.72	P
EMPORIA - JONES PARK N POND	0.67	0	0	0.22	P
EMPORIA - JONES PARK W POND	0.33	0.33	0.33	1.32	G
EMPORIA - PETER PAN PARK	3	0.67	0	0.56	P
FALL RIVER SP KIDS POND	15	6	0.33	0.73	G
OLPE - JONES PARK POND	7.33	6	0.67	0.87	G
OVERBROOK CITY LAKE	20	0	0	0.48	G

Reservoirs

BIOLOGIST'S RATING: P=Poor, F=Fair, G=Good, E=Excellent
Updated 01/14/26

Location	(>8")	(>10")	(>12")	(lbs.)	Fishing Rating
BIG HILL	12.6	5.8	0.9	1.26	G
CEDAR BLUFF	0.62	0.27	0.25	1.9	F
CLINTON	7.61	3.89	0.34	1.37	G
COUNCIL GROVE	9.5	1.36	0.33	1.83	G
EL DORADO	5.07	2.89	0.54	1.7	G
ELK CITY	12.41	7.05	2.51	1.76	G
FALL RIVER	10.73	3.75	1.31	2.5	G
GLEN ELDER	0.81	0.53	0.08	1.41	F
HILLSDALE	21.45	8.02	1.14	1.59	E
JOHN REDMOND	9.53	9	1.67	1.71	G
KANOPOLIS	3.75	0.89	0.06	0.96	G
KIRWIN	1.19	0.83	0.56	1.85	F
LACYGNE	11.26	5.02	0.37	1.31	G
LOVEWELL	3.23	1.82	0.26	1.37	G
MARION	8.72	2.89	0.11	1.08	G
MELVERN	18.93	10.57	1.33	1.41	G
MILFORD	2.77	1.85	0.52	1.9	F
PERRY	16.48	6.52	0.5	1.06	G
POMONA	10.2	4.93	0.78	1.88	G
SEBELIUS	2.27	1.23	0.17	1.12	F
TORONTO	23.04	6.67	2.69	1.84	E
TUTTLE CREEK	8.05	5.55	0.82	1.54	G
WEBSTER	2.39	0.78	0.06	1.06	F
WILSON	0.8	0.18	0.11	1.3	F
WOLF CREEK	1	0.33	0	0.59	F