Current Blue-Green Algae
Warnings and Advisories

MDC to temporarily waive fishing permits starting Friday

Starting March 27, people may fish in Missouri without a permit through April 15.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (MARCH 24, 2020) – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Missouri Conservation Commission announce they are temporarily waiving permit requirements for sport fishing and daily trout tags for Missouri residents and nonresidents whose fishing privileges are not otherwise suspended. Read Story

KDWPT offers online, mobile services
Mar. 20, PRATT – While Kansas state parks, fishing lakes and wildlife areas will remain open to the public, effective March 23, 2020, all Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) offices will close for two weeks to prevent potential spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. KDWPT staff plan to resume essential business activities beginning April 6. Until then, outdoor enthusiasts in Kansas can benefit from the department’s online and mobile services, which offer nearly all of the same purchasing and reservation services available in-office, without risk. Read Story

Catch Rates High at Kansas' Top "Whatever's Biting" Waters

Catch Rates High at Kansas’ Top “Whatever’s Biting” Waters March 13, 2020 - PRATT – Looking to catch a fish, and don’t care whether it’s a crappie, bass or “whatever?” There’s a list for that. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) “Whatever’s Biting” list ranks waters that provide good fishing for a variety of species. The idea for this list came about from KDWPT fisheries biologists who noted that when creel survey clerks asked anglers what they were fishing for, many had replied, “Whatever’s biting.” Read Story

2020 Kansas Fishing Regulations Available Online

Jan. 22, 2020 PRATT – Anglers, respool your lines and stock up those tackle boxes, because the online version of the 2020 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary is now available on ksoutdoors.com! To download the free PDF document, visit ksoutdoors.com/fishing and click “Download Fishing Regulations Summary.”

New this year is a sneak peek of the 2020 Kansas Fishing Forecast, highlighting Kansas’ Top 10 Fishing Locations, and an updated directory with phone numbers for your local game warden, fisheries biologist and more. Printed copies of this full-color, 54-page publication will soon be available wherever licenses are sold. Read Story

Gear up for fantastic fall fishing
Aug. 28, 2019 - TOPEKA – Kansas anglers are likely to experience fantastic fishing this fall and winter after what could only be described as a rough spring and summer. The heavy rains and high water levels that kept anglers away provided ideal conditions for many game fish.

“A lot of fish that would have been harvested earlier in the year weren’t, so they’re still out there,” said Doug Nygren, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) Fisheries Division director. “The high water and flooded vegetation also helped produce some tremendous year-classes of fish, and we can usually expect great things after high water. Read Story

Free fishing days in Kansas offer many opportunities

Free Fishing Days Offer Many Opportunities May 30, 2019 - TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) has announced that anglers can fish without a Kansas fishing license at public waters on June 1 and 2, 2019 thanks to “Free Fishing Days.”

Each year, KDWPT designates one weekend when everyone can fish without a Kansas fishing license. All you need is a pole and a place to go! Free Fishing Days celebrates National Fishing and Boating Week – a week dedicated to recognizing the importance of recreational boating and fishing. Read Story

Three Kansans in top seven boaters
Texas' James Biggs wins B.A.S.S. Nation Regional on Guntersville

April 19, 2019 - GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — James Biggs could’ve slept in and still won the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional on Lake Guntersville, but instead the Euless, Texas boater caught a five-bass limit of 19 pounds, 9 ounces and slammed the door on a dominant wire-to-wire victory with a three-day total of 70-2.

After taking the Day 1 lead with 25-4, Biggs entered the second day with a margin of 2-12. Adding 25-5 — the event’s heaviest catch — increased his lead to 16-7. In the final round, second-place boater Jeremy Montgomery’s tournament total of 49-7 fell a pound and 2 ounces shy of Biggs’ combined weight from the first two days. Read Story

Glen Elder walleye carrying transmitters

Posted: 29 Mar 2019 12:27 PM PDT
Glen Elder Walleye Carrying Transmitters CAWKER CITY – The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) has embarked on a three-year walleye study at Glen Elder Reservoir, and biologists want anglers to be aware of the project. Data collected during the study will give anglers and biologists a better understanding of what makes walleye tick in this lake. Throughout the study, KDWPT district fisheries biologist Scott Waters will follow the movements of adult walleye using telemetry to evaluate mortality patterns, movement, home range, and habitat selection. Read Story

2019 Kansas Fishing Regulations Available Now

2019 Fishing Regulations Available Now
Jan. 25, 2019 PRATT – New line on your reels, check. Hooks sharpened, check. Tackle box cleaned and organized, check. Now all you have to do is pick up a copy of the 2019 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary, available now in printed form wherever licenses are sold and at Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism offices. Read Story

KDWPT Commission approves state park and fishing regulations

Commission Approves State Park and Fishing Regulations 21 Nov 2018 - RUSSELL – The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission conducted a Public Hearing at their November meeting on Nov. 15, 2018 to hear recommendations on Park fees and fishing regulations. The meeting agenda, briefing and a recorded video of the proceedings can be found at www.ksoutdoors.com, under KDWPT Commission. Read Story

Kansas trout season opens November 1 at most trout waters
Oct. 30, 2018 - PRATT – The wait is almost over for Kansas trout anglers eagerly waiting for the Nov. 1 opening day of the trout season, and more than 30 waters around the state will be stocked with rainbow trout before the opener. However, stockings will be delayed a week at three trout waters in southwest Kansas.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, one of the contracted suppliers will not be able to stock trout at Meade State Fishing Lake, Cimarron National Grasslands, and Pratt Centennial Pond until the week of Nov. 5. Trout waters in southwest Kansas that will be stocked prior to the Nov. 1 opener include Great Bend Veterans’ Pond, Dodge City’s Lake Charles and Sam’s Pond in Syracuse. Read Story

It's high time to watch for deer on roadways again
Oct. 4, 2018 - TOPEKA – Mating season and the quest for more secure habitat have deer on the move this time of year, increasing the chances of vehicle collisions.

Typically, the greatest number of deer-vehicle crashes are in mid-November when the rut, or mating season, peaks. In addition to the rut, deer are also on the move in mid-fall seeking new food sources and shelter as crops are harvested and leaves fall from trees and shrubs, leaving them less secure than in their summer habitats. Read Story

Clark State Fishing Lake spillway to be repaired
October 3, 2018 - TOPEKA– The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) is planning a spillway repair project at Clark State Fishing Lake – a popular and scenic fishing spot in southwest Kansas. The lake is nestled in a rugged canyon along Bluff Creek in northwestern Clark County about 9 miles south of Kingsdown. The $1.6 million project is set to begin in December 2018 and will take about six months to complete – depending on weather conditions and any unforeseen issues. Read Story

Partial renovations scheduled for four State Fishing Lakes
September 27, 2018 - EMPORIA – In a cooperative study with Kansas State University to evaluate the influence of gizzard shad on food webs in small impoundments, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism (KDWPT) will be conducting partial fishery renovations on four small impoundments this winter. Selected impoundments are Neosho State Fishing Lake, Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake No. 1, Shawnee State Fishing Lake, and Washington State Fishing Lake. Read Story

Big Bass Challenge sponsored by Hays Bass Anglers Association
is ready for the 18th annual event September 8 at Lake Wilson

Hays Bass Anglers Association is encouraging anglers to send in their entries ASAP---Reminder that entry forms post-marked by Sept 3rd are $130/boat; afterwards, entries are $150/boat--cash only on day of event. Read Story

Nebraska proposal threatens downstream Kansas waters

Proposed Platte-Republican River Interbasin Water Transfer
- Fact Sheet from Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism -

• This project could severely impact natural resources in Kansas
• Milford and Lovewell Reservoirs are downstream and are especially threatened by this project Get the facts

Kansas team of Simmons and Halstead places ninth in national championship event

Alabama Anglers Play It Cool To Win
Bassmaster High School National Championship On Kentucky Lake

Grayson Morris (right) and Tucker Smith of Briarwood Christian School won the 2018 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods on Kentucky Lake with a three-day total weight of 50 pounds, 2 ounces.

Photo by Ronnie Moore/B.A.S.S.

Aug. 4, 2018 - PARIS, Tenn. — Kyle Simmons and Brett Halstead of Capital City High School in Kansas ended tournament in ninth place. Connor Nimrod and Dylan Nimrod of De Soto finished 41st out of 283 teams competing in the event..

Keying on the coolest water they could find made winners of Grayson Morris and Tucker Smith during the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series National Championship presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods at Kentucky Lake.

The Briarwood Christian School anglers caught an 18-pound, 9-ounce limit of five bass in today’s final round to clinch the championship with a three-day total of 50 pounds, 2 ounces. Read Story

Kansans Simmons and Halstead of Capital City High School in seventh

Pickens High Team Moves Into First At Bassmaster High School National Championship

Aug. 3, 2018 - PARIS, Tenn. — Kyle Simmons and Brett Halstead of Capital City High School in Kansas slipped to seventh from fourth place with 18-3 at the end of day two. Connor Nimrod and Dylan Nimrod of De Soto in 44th place after the first day climbed to 41st place on day two.

The Pickens High School team of Spencer Childers and Owen Moss fell short of a limit today but still took over the lead of the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series National Championship presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods at Kentucky Lake. Read Story

Natchitoches High Tandem Takes Lead At Bassmaster High School National Championship - Kansas team in fourth

August 2, 2018 - PARIS, Tenn. — Kyle Simmons and Brett Halstead of Capital City High School in Kansas are in fourth place with 18-3 at the end of day one. Connor Nimrod and Dylan Nimrod of De Soto are in 44th place.

Cutting short their fishing time proved beneficial to Natchitoches Central High School anglers Hunter Owens and Wes Rollo during Thursday’s opening round of the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series National Championship presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods at Kentucky Lake. Read Story

Good Kansas fishing getting better

July 25, 2018 - PRATT – If you’ve looked at Kansas’ 2018 Fishing Forecast or followed the Weekly Fishing Reports at ksoutdoors.com, you know that Kansas anglers have enjoyed amazing fishing this year. But have you ever wondered how this happens? The revenue from the fishing license you purchase, along with funding from the federal Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR), pays for the operation of four fish hatcheries operated by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT). Kansas hatcheries at Meade, Pratt, Milford and Farlington have produced more than 100 million sport fish already stocked into Kansas waters this year. Read Story

Be snake savvy and be safe in the outdoors

Be Snake Savvy and Be Safe In the Outdoors July 18, 2018 PRATT – While the odds are very low that you will be bit by a venomous snake in Kansas, that’s little consolation for anyone who ends up with a bite.

Of the 42 species of snakes in Kansas, there are only four native venomous snakes you might encounter: the prairie rattlesnake – found in the western half of the state; the massasauga rattlesnake – found in the eastern two-thirds of the state; the timber rattlesnake – found in the eastern fourth of the state; and the copperhead, found in the eastern third of the state. Read Story

Leave a light on and catch fish this summer
July 11, 2018 - PRATT – You don’t have to quit fishing just because it’s hot. You just have to adjust your schedule to fish at night rather than during the day. Oh yeah – and leave a light on. Read Story

La Cygne Reservoir makes Top 100 Bass Lakes in U.S.
July 3, 2018 - LA CYGNE – Kansas bass fishing is on the national map. La Cygne Reservoir, the 2,600-acre power plant cooling lake in Linn County, is listed as one of the country’s top 100 bass fishing lakes by Bassmaster Magazine.

In the publication’s July/August 2018 issue, the nation’s top 100 bass lakes are listed by region, based on the number and size of largemouth or smallmouth bass that are produced and caught. La Cygne is listed as No. 10 in the Central Region. Read Story

Grab, Gig or Dip for Bullfrogs starting July 1
June 20, 2018 - PRATT – A summer in Kansas isn’t complete without getting your feet a little wet – while frogging, that is. Yep, there’s a season on bullfrogs in Kansas and come July 1-October 31, farm ponds, puddles, shallow creeks and marshes will be teeming with the sounds of splashing and bullfrogs croaking. Read Story

Kansas handfishing season requires grit and vigor

Kansas Handfishing Season Requires Grit and Vigor June 13, 2018 - PRATT – There’s a reason you don’t see anglers lining up by the masses on opening day of handfishing season: it’s not for everyone. Blindly reaching into a dark crevice or undercut bank bare-handed, with the intent of luring out a formidable flathead is considered “fun” only by those with enough grit to accept the challenge. Read Story

No Kansas fishing licenses required on June 2 and 3

No Fishing Licenses Required on June 2 and 3 16 May 2018 - PRATT – Kansas’ license requirement to fish on public waters will be temporarily lifted for two days in June. Anglers can fish for free on June 2 and 3, 2018 thanks to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) “Free Fishing Days.”

Each year, KDWPT designates one weekend where everyone can fish without a license; All you need is a pole and a place to go! The Department began the effort as a way to take part in National Fishing and Boating Week – a week dedicated to celebrating, and recognizing the importance of, recreational boating and fishing. Read Story

New Oklahoma state-record Paddlefish tipped scale at 132.5 pounds

state record paddlefish 29april2018
Larry Morphew of Yale snagged this paddlefish in the Arkansas River above Lake Keystone on April 29, 2018. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has certified it as the new rod-and-reel state record at 132 pounds, 8 ounces.
* * *

May 8, 2018 - Weighing 132 pounds 8 ounces, the paddlefish snagged Sunday, April 29, by Larry Morphew has been certified as Oklahoma’s newest rod-and-reel state-record paddlefish by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Read Story

Oklahoma angler catches two prehistoric fish species on the same day

April 18, 2018 - With his father's help, Zaniel Cole, 8, has done the unthinkable in Oklahoma. Not only did Zaniel snag a 100-pound paddlefish, but he also managed to snag a rare shovelnose sturgeon the very same day! Paddlefish and shovelnose sturgeon are distant cousins in the order. Read Story

Volunteer for "Keep It Clean Kansas" state park cleanup

Volunteer For ‘Keep It Clean Kansas’ State Park Cleanup April 4, 2018 - TOPEKA – Whether you’re looking for a way to gain some volunteer hours or simply just feel like “giving back,” consider volunteering for the 2018 “Keep It Clean Kansas” state park cleanup event on April 21, 2018. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and Westar Energy, will host the special Earth Day event from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and volunteers of all ages are invited to participate. Read Story

Kansas State dominates
Bassmaster College Series Classic on Keowee Docks

March 18, 2018 - GREENVILLE, S.C. — Having found favorable clarity and appealing water temperatures during practice on Lake Keowee’s south end, Kansas State’s Zack Vielhauer and Will Andrie sacked a limit of 13 pounds, 2 ounces to win the Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops Read Story

Alabama angler leads after first day
of B.A.S.S. Nation Regional Tournament on Toledo Bend
Kansas team in middle of rankings
Torkleson highest Kansas boater, Fralick highest Kansas non-boater

March 7, 2018 - MANY, La. — Alabama’s Bruce Sargent was tight-lipped on Wednesday during the opening round of the Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional presented by Magellan Outdoors.

His bass, however, were not.

Sargent, who hails from Gardendale, Ala., boated a five-bass limit that weighed 23 pounds in the first round of the tournament on Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Louisiana/Texas border. That gave him a 1-pound lead over Iowa’s Ron Kingsbury (22-0) and a 3-pound lead over Indiana’s John Roth (20-0.) Read Story

Kansas Fish Consumption Advisories issued for 2018
2018 Kansas Fish Consumption Advisories Jan. 3, 2018 - TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism are issuing revised fish consumption advisories for 2018.

The advisories identify types of fish or other aquatic animals that should be eaten in limited quantities or, in some cases, avoided altogether because of contamination. Read Story

Kansas wildlife can be helped when you do your taxes
Donate a Portion of Your Tax Return To Help Kansas Wildlife Jan. 17, 2018 - PRATT – Nearly 99 percent of Kansas’ wildlife are designated as nongame species, or species that are not trapped, fished or hunted. While revenue from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses fund management practices that benefit all wildlife, funding aimed specifically at nongame species is needed. The Kansas Nongame Wildlife Improvement Program, also known as Chickadee Checkoff, provides individuals with the opportunity to support nongame species through tax-deductible donations. Money collected from these donations goes directly to a variety of nongame wildlife research, habitat enhancements/restorations, and educational projects. Read Story

Kansas' 2018 Fishing Regulations summary now available and easier to use

2018 Fishing Regulations Summary Now Available And Easier To Use PRATT - Jan. 10, 2018 – Know the name of the reservoir you want to fish, but can’t remember the daily creel limit for channel catfish? Having a hard time remembering the difference between a bluegill and a green sunfish? Thanks to improvements made to the 2018 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary – online now at ksoutdoors.com and at license vendor locations soon – you can access the answers to these questions faster than ever before. When flipping through this year’s summary, you’ll notice three big improvements: a larger, bolder table of contents; color-coded sections for quick reference; and alphabetized fishing locations (as opposed locations organized by region). Read Story

Murrell chosen to direct Great Plains Nature Center

Murrell Chosen To Direct Great Plains Nature Center Jan 10, 2018 - PRATT – The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Marc Murrell has been appointed to director of the Great Plains Nature Center (GPNC) in Wichita. The GPNC Steering Committee selected Murrell to take over after former director Jim Mason retired in December. Read Story