Whites up to 17 inches

Wipers up to 14.5 lbs.

Trout have been stocked in the Glen Elder Reservoir outlet on the north end of the dam. Hatchery trout can be caught with a variety of methods. Some anglers prefer traditional fly fishing or small spinners and jigs. Others try to mimic the pellet feed trout are raised one by using things like cheese bait or corn. 

For more information on the trout season, schedule, or the program in general: Trout Fishing Program / Special Fishing Programs for You / Fishing / KDWP - KDWP

No angler reports. The Marina/Kanza cove and Osage cove held the best densities of black bass this spring. When targeting black bass in the winter make sure you are fishing smaller, slower, and deeper than you would at other times of the year. Smallmouth tend to prefer harder, rockier bottoms, while Largemouth might be found on softer bottoms and weed beds. Don't overlook standing timber and brush piles. Look for areas that hold baitfish. Use a quarter ounce or an eighth ounce jig tipped with a minnow or baitfish imitation. You could also have success with hair jigs, jigging spoons, crankbaits, soft plastics, and crayfish imitations. With a 21-inch length limit, Smallmouth are almost all sublegal so please handle them with extreme care and release them immediately after catching them.  

*60,000 largemouth fingerlings stocked in June 2025

No recent angler reports. Fish will move to deeper water in winter. White Bass and Wipers can be found chasing shad near brushpiles, river channels, drop offs, and other structure. Higher numbers of big whites tend to be caught west of the causeway. Look for drop-offs and points for suspended fish. Downwind shorelines can produce good numbers of actively feeding fish before water temps get too low. Use a variety of jigs, spinners, or minnows to catch fish all year. 

*350,000 Wiper fry were stocked in May 2025. 

Fish can be caught around any aquatic vegetation, off the rocky jetties, and around the overhanging trees in the water. I would focus on submerged wood. The larger trunks that provide horizontal cover seem to hold bigger bass. Winter will push fish deeper and slow them down. Try downsizing and fishing slower than you have the rest of the year. Fish can be caught use wacky worms, Senkos, Ned Rigs, spinnerbaits, roadrunners, and crankbaits. 

There is an 18 inch minimum length limit on all bass in Jewell

Bluegill

Redear Sunfish

Water temperature: 38ºF 

Water level: 7 feet low

7-14 inches

15-25 inches

No angler reports. White Bass and Wipers will suspend on river channels, drop-offs, and deep brushpiles. Downwind shorelines will attract actively feeding fish. White Bass populations have been low for a few years, but fall sampling indicated better numbers. Look for schools of baitfish and these predators are probably nearby. The outlet at dawn and dusk can be a hot spot for White Bass and Wiper. Using a variety of jigs, spinners, or minnows can catch fish most of the year.

*300,000 wiper fry were stocked into Lovewell in May 2024 

No recent angler reports. Fall sampling indicated good numbers of Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, and Flathead Catfish. Best baits to use for Channel Catfish include stinkbait, shad sides, shrimp, and nightcrawlers. Blue Catfish usually go for cut bait and Flatheads tend to prefer live bait. Anglers often report good spring catches of Blue Catfish near Walleye Point, Cedar Point, and Pawnee Point. When conditions are right Blue Catfish can be found in shallow vegetation chasing baitfish. Blues and flatheads tend to focus on hard structure like rocks, brush piles, and river channels. Catfish will congregate in deep holes during winter. Finding these will be key to success in cold water.

There is a new Blue Catfish regulation of 10 fish per day with only 1 fish greater than 30 inches allowed. 

Current water temperature:  38ºF            Current water level: 3.5 feet low

Lovewell is not currently under a harmful algae watch. Please use the following link for the latest advisories from KDHE, Harmful Algal Blooms | KDHE, KS.

Please discard of leftover bait in a trash can, even baitfish. Remember it is illegal to release any fish into public water unless it was taken from that water!

Sheridan State Fishing Lake is currently drained for renovations with no fishing opportunities. The lake is still open for camping and other visitation. The nearby Antelope Lake is open for fishing.

As part of lake renovations, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has issued Sheridan State Fishing Lake be opened to public fish salvage effective 11/6/2023. 

The order is posted on signs around the lake.  It allows the public to collect fish by any legal methods as well as by hand, dip net, throw net, minnow trap or seine, snagging, gig, speargun, bow and arrow or crossbow with a barbed head and line attached from bow/crossbow to arrow per regulation 115-7-1.  This fish salvage order also removes all daily creel limits and size limits per regulation 115-25-14.  This public fish salvage will remain in effect until posted notice signage on site is removed.           

ATTENTION: As of 1-23-2025, the lake water level is extremely low with only inches of water left at the deepest.  Given recent cold weather, remaining lake water and surrounding sediments have frozen.  Given the close proximity between any existing ice and bottom sediments, melting and refreezing of ice can be rapid.  Rapidly changing ice conditions over the top of extremely soft lake bottom sediments has resulted in a potentially dangerous scenario should one fall through weak ice.  Any attempt to get out on existing ice or muddy bottom sediments is strongly discouraged.

For more information contact Dave Spalsbury, District Fisheries Biologist at 785-726-3212.

Lake Elevation = 5.37 feet below conservation pool.

We have two Aquatic Invasive Species - white perch and zebra mussels and have joined Cheney and El Dorado as lakes with both species. The law now says that if anyone leaves the lake with water in your livewell or boat, you are subject to a ticket for transporting Zebra Mussels since they will spawn and the microscopic little mussels will probably be in every drop of water in the lake. Make sure you drain all water from the boat before you leave the boat ramp area!!! We have been taking veliger samples and the samples were high so be sure to drain and dry everything!!!!!!