Shawnee State Fishing Lake Fishing Report - Updated: 11/18/25

Species Rating Size Baits, Method, and Location
Largemouth Bass Good 1/2 to 6 pounds The lake has provided very good fishing for largemouth bass over the years. The 2025 bass sample shows that numbers of bass has fallen below normal. The lake still is a good bass spot with decent numbers of bigger fish.   
Crappie Fair 1/2 to 1 pound The crappie fishery has been doing well the last few years. The October 2025 fish sampling showed the number of crappie has fallen some with 24% of the population over 10 inches long. 
Redear Sunfish Good to Excellent 10 inches The redear sunfish population has developed into a very good fishery. The 2025 fall sampling set a new record high for numbers of redear collected. There were plenty of good sized fish as 13% of them were over 9-inches with the largest at 12-inches and 1.2 lbs! Should be another good year for panfishing at the lake. 
Channel Catfish Good 1/2 - 4 pounds The lake is in the Urban Stocking Program and is regularly stocked with 12 to 18 inch channel catfish which leads to good catch rates of fish in that size range. The fourth stocking of 2025 was on Sept 17th when the lake received 600 pounds of catchable sized catfish. These stocked fish usually like all the traditional catfish baits but dough baits or worms tends to do the best. Channel catfish daily limit is 5. 
General Comments

Located north of Silver Lake, Shawnee State Fishing Lake is the site of good catch and release largemouth bass fishing. The lake is also noted for channel catfish harvest since the lake receives frequent stockings of harvestable sized catfish from March through September.

Zebra mussels have recently been discovered at Shawnee State Fishing Lake which classifies the lake as an Aquatic Invasive Species water. Fish may not be transported alive from AIS designated waters. To help prevent the spread of invasive species, please CLEAN, DRAIN & DRY all equipment when changing water bodies and dump your bait.