John Redmond Reservoir Fishing Information

Counties:

Coffey

GPS:

N38 13 55.82 W95 46 28.18

Surface Acres:

9,400 acres

Maximum Depth:

20 feet

Normal Lake Level:

1041 fsl

New Strawn, KS

1/2 mile South and 1 mile West of New Strawn, KS

or 2 1/2 miles North of Burlington on US-75

Corps of Engineers (620) 364-8613

Fisheries Biologist: Justin Morrison (620) 637-2748

John Redmond Reservoir Fishing Report - Updated: 10/06/2025

Species	Size	Rating	Bait, Method, Location
Channel Catfish	up to 20lbs.	Good	Drifting various prepared baits along windblown shorelines. Some fish can be caught in the flooded trees or up near the river mouth.
Blue Catfish	up to 30 lbs.	Good	Fresh cut carp or shad drifted along the dredged area or near windblown shorelines. Fishing near the upper end by the river mouth may also be productive
White Bass	up to 3lbs.	Fair-Good	Look for schools chasing shad near the dam or dredged area. Or focus along the other rocky shorelines using shad imitating baits such as small spinners, crankbaits, swimbaits, or curly tail grubs.
Crappie	up to 15"	Fair-Good	Crappie are roaming the deeper water schooled up chasing shad look for them around the dredged area and the few brush piles available. Some crappie may be caught off of the rip rap banks near the boat ramp and the dam, use jigs or minnows. Recent sampling indicates good numbers of 11-12" fish are available and a fair number of fish greater than 13" and up to 15" are available.
Comments - Fishing below the dam during low to moderate releases can be real productive for multiple species. Brush Pile Coordinates: N 38^o 14.743' W 95 ^o 45.998' N 38^o 14.658' W 95^o 46.138' N 38^o 14.419' W 95^o 46.767' N 38^o 14.256' W 95^o 46.423' N 38^o 14.722' W 95^o 45.641' N 38^o 14.811' W 95^o 45.694' N 38^o 14.922' W 95^o 45.715' N 38^o 15.222' W 95^o 45.728' Fishing below the dam during low to moderate releases should be good for most species. For current lake level and release information click the following link http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/JOHN.lakepage.html. ALERT! This lake contains Zebra Mussels please help stop the spread Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat and equipment after leaving this water body. It is Illegal transport live fish, bait, and water from this lake.

Creel Length/Limits

Fishing Population	Creel Limit	Min Length Limit
Blue Catfish	10	ONLY 1 fish 30" or longer
Channel Catfish	10
Crappie	50
Flathead Catfish	5
Largemouth Bass	5	15
Paddlefish	2
Wiper	2
White Bass
Walleye	5	15
Saugeye	5	15

* Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted Bass in Combination
** Striped Bass or Wiper in Combination
*** Walleye, Sauger or Saugeye in Combination

Fishing Forecast Information

View Fishing Forecast definitions

+Crappie Combined Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	3 yr avg	Size	Rating
Melvern Reservoir	34.23	14.91	1.41	1.61	Reservoir	E
Sebelius Reservoir	28.53	15.00	1.83	1.54	Reservoir	G
Lovewell Reservoir	26.88	10.54	1.02	2.50	Reservoir	G
Hillsdale Reservoir	25.52	11.45	1.52	1.29	Reservoir	E
Perry Reservoir	25.45	14.03	0.38	1.42	Reservoir	G
Cedar Bluff Reservoir	24.71	5.51	0.43	1.80	Reservoir	G
Toronto Reservoir	18.51	5.83	1.91	2.40	Reservoir	G
Elk City Reservoir	15.49	5.57	1.35	2.40	Reservoir	G
LaCygne Reservoir	15.07	5.95	0.45	2.30	Reservoir	G
Clinton Reservoir	10.61	3.46	0.24	1.37	Reservoir	G
Kirwin Reservoir	10.31	9.56	6.06	2.06	Reservoir	G
Wolf Creek Reservoir	8.93	3.27	0.57	1.64	Reservoir	F
Tuttle Creek Reservoir	7.57	4.68	1.05	1.69	Reservoir	G
Pomona Reservoir	7.41	3.11	0.18	1.73	Reservoir	G
Big Hill Reservoir	7.40	3.43	0.27	1.19	Reservoir	G
Marion Reservoir	6.67	2.67	0.33	1.09	Reservoir	G
Milford Reservoir	6.54	3.75	0.58	1.90	Reservoir	G
Fall River Reservoir	6.06	1.85	0.44	2.58	Reservoir	G
El Dorado Reservoir	5.93	2.29	0.82	1.59	Reservoir	G
Council Grove Reservoir	5.89	3.22	1.33	1.87	Reservoir	F
Kanopolis Reservoir	5.67	3.58	0.50	1.43	Reservoir	G
Webster Reservoir	5.38	2.90	0.17	1.79	Reservoir	G
Glen Elder Reservoir	3.33	1.38	0.46	1.91	Reservoir	F
John Redmond Reservoir	1.71	0.79	0.25	3.04	Reservoir	F
Wilson Reservoir	0.73	0.31	0.13	1.68	Reservoir	P

+Channel Catfish Forecast

CHANNEL CATFISH	(>16")	(>24")	(>28")	(lbs.)	Fishing Rating
RESERVOIR
BIG HILL	8.60	0.83	0.17	9.56	G
HILLSDALE	6.50	0.62	0.07	11.01	E
LOVEWELL	5.18	0.70	0.07	10.72	G
MARION	4.00	0.15	0.03	18.72	G
KANOPOLIS	3.50	0.30	0.02	9.93	G
WILSON	3.38	0.37	0.00	8.87	G
CHENEY	2.76	0.43	0.08	12.42	G
FALL RIVER	2.33	1.77	0.73	12.19	G
PERRY	2.24	0.44	0.05	10.13	G
LACYGNE	2.22	0.05	0.00	6.12	G
TORONTO	1.92	1.14	0.17	9.89	G
COUNCIL GROVE	1.78	0.13	0.04	9.41	F
MELVERN	1.74	0.09	0.02	6.74	G
CLINTON	1.72	0.19	0.00	6.97	G
POMONA	1.67	0.03	0.00	7.53	G
CEDAR BLUFF	1.51	0.40	0.08	15.88	G
GLEN ELDER	1.45	0.42	0.12	16.33	G
KIRWIN	1.33	0.19	0.00	8.78	G
WEBSTER	1.22	0.22	0.00	7.45	G
JOHN REDMOND	1.15	0.39	0.08	12.29	G
ELK CITY	0.80	0.00	0.00	3.92	G
TUTTLE CREEK	0.62	0.15	0.05	13.80	G
EL DORADO	0.55	0.00	0.00	4.22	F
MILFORD	0.50	0.05	0.00	5.96	F
SEBELIUS	0.47	0.30	0.20	19.36	G
WOLF CREEK	0.44	0.00	0.00	3.50	G

+White Bass Forecast

WHITE BASS	(>9")	(>12")	(>15")	(lbs.)	Fishing Rating
RESERVOIR
GLEN ELDER	19.97	18.29	3.26	3.07	G
CEDAR BLUFF	19.86	18.20	6.75	2.16	E
MARION	12.32	5.97	0.18	1.85	G
POMONA	8.89	6.75	1.03	2.20	G
WEBSTER	8.31	6.81	0.06	1.99	G
BIG HILL	7.07	5.57	0.20	2.07	G
CLINTON	6.44	4.61	0.96	2.42	G
KANOPOLIS	5.63	4.73	0.37	2.08	G
WOLF CREEK	5.56	2.48	0.19	2.07	G
MILFORD	4.58	3.90	0.58	2.13	F
KIRWIN	4.28	3.61	0.39	1.95	G
PERRY	3.85	2.32	0.03	2.20	G
TORONTO	3.58	1.86	0.50	2.51	G
EL DORADO	3.13	2.63	0.58	2.76	F
MELVERN	3.04	2.60	0.58	2.38	G
COUNCIL GROVE	2.84	1.20	0.13	2.19	F
LACYGNE	2.70	0.11	0.08	1.95	G
WILSON	2.41	2.26	1.43	2.82	G
HILLSDALE	2.40	1.50	0.12	1.67	F
FALL RIVER	2.30	1.50	0.60	2.61	G
ELK CITY	1.83	1.27	0.27	2.80	F
JOHN REDMOND	1.77	1.18	0.53	3.61	G
LOVEWELL	1.68	1.29	0.25	2.32	F
TUTTLE CREEK	0.33	0.16	0.02	1.96	F
CHENEY	0.22	0.22	0.16	3.93	P

+Temperate Basses Combined Forecast

Waterbody	Density	Preferred	Lunker	3 yr avg	Size	Rating
Glen Elder Reservoir	17.63	2.60	0.57	9.89	Reservoir	G
Marion Reservoir	15.97	4.40	1.57	4.92	Reservoir	G
Kirwin Reservoir	15.06	10.00	0.78	7.99	Reservoir	G
Cedar Bluff Reservoir	12.76	4.07	2.63	13.60	Reservoir	G
Webster Reservoir	11.72	6.92	1.50	10.88	Reservoir	G
Sebelius Reservoir	10.17	9.57	3.23	6.81	Reservoir	G
Milford Reservoir	9.80	4.35	1.55	6.80	Reservoir	G
Pomona Reservoir	8.43	2.58	0.63	2.20	Reservoir	G
Clinton Reservoir	6.46	1.06	0.36	5.98	Reservoir	G
Kanopolis Reservoir	5.32	0.22	0.08	7.28	Reservoir	G
Lovewell Reservoir	4.96	2.11	1.11	7.35	Reservoir	F
Perry Reservoir	4.73	0.02	0.00	2.15	Reservoir	G
Cheney Reservoir	4.43	2.71	1.55	7.98	Reservoir	F
El Dorado Reservoir	3.42	1.38	0.93	6.75	Reservoir	G
LaCygne Reservoir	3.00	0.48	0.00	2.88	Reservoir	F
Toronto Reservoir	2.94	0.50	0.00	2.69	Reservoir	G
Fall River Reservoir	2.85	0.39	0.00	3.02	Reservoir	G
Wilson Reservoir	2.64	0.94	0.51	13.27	Reservoir	G
Wolf Creek Reservoir	2.22	0.14	0.08	4.59	Reservoir	F
John Redmond Reservoir	2.16	0.38	0.00	3.24	Reservoir	F
Melvern Reservoir	2.10	0.12	0.00	2.26	Reservoir	G
Big Hill Reservoir	1.67	0.00	0.00	1.73	Reservoir	G
Hillsdale Reservoir	1.67	0.07	0.02	1.43	Reservoir	F
Council Grove Reservoir	1.42	0.04	0.04	6.15	Reservoir	P
Elk City Reservoir	0.37	0.00	0.00	1.94	Reservoir	F
Tuttle Creek Reservoir	0.15	0.02	0.00	2.96	Reservoir	F

+Blue Catfish Forecast

BLUE CATFISH	(>20")	(>30")	(>35")	(lbs.)	Fishing Rating
RESERVOIR
JOHN REDMOND	124.65	9.03	0.35	29.57	G
EL DORADO	67.21	1.20	0.40	23.13	G
ELK CITY	61.90	11.37	1.05	24.78	G
PERRY	36.67	10.50	6.46	45.15	G
TUTTLE CREEK	33.17	8.22	1.03	33.04	G
KANOPOLIS	26.93	1.33	0.13	22.44	G
LOVEWELL	24.95	18.71	6.67	35.86	G
GLEN ELDER	22.78	8.13	3.35	39.60	G
MILFORD	21.14	1.10	0.66	59.47	E
CHENEY	20.78	8.63	6.26	57.71	G
WILSON	15.69	5.94	0.75	32.82	G
MELVERN	14.50	5.75	0.25	21.92	G
WOLF CREEK	11.98	3.91	0.26	26.03	G
CLINTON	7.88	3.01	1.51	37.44	F

+Wiper Forecast

WIPER	(>16")	(>20")	(>24")	(lbs.)	Fishing Rating
RESERVOIR
SEBELIUS	6.37	3.77	0.03	8.75	G
KIRWIN	6.22	0.67	0.03	7.63	G
MARION	5.00	1.35	0.00	6.33	E
CEDAR BLUFF	3.25	2.22	0.69	14.57	G
POMONA	2.75	0.97	0.03	5.12	G
WEBSTER	2.47	0.72	0.22	10.77	F
MILFORD	2.17	0.75	0.03	8.02	G
CLINTON	1.74	0.17	0.00	5.98	E
GLEN ELDER	1.66	0.75	0.07	8.60	G
LOVEWELL	1.57	0.84	0.07	8.57	G
CHENEY	1.16	0.24	0.03	10.30	F
EL DORADO	1.05	0.39	0.05	7.36	F
LACYGNE	0.86	0.00	0.00	4.38	F
KANOPOLIS	0.42	0.17	0.02	7.28	G
JOHN REDMOND	0.18	0.00	0.00	3.25	P
WOLF CREEK	0.02	0.02	0.00	4.25	P

+White Crappie Forecast

WHITE CRAPPIE	(>8")	(>10")	(>12")	(lbs.)	Fishing Rating
RESERVOIR
TORONTO	23.04	6.67	2.69	1.84	E
HILLSDALE	21.45	8.02	1.14	1.59	E
MELVERN	18.93	10.57	1.33	1.41	G
PERRY	16.48	6.52	0.50	1.06	G
BIG HILL	12.60	5.80	0.90	1.26	G
ELK CITY	12.41	7.05	2.51	1.76	G
LACYGNE	11.26	5.02	0.37	1.31	G
FALL RIVER	10.73	3.75	1.31	2.50	G
POMONA	10.20	4.93	0.78	1.88	G
JOHN REDMOND	9.53	9.00	1.67	1.71	G
COUNCIL GROVE	9.50	1.36	0.33	1.83	G
MARION	8.72	2.89	0.11	1.08	G
TUTTLE CREEK	8.05	5.55	0.82	1.54	G
CLINTON	7.61	3.89	0.34	1.37	G
EL DORADO	5.07	2.89	0.54	1.70	G
KANOPOLIS	3.75	0.89	0.06	0.96	G
LOVEWELL	3.23	1.82	0.26	1.37	G
MILFORD	2.77	1.85	0.52	1.90	F
WEBSTER	2.39	0.78	0.06	1.06	F
SEBELIUS	2.27	1.23	0.17	1.12	F
KIRWIN	1.19	0.83	0.56	1.85	F
WOLF CREEK	1.00	0.33	0.00	0.59	F
GLEN ELDER	0.81	0.53	0.08	1.41	F
WILSON	0.80	0.18	0.11	1.30	F
CEDAR BLUFF	0.62	0.27	0.25	1.90	F

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John Redmond Reservoir Fishing Information