Kansas Fisherman

[bkohlman]

Hi -

I am going to one of my favorite vacation spots, Beaver Lake, in 3 weeks. I have been pretty successful fishing in Kansas but never at Beaver, other than some gar and cats on jugs. Our cabin is in the Ventris Cove area and I was wondering if you all had some tips for me to have a more successful fishing attempt at Beaver.

PS I fish for pretty much any species, so anything you can help me with will be much appreciated.

Thank you!!!

[Feathers and Fins]

In three weeks I would concentrate my fishing for striper around Lost Bridge North from surface before dawn till 8am and then from 20fow to 40fow off points the rest of the day, Live bait will be your best bet but trolled umbrella rigs are a good second choice. Walleye I would be trolling long points and tiprap in 25 to 30 fow with hotntots or rapalas, secondary would be verticle jigging trees in the same fof with live minows, Crappie will be in the same area as walleye, Bass fishing try surface early then 12 to 18fow with jigs.

[Stump bumper]

If you always fish Beaver at the end of July and First of August that is probably the reason you have so little success. I would rather fish Beaver the first week of February and dodge ice then try to get on deep water points and dodge wake boats in August. The best fishing times that time of year IMO are midnight until 7am and I am not a night fisherman but you can find fish up shallow at 2am that will go down 50 feet around 9am.

I am not saying that you can't catch fish in the heat of the day with jet skies buzzing around, just saying that you are visiting the lake at our worst time for fishing. Beaver shines when you need gloves and a ski suit to launch in the early morning hours. There are a lot of deep water springs in Beaver that allow the fish to go deep and I have caught bass and bluegill as deep as 80feet on those springs in the heat of the summer when people from other states tell me there is no oxygen below 30 feet and don't believe bass can survive below the thermocline.

If you have a hard time I would suggest a trip to Holiday Island and fish below the Town of Beaver towards the dam where the discharge from Beaver keeps the water cooler and the size of the river keeps pleasure boats away.

I don't set lines for catfish but have heard from people that do that the cats will feed in shallow water all year and the problem with people fishing jugs is they put them out too deep. I have seen bait line up at night in 10 feet of water with fish feeding on them and thrown crankbaits threw them during night tournaments to find they were channel cats and not bass....I guess it is just the time the cats come in that changes and I see people hanging lines around dark where I can see their bait swimming to the top around the shorelines. Between points 5 and point 1 seem to be very popular with 3-4in bluegill the favorite bait.

I hope you enjoy your stay but I would encourage you to visit again in October or November for a better fishing experience.

[bkohlman]

You guys have been very helpful! I stepped down from coaching basketball this year so I may have time to visit again in October or November.

[Feathers and Fins]

October / Novemeber it doesnt take much to catch fish, Stripers and Walleye are in Prarie Creek and the Islands as well as Avoca, Launch at Prarie Creek and look for Birds and Shad balls. Water is to cold for jetskies, tubers and others who like getting in it so you have mostly the lake to yourself and fishermen. You would need a cast net for getting bait and more than a handfull of 2/ to 4/0 hooks for the live bait, Flatline them 100ft behind the boat for stripers or rig up a bottom bouncer with the same bait for walleye. Be ready for some of the biggest bass of the year in those same areas, Everyone from the fish to the birds to the fishermen love shad

[mic]

Hey F&F, when can I book a trip

[Feathers and Fins]

Where is the evil look icon lol.

[Stump bumper]

It's the first one..

[Mr. Ed]

Interesting responses. I'm also from Kansas. Only been to Beaver a handfull of times but except for one early spring trip all others have been in late summer... August. Tough fishing for us as well. Maybe a fall trip is on order for me too.

[Quillback]

Yeap, If I was going to plan a trip to Beaver and had flexibility to choose dates, I'd pick mid/late-October. Weather is USUALLY pretty nice, daytime highs in the 70's, and the fish are biting. If you can go during the week, you won't encounter as much boat traffic as you would in August.