Best channel catfish lakes in Kansas
34 Kansas waters hold channel catfish, 28 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.
- Tuttle Creek Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Saugeye, Crappie
- Milford Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Crappie
- Perry Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Sauger
- Cheney Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Crappie
- Melvern Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye
- Wilson Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
- Marion Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- El Dorado Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
- Clinton Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye
- Hillsdale Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Kirwin Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Neosho River — 15 ft max · White Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish
- John Redmond Lake — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Pomona Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, Crappie
- Kanopolis Lake — 32 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, Crappie
- Toronto Lake — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Elk City Lake — 36 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Smoky Hill River — 10 ft max · Walleye, White Bass, Saugeye, Channel Catfish
- Webster Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Lovewell Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Council Grove Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, Crappie
- Arkansas River — 8 ft max · White Bass, Channel Catfish, White Bass & Hybrids, Flathead Catfish
- Fall River Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Big Hill Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Cottonwood River — 12 ft max · Crappie, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Freshwater Drum
…plus 9 more Kansas waters holding channel catfish.
When to fish channel catfish in Kansas
- Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
- Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
- Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
- Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.
Also in Kansas: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best saugeye lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best blue catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes
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