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Wichita to Arkansas City: shallow sand river with channel cats, wipers and white bass below the dams. The river tops out around 8 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 4,208 acres wrapped in 117.9 miles of bank — one island included. The 13 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Call it 44.5 mi long by 3.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. Sumner County claims this one. If the bite dies, Winfield City Lake is 18 mi to the east.
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 8 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 8 ft. Start at Ninnescah confluence (Belle Plaine). It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Ninnescah confluence (Belle Plaine) (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | night & dusk | Lincoln Street dam tailrace (Wichita) (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Lincoln Street dam tailrace (Wichita) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Lincoln Street dam tailrace (Wichita) (6 ft) |
When the water first warms, flathead catfish slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. Start at Tailout eddy (mile 0.3). It's an eddy pocket holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (4 ft) |
When the water first warms, white bass & hybrids slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Ninnescah confluence (Belle Plaine): an inflow / creek mouth around 5 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a jigging spoon or a topwater (when schooling) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Ninnescah confluence (Belle Plaine) (5 ft) | Rooster tail / inline spinner, Curly-tail jig (white/chartreuse) |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Dam tailrace (7 ft) | Jigging spoon, Topwater (when schooling) |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Dam tailrace (7 ft) | Small blade bait, Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Dam tailrace (7 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait (vertical) |
Spring puts white bass in skinny water — 1 to 8 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. Ninnescah confluence (Belle Plaine) is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for spring white bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Ninnescah confluence (Belle Plaine) (5 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Dam tailrace (7 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Dam tailrace (7 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Dam tailrace (7 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Early season freshwater drum use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 8 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 8 ft. The chart's best answer is Lincoln Street dam tailrace (Wichita) — creek channel, 6 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is the evening. Tie on a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Ninnescah confluence (Belle Plaine) (5 ft) | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Lincoln Street dam tailrace (Wichita) (6 ft) | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Lincoln Street dam tailrace (Wichita) (6 ft) | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Lincoln Street dam tailrace (Wichita) (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Spring common carp on Arkansas River hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 8 ft in summer, 2 to 8 ft once it turns cold. Put Ninnescah confluence (Belle Plaine) first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 5 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Ninnescah confluence (Belle Plaine) (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Ninnescah confluence (Belle Plaine) (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Lincoln Street dam tailrace (Wichita) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (4 ft) |
Arkansas River carries 31 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Dam tailrace, about 7 ft down.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Kansas waters are set by the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks — and special regulations can apply to Arkansas River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Kansas fishing regulations →
Arkansas River is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target channel catfish, flathead catfish, white bass & hybrids, white bass, freshwater drum, common carp on Arkansas River.
Ninnescah confluence (Belle Plaine) is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For channel catfish, the summer bite is best in after dark and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Arkansas River is regulated by the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks. Check the official Kansas regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
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Browse all Kansas fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.