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Fishing Yates Center Reservoir: what the data says
195-acre reservoir near Yates Center. Public southeast Kansas reservoir with KBS surveyed bathymetric contours. The lake tops out around 18 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Yates Center Reservoir's chart carries 4.6 miles of bank. A development index of 3 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size.
Largemouth Bass fishing at Yates Center Reservoir
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 18 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 18 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (3 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Channel Catfish fishing at Yates Center Reservoir
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 18 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 18 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 15 ft, rated prime for winter channel catfish. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | South Owl Creek inflow (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | dusk | Deep basin (15 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) |
Crappie fishing at Yates Center Reservoir
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 18 ft, wintering in 5 to 18 ft. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 15 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (3 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Bluegill fishing at Yates Center Reservoir
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 18 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6-ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 15 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 3 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 3 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 2 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
- South Owl Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 2 ft
Yates Center Reservoir fishing regulations
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 Yates Center Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Kansas fishing regulations →
Common questions
How deep is Yates Center Reservoir?
Yates Center Reservoir is about 18 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Yates Center Reservoir?
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish on Yates Center Reservoir.
Where is the best fishing spot on Yates Center Reservoir?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
When is the best time to fish Yates Center Reservoir?
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning 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.
What are the fishing regulations for Yates Center Reservoir?
Fishing on Yates Center Reservoir 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.
Nearby waters
New Yates Center Lake 3 mi · Woodson County State Fishing Lake 7 mi · Wilson County State Fishing Lake 12 mi · Toronto Lake 13 mi · Neosho River 21 mi · Fall River Lake 23 mi · Verdigris River 26 mi · John Redmond Lake 27 mi · Madison City Lake 27 mi · Severy City Lake 29 mi · Eureka Lake 30 mi · Thayer New City Lake 30 mi
See how Yates Center Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Kansas · best crappie lakes in Kansas · best bluegill lakes in Kansas · best channel catfish lakes in Kansas
Browse all Kansas fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.