I may be in the Lawrence, Kansas area this summer. Can anyone tell me anything about the fly fishing in that area?
http://freestateflyfishers.org/
I know a bunch of the guys from this club. I would be more than happy to put you in touch with one of them. Not a ton trout wise, but I think there are some good smallie rivers.
I belong to the Free state fly fishing club, and they have a great group of people that fly fish from Kansas City to Lawrence all the way to Topeka. We have a weekly fishing night at a local Lawrence lake, along with some specialized outings through out the summer ( example; a one fly tounament, a 12x tippet event, a carp event and so on). I have been with the club now two years and love it.
Get hold of HRH Betty Hiner, or Bluegill222, they are both in the area.
Bluegill222 took me to Clinton Lake for wipers and it was great!
They are both on this site.
Good advice on the club–it’s a very active club. I’m a member, too but due to time issues can’t participate as much as I’d like. As for fishing around here—there really aren’t any smallie rivers—in fact fishing in flowing water is pretty restricted except for tailwaters. Mostly you’ll find that you will be fishing still waters of various flavors—from small state lakes to reservoirs to small farm ponds (some of that fishing can be excellent.) There are a few small streams with very limited access since KS has perhaps the most restrictive stream access laws in the country. In some of these streams you can find largemouths, sunfish, drum, carp and channel cats–exclusively warm water fisheries. There are some beautiful streams in the Flinthills to the west of Lawrence but again access is difficult but there you’ll also find native spotted bass. There is the KS or Kaw river that flows through town—to my knowledge a mostly untapped resource by the flyfishing folks.
BW
If you get down around Wichitan let me know. I’ve got a couple spots to catch crappie, bluegills, green sunfish, and bass. One small creek and a lake or two…
Thanks for all your help. If I do end up in Kansas this year I will be in touch.
I wouldn’t expect to find trout, but I suppose you already knew that. I don’t know about Lawrence per se, but from the parts of Kansas that I have been familiar with, I’m going to predict a lot of flat. Have you ever seen a topographic map without contour lines?
Ed
Eddie, Eddie, Eddie … you really need to come up here some time! You’d be totally surprised at the landscape! And the fishing!
GET HIM BETTY!!! I think the music is still ringing in his ears.
Betty, except for the pile of mine spoil, Baxter Springs, KS was flatter than most of the parking lots in Nashville. That is how it was the last time I spent any time in that part of the world.
I readly acknowledge that not all of Kansas is that flat. Hence I stated that I don’t know about Lawrence. BTW, I have a trout-fishing co-worker from Kansas. HE is the one who told me that there aren’t any trout(s) in Kansas… and… um… South Dakota…
Oh, <mumble><mumble> fibbilating Kansas fisher-types…
Take care,
Ed
P.S. Oh, and Ldice, pleeeeeease don’t sic Miss Betty. Pleeeeeeeeeaze don’t do that to me. And don’t throw Br’er Rabbit in that briar patch neither, ya hear?
