Hillsdale

[Hef]

I am new to Kansas, moved here in March from Oklahoma. I hit Hillsdale today for the first time. Caught between 40 and 50 dipping trees. Only about 12 were keepers. I liked the lake alot but with so many trees it is hard to find a starting point. I caught them everywhere I fished. 6 ft to 33 ft. . In the 33 ft water we caught them about 12-15ft. deep. I will be back.

[hellmonkey]

I am new to Kansas, moved here in March from Oklahoma. I hit Hillsdale today for the first time. Caught between 40 and 50 dipping trees. Only about 12 were keepers. I liked the lake alot but with so many trees it is hard to find a starting point. I caught them everywhere I fished. 6 ft to 33 ft. . In the 33 ft water we caught them about 12-15ft. deep. I will be back.

Welcome to Kansas! I'm a transplant from Missouri, been here for 2 years now. While we're searching for the "perfect" boat, my wife and I usually hit the local spots for some bank fishing. We've had some good and some great days fishing (theres no such thing as a bad day fishing!). We hope to hit some of the bigger places like Perry soon. I just wish she'd make up her mind on a boat! :D


Again welcome to Kansas!

Greg

[LBM]

Hef

Sounds like you have done very well for your first time out on Hillsdale. How bad were the lake lice buzzing around out there? Hillsdale is my main crappie fishing lake. Just wait till this winter. I think you'll even like it better then.

Once summertime sets in I start pursuing channel around the KDWP fish feeders using my 10 ft crappie pole using braided line with a circle hook and cut bait. Since the KDWP doesn't have any feeders on Hillsdale I haven't been there for about a month.

After your post I'm almost enticed to get back down there since flipping and dipping the standing timber is one of my prefered methods of crappie fishing.

With you coming from Oklahoma was woundering if you brought with you a fabled method of crappie fishing that I have heard of that I think came my way via some okie fishermen. A fine fellow up here tried to show me this method and I've not continued on my own trying to learn and gain confidence in this method. This method involves dipping minnows around standing timber in the backs of coves in water maybe only 3 or 4 ft deep. This is July & August fishing very similiar to spawn fishing in the spring. If one catches a crappie just move on to the next tree because there won't be but one fish around each tree. Susposedly they are able to catch real nice slabs with this method say fishing from daylight to 10:30am in the mornings.

Part of what make crappie fishing so intriguing for me is the varied methods one can use to catch them. For me I know I could be a better fisherman if I would use different methods that are outside the seasonal patterns I tend to lock myself into while crappie fishing. Since I'm not a tournament fisherman I tend to be more lazy and fish the style and methods that I find enjoyable using on the water.

The main thing I have learned about fishing since retiring is that I always seem to gain more info by sharing what info I have with the fellow fisher folks. So if you have questions about Hillsdale just ask. I might be able to give you the straight scoop.

Anyhow welcome and good luck on Hillsdale.

Lee

[Hef]

LBM,

I do fish the shallow stuff in the summer just like I do in the spring.It is very productive. I was on Hillsdale all day yesterday and caught fish everywhere I fished. I would like to find some shallow stuff on Hillsdale. Being my first time on Hillsdale I was careful. I stayed on the main lake. I did'nt want to tear my boat up on the first trip to Hillsdale(trees). I have a "glass" Triton. Are there areas of Hillsdale that are 3-5ft deep with bush. A creek would be ideal.

Are there defined boat lanes back to the creeks. I do not want to tear a lower unit off. What technique do you use in the winter? Would dipping the trees work. What are the best months in the winter to fish Hillsdale.

When I fished Hillsdale yesterday I was just "shooting from the hip" using what has worked for me on other lakes this time of year. There are so many trees on that lake, the dipping technique works great. You just don't spend much time on each tree. A keeper was hard to get. The main lake I crappie fish in Oklahoma is Eufaula. It is truly an awesome crappie lake. Here is a picture of a pair of Lake Eufaula hogs.



How is the bass fishing on Hillsdale?

[LBM]

Hef

There a plenty of shallow areas. Assuming you launched from the Jayhawker Ramp (which is in the Scott Branch) just go left from the ramp into the Scott Branch and there is a smaller cove to the south just follow the shore line left from the ramp. Just work the channel up those coves for plenty of shallow water with standing timber.

The Wade Branch is the next main cove running into Hillsdale from the west. The main arm coming into Hillsdale from the northwest is the Big Bull has plenty of shallower water off of the channel. The further up the Big Bull you go just keep the motor trimed up and go slow even in the channel. Running from the northeast into Hillsdale is the Little Bull which will give you plenty of shallow water to fish.

As far a defined boat lanes through the tree lines some are obvious but are becoming less obvious as the lake ages. Once you learn the lanes through the trees you can run. Just take you time to learn them.

I have had very good fishing in Nov, Dec, and Jan on Hillsdale. Guess I would have to pick the last half of Dec and the first half of Jan if I was to pick the best 30 days to fish. Of course it can vary depending on what the weather does. All of my winter fishing is tightlining (well described as "Hovering" by Jerry Blake & Darrly Moris) on the channel edges and in the channels. Once I can find the shad I like to run my jigs below the balls of shad that I see on the graph.

There are quite a few people that fish for bass on Hillsdale. For me when I used to bass fish I considered it a one legal 18 inch fish a season for me. I used to fish with the Shawnee Mission Bassmasters when I was trying to bass fish. One year at one of our club tournaments (1993 I think) the lake was 21 ft high and I came in 5th with two bass. One of the best bass fishing days I ever had there. If I recall correctly the 1st, 2nd & 3rd places weighed in 5 fish each. If that had been a 15 inch length limit lake I could have weighed in five fish that day.

My fishing interest changed after becoming addicted to the "Thump" crappie fishing. In the summer months I fish for channel cat around the KDWP fishfeeders using my 10 ft crappie pole. I also find myself liking to eat fileted channel even better than crappie.

Anyhow good luck.

[SnakeCharmer]

LBM,

How is the bass fishing on Hillsdale?

My fater-in-law was saying yesterday that he had heard something about a bunch of bass being trapped out at Wyandotte Co. lake and transplanted to Hillsdale due to some kind of problem with the Bass out there. Anybody heard anything about this and whats the deal with that.

[Chadku]

Hef....I have only been out to Hillsdale a couple times this year, but traditionally it has been a bigger crappie lake, but this year has produced many smaller fish...were you fishing in the little bull arm? what areas were producing the best for you? I may be able to put you in some more areas.

As for the Bass fishing it can be really good at Hillsdale, but you will have to battle with the trees....The little bull arm is good for some big bass....There are a couple coves in there that produce well in the Spring and you just need to follow the creek channels out in the Summer....Good Luck.

[Hef]

I am not sure which ramp I launched at last weekend. I came in off of 169 and went past the store on the right kept going straight and then I think I went to the right . Part of the road was not paved. The boat ramp was a single lane ramp. How do I get to the Jayhawker ramp from 169. I will pay closer attention to where I am fishing tomorrow. I do have a gps with Hillsdale Lake on it.

I plan to get out early to avoid the heat. I am going to dip the trees again. I also want to find some shallow water and see if I can catch some shallow.

[LBM]

Hef

Comming off 169 just continue west past the Corp Office on the north side of the road with the KDWP Office on the south side across from each other. Continue west across the dam and make first right and you will be at the Jayhawker Ramp.

You launched from the Maryville Ramp. The parking lots there are kind of tight when it is full.

[Hef]

Is the Jayhawker ramp a better ramp to launch if I am by myself?

Thanks