Thread: Questions for Kansas Anglers

I attended a meeting earlier this week where one of the topics discussed was what information anglers would like to see from the Fisheries Division of KDWPT and how would they like it delivered. Below are some of the current methods that KDWPT uses to get info to our angling constituency.

• The Fisheries Division has conducted Fish Information Nights (FINs) across the state the last number of years and success has been varied. The FINs consist of a public type meeting where anglers show up to hear presentations by local fish bios on area water bodies. Presentations are followed with a Q&A session so anglers can ask their questions. Guest speakers have been on hand to give insight to productive tactics and techniques for catching Kansas fishes.
• As a follow up to the FINs biologist presentations, biologists would prepare narrated versions of the PowerPoint presentations and post them on the KDWPT website. Anglers can view the presentations as a video on the computer.
• Recently, the Fisheries Division began a District Fisheries Newsletter where fish bios compose newsletters detailing fisheries projects, population status, local news, productive fishing techniques, and so on. Anglers can subscribe to the newsletters and be emailed the newsletter when it is distributed. Previous editions of the newsletters can be viewed online.
• Fish bios are also responsible for providing weekly online fishing reports for their assigned waters during the fishing season (March through November) with more general info provided December through February. Hot bites that occur during the winter months are posted as well.
• Each spring, the statewide Fishing Forecast is compiled from the biologist's fish sampling data. The forecast organizes all the data and ranks lakes from high to low for good fishing for individual species. Anglers can use the Forecast to seek out the 'hot' lake for the year or use it to find the lakes that contain the higher densities of 'lunker' sized fish.
• KDWPT offers public fishing blogs where anglers can ask questions and share fishing reports.
• Fish bios write columns and articles for the KDWPT magazine which is a bi-monthly publication.
• Some fish bios monitor angling websites and answer angler questions online.
• All fish bios have offices with phones and anglers can call in with any questions that they may have. Fish bio phone office phone numbers can be found in the annual Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary.

Any comments on the value of the current methods would be appreciated. What 'fishy' information would you like to have and what is the best way to get that information to you?

Craig, I subscribed to the news letter in February when I got home from the "fish night" we had in Lawrence, but I have never recieved an e-mailed news letter.

Originally Posted by crappiecaster

Craig, I subscribed to the news letter in February when I got home from the "fish night" we had in Lawrence, but I have never recieved an e-mailed news letter.

crappiecaster,

Which district newsletter did you subscribe to? It may take a while for you to receive the newsletter depending on the date that you signed up and when the most recent edition of the newsletter was released. You can find copies of past newsletters HERE and the Spring 2011 Lawrence District Newsletter can be found HERE.

Thanks for letting me know that you didn't get a newsletter. Once I know what newsletter you subscribed to we can look in to distribution problems we may have.

I appreciate all the reports and forecasts. I have never made it to a "fish night" but plan to in the future. I think the new news letters are a great source of information to advise us of events and status of the local waters in each area. You probably have more outdoorsmen reading all these sources than you think. A lot of us just don't post on forums very often. Thanks to all you and your fellow bios do. Keep up the good work and communication.

Craig,

Thanks for all your efforts. I can say you guys do an amazing job of trying to get info out and balance populations of fish with your management practices. It's amazing how many different challenges you guys have. I can say I am extremely dissapointed in how the state of KS is handling hunting in KS and whoreing out of our limited resourse but that is for a different page. I just get so upset when I realize that my kids won't be able to hunt in the state I grew up hunting it.

With regards to your question, the biggest thing most fisherman hate is other fisherman knowing about what they are doing!!! It's their water and their fish and we are all guilty of that in some ways so you have built in wall your trying to break through. One thing I think you guys could open more doors with is the small waters in the state of KS. There are some great resources that don't get fished very often.

One thing that would help you get info out is the change your fishing info night completely. I would suggest if you have a day where you where actually at the ramp of a lake (or a shelter house) for you fisherman info "morning" with the map of the lake on a sat morning vs in a room in a city I think you would have a few more people stop bye. People want specific info about lakes, not general info. I would say you should be some where right by the ramp with a sign that says Fishing Info and I bet you would have a of people stop bye. If you wanted to try and reach more non fisher do it on the free park day or do on the day no license is needed. Again, this going to spread you out more but if your there on the ground you will get a lot more results.

Also, I have found the lunker rating to be way off. I pull a lot of really nice crappie out of lakes with very low ratings and low pressure so I wonder if that doesn't almost push people to and from a lake for no reason. Like slime said I think more people read those reading than you think.

Anyway I am sure I will have more. Thanks for you efforts.

Thank you for all your efforts in getting information out to the public. I think your annual sampling data and newsletters are the most helpful to me. I have never attended one of your Fishing Info Nights, but I have heard you guys do a great job there too.

If I had any suggestion, it would be to agree with Nick that I think a lot of people would benefit from having better weekly fishing reports about the smaller bodies of water. I have personally found that the online reports and biologist ratings of the smaller lakes don't really reflect my personal experience there. But I'm just nit-picking there. You guys are doing a great job of getting info out overall. Even the most novice anglers can look at your sampling data and fishing reports and use that information to get them going in the right direction.

Keep up the good work!

Originally Posted by Springhill Duckman

Craig,

...Also, I have found the lunker rating to be way off. I pull a lot of really nice crappie out of lakes with very low ratings and low pressure so I wonder if that doesn't almost push people to and from a lake for no reason....

Duckman,

The lunker rating, as well as the other ratings, are dependent upon catching fish of a specific size class. Occasionally a sample is negatively impacted by uncontrollable factors, such as daily movements of fish. Crappie for instance are sampled with trap nets that fish relatively shallow waters. If those larger crappie are hanging in deep water during the 18-20hr hour trap net sample period and none are captured then lunker rating will obviously be extremely low. Even with shocker boats, gill nets, and trap nets some fish can elude or sampling efforts.

El Dorado for instance has a good fishable population of white crappie. However, El Dorado usually doesn't score well at all on the Fishing Forecast as fall trap net catch for crappie has historically been quite low when compared to the NE Kansas reservoirs. Even though the crappie aren't seen in the nets I know they are there due to creel survey results, angler reports, and my 'after hours sampling' with rod and reel. You are correct in that the Fishing Forecast isn't 100% accurate 100% of the time but it does serve as a good guide and can highlight some 'hot' prospects for the fishing year ahead.

Your local fish bio would be able to give you the most detailed information above and beyond the info included in the Fishing Forecast. Give 'em a holler! Thanks for your comments!

Originally Posted by Fish Taxi

...If I had any suggestion, it would be to agree with Nick that I think a lot of people would benefit from having better weekly fishing reports about the smaller bodies of water....

Fish Taxi,

By "smaller bodies of water" are you referring to State Fishing Lakes, CFAP Lakes and/or F.I.S.H. properties?

What would constitute 'better weekly fishing reports'?

What info would you like to see in a report? (I'll throw a few out...Depth, Bait/Lure, Color, Presentation, Time of Day, and Location?)

How much info is enough and how much is "too much"? In the past, I've seen that a too detailed fishing report leads to anglers stacking on top of one another which isn't always a good scenario. Location is usually a slippery slope and in my reports I try to list the characteristics of productive areas so anglers can find areas that replicate those same conditions to find fish. I've been beat up for providing too much info and also for not providing enough! What do you guys like to see in a report?

Thanks for providing your comments!

Craig
I try to check KDWP fishing reports on a weekly basis just to see whats going on. Of all I think you put out the best available information. I live in the NE area and when I visit my folks go fish csfl. You put out a good report. Can you tell me if its possible to get on Kahola? I've had mixed answers.

Originally Posted by Tucker

Craig
I try to check KDWP fishing reports on a weekly basis just to see whats going on. Of all I think you put out the best available information. I live in the NE area and when I visit my folks go fish csfl. You put out a good report. Can you tell me if its possible to get on Kahola? I've had mixed answers.

Tucker,

The last I heard, Kahola Lake became private and no public access is allowed outside of the cabin owners and their guests. Unless you know someone that lives there it may be tough to gain entry.

Thanks for your comments!

Maybe this information is already available and I just have not found it but I would like to see information on how many and what species are being stocked in area reservoirs and possibly information regarding the status ( approximate population and year class) of each species in area reservoirs. I have noticed some reservoirs receive much more press and attention than others. One example is Pomona was not even listed in this years fishing forecast that I found.

As has been said, you guys are doing a great job and it really helps keep us informed on how things are going.

Keith