Kansas Lake

How big is Kansas Lake?

How deep is Kansas Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Kansas Lake?

What are the closest cities to Kansas Lake?

Are there boat launches on Kansas Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Kansas Lake?

Kansas is a 398-acre lake located southwest of St. James in Watonwan County. The lake has a maximum depth of 7.0 feet and is a class 43 lake. The lake is managed for walleye primarily while northern pike, yellow perch, and black crappie are managed secondarily. A partial winterkill was suspected during the winter of 2007-08. A Winterkill Assessment during the spring of 2008 indicated that yellow perch survived the low oxygen levels fairly well. The lake was stocked with walleye and northern pike fry and northern pike fingerlings during the spring of 2008. Walleye fingerlings, yearlings, and adults were stocked into the lake in 2009. Oxygen levels dropped to below 2 ppm again during the winter of 2009-10.

Walleye numbers were high when compared to other lakes with similar morphology and chemical characteristics. Lengths of walleye caught in our gill nets ranged from 9.8 to 19.2 inches and averaged 13.1 inches. The majority of walleye sampled (88% of the walleye sampled) were age 2 and were likely the result of a fry stocking in 2008. The rest of the fish were age 3 and 4 which were likely the result of fingerling stockings in 2006 and 2007. The strong year class of 12 inch walleye is the primary reason for the high gill net catch rate in 2009. It is hopeful that since the walleye are small, low oxygen levels during the winter of 2009-10 will have a minimal impact on the walleye population.

Yellow perch numbers were very high when compared to other lakes similar to Kansas. Lengths of yellow perch sampled in gill nets ranged from 6.0 to 12.1 inches with an average length of 10.0 inches. Many of the perch caught in our gill nets were in the 9.5 to 11.0 inch range.

Northern pike numbers were also high when compared to lakes similar to Kansas. Lengths of northern pike caught in our gill nets ranged from 15.9 to 27.1 inches with an average length of 19.8 inches. There were three northern pike sampled in trap nets that were over 30 inches in length.

Black crappie numbers were what we would expect for lakes similar to Kansas. Lengths of black crappie caught in our trap nets ranged from 4.1 to 9.8 inches with an average length of 6.6 inches. There appears to be two year classes of black crappie present in the lake.

There are good numbers of black bullhead in Kansas for those who would like a meal of fresh bullhead. Lengths of black bullhead caught in our trap nets ranged from 3.9 to 12.3 inches with an average length of 8.6 inches.

Other fish sampled during the assessment included bigmouth buffalo, common carp, yellow bullhead, and green sunfish.

To maintain a healthy fishery in Kansas Lake, we need to promote Best Management Practices (BMPs) within the watershed to help reduce nutrients entering the lake. High nutrients and sediments in a lake can cause algae blooms and reduce water clarity.

What is the average air temp for Kansas Lake?

Are there any state parks near Kansas Lake?