Clinton Lake Fishing Guides
A seven-thousand-acre Wakarusa River impoundment on the edge of Lawrence, with a strong walleye and crappie fishery, good rock structure and some of the best public access in eastern Kansas.
Guides on the Clinton Lake
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About the Clinton Lake
Clinton Lake impounds the Wakarusa River southwest of Lawrence, covering roughly seven thousand acres and draining about three hundred and sixty-seven square miles of northeast Kansas. The gauge near Lawrence reads lake elevation along with water-quality measures, and elevation is worth checking before a trip because the Corps of Engineers manages this lake for flood control and the level moves meaningfully through the year. A high, rising lake and a low, stable one fish very differently here.
The setting is the eastern Kansas transition between tallgrass prairie and oak-hickory woodland, and the lake reflects it. The main basin is relatively deep and clear by Kansas standards, with rock points, riprap along the dam and causeways, standing timber in the upper arms and long creek channels that fish hold to through the year. The upper end near the Wakarusa inflow is shallower, more stained and more fertile, while the lower lake near the dam runs clearer and deeper. Learning which end suits the conditions on a given day is most of the skill here.
Walleye are the signature fish and are maintained by stocking, with the rock structure and the dam area the traditional spots. Crappie are abundant on brush and timber. Largemouth bass are widespread and smallmouth hold on the cleaner rock. Wiper and white bass chase shad in open water, catfish of all three species are plentiful, and bluegill and freshwater drum fill in. The lake sits close enough to a university town that weekend pressure is real, and a weekday morning is a noticeably different experience. Sailing and recreational traffic concentrate on the lower lake, which is one more reason to know the upper arms.
Access is genuinely excellent, with a state park, Corps land and Lawrence itself minutes away.
This water needs a real photo
The photo at the top of this page is not Clinton Lake.
It is a regional stand-in, honestly captioned but generic — we will not put a name to a river we cannot prove. Send us a photograph you took here and it replaces the stand-in, with your credit on it.
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Landscape, not fish — the water itself. Reviewed by hand before it appears. The first one published here earns the Pioneer badge.
Pool right now
- 24 hours-0.02 ft → steady
- Storage128,400 acre-ft
- For the dateA little above normal for the date
Reading taken 54 min ago at USGS 06891478, CLINTON LK NR LAWRENCE, KS. Elevation is the surface of the lake above the survey datum, not depth. Source.
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Access
Clinton State Park - the main developed access on the north shore, with ramps, camping and marina.
Lawrence - minutes northeast, with full lodging, tackle shops, food and guides.
Corps of Engineers areas - Bloomington East and West and other public areas ringing the lake.
Clinton Dam - the dam and outlet area, productive for walleye, wiper and white bass.
Wakarusa River arm - the shallower upper end, more stained and fertile, good in spring.
Kansas River - the larger river through Lawrence, offering a flowing-water alternative.
Perry Lake - a comparable northeast Kansas reservoir a short drive north.
Seasons
Spring: walleye move onto rock and the dam to spawn, then crappie fill the brush, making this the peak of the year.
Summer: fishing goes deep and early, with wiper and white bass chasing shad on the surface at first light.
Fall: cooling water scatters shad and walleye, wiper and bass feed hard on the points and flats.
Winter: crappie stack deep on brush, walleye hold near the dam, and ice fishing happens in cold years on the coves.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the Clinton Lake?
Anglers target Black Crappie, Blue Catfish, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Freshwater Drum, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, White Crappie, Wiper on the Clinton Lake in Kansas.
Where can you access the Clinton Lake?
Clinton State Park - the main developed access on the north shore, with ramps, camping and marina. Lawrence - minutes northeast, with full lodging, tackle shops, food and guides. Corps of Engineers areas - Bloomington East and West and other public areas ringing the lake. Clinton Dam - the dam and outlet area, productive for walleye, wiper and white bass. Wakarusa River arm - the shallower upper end, more stained and fertile, good in spring. Kansas River - the larger river through Lawrence, offering a flowing-water alternative. Perry Lake - a comparable northeast Kansas reservoir a short drive...
When is the best time to fish the Clinton Lake?
Spring: walleye move onto rock and the dam to spawn, then crappie fill the brush, making this the peak of the year. Summer: fishing goes deep and early, with wiper and white bass chasing shad on the surface at first light. Fall: cooling water scatters shad and walleye, wiper and bass feed hard on the points and flats. Winter: crappie stack deep on brush, walleye hold near the dam, and ice fishing happens in cold years on the coves.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Clinton Lake?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Kansas agency site: https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Fishing-Regulations