Wilson Lake fishing conditions · Kansas

Now until 10 amStriped bass

The bite peaks at 78.

Right now: 78 for striped bass, worth the trip · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Striped bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

789 am
33
33
3312 pm
23
23
233 pm
65
65
656 pm
65
65
659 pm
65
65
68Tue
68
68
683 am
68
60
606 am
60
60
609 am
60
68
6812 pm
68
68
683 pm
68
68
686 pm
68
68

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: No reading
Wind: 10 mph
Light: Daylight
Sky: Chance Rain Showers
Air: 60°F
Barometer: Falling
Moon: 100% lit

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Kansas non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

78Worth the tripNow until 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Striped bass bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kansas (K.A.R. 115-25-14): 5 striped bass a day statewide; wipers are a separate 5-a-day limit.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kansas non-tidal

Season here: Apr–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on striped bass

White bass

Morone chrysops

78Worth the tripNow until 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. White bass bite in 55–80° water, best near 68°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kansas (K.A.R. 115-25-14): no statewide limit on white bass; striped bass and wipers are 5 a day each. KDWP posts lake-specific limits on some reservoirs.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kansas non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on white bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

78Worth the tripNow until 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kansas (K.A.R. 115-25-14): 15" minimum, 5 black bass a day combined (largemouth, smallmouth and spotted). KDWP posts different limits on some reservoirs.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kansas non-tidal

Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Walleye

Sander vitreus

78Worth the tripNow until 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kansas (K.A.R. 115-25-14): 15" minimum, 5 walleye, sauger and saugeye a day combined. The 15" minimum does not apply in streams, rivers and tailwaters. KDWP posts different limits on some reservoirs.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Kansas non-tidal

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

78Worth the tripNow until 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kansas: carp fall under "all other legal species" in the statewide creel table, which have no limit.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Kansas non-tidal

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

Water temperatureNo reading
Barometer30.19 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunset today6:41 pm
Sunrise tomorrow7:55 am
MoonFull, 100% lit
Major solunarToday 12:30 pm–2:30 pm
Minor solunarTonight 6:10 pm–7:10 pm
Major solunarTonight 1:10 am–3:10 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Kansas Wildlife & Parks publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: Kansas Wildlife & Parks · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The clearest big reservoir in Kansas, set in the Smoky Hills — famous for trophy striped bass and wipers chasing shad over the rock, plus smallmouth bass, walleye, and white bass. Deep and clean, it fishes more like a Western reservoir than a plains lake.

Wilson Reservoir: 2 striped bass a day; wipers 5 a day; walleye and black bass 15" minimum, 5 a day; no limit on white bass.

WaterReservoir
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesKansas non-tidal
WhereRussell County · 38.9300, -98.5000

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Milford Lake87 mi · KansasBest now until tomorrow 9 pm

68Marginal

Harlan County Reservoir87 mi · NebraskaBest now until 12 pm

75Worth the trip

Tuttle Creek Lake105 mi · KansasBest now until tomorrow 9 pm

68Marginal

Lake McConaughy (Ogallala)234 mi · NebraskaBest tomorrow 2 am–8 pm

68Marginal

Grand Lake o' the Cherokees254 mi · OklahomaBest tonight 11 pm to tomorrow 9 pm

80Worth the trip

Lewis and Clark Lake277 mi · NebraskaBest tonight 10 pm to tomorrow 9 pm

68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Wilson Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Wilson Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Wilson Lake?

Wilson Lake is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Wilson Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Wilson Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Wilson Lake have?

Wilson Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Wilson Reservoir: 2 striped bass a day; wipers 5 a day; walleye and black bass 15" minimum, 5 a day; no limit on white bass.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Wilson Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Wilson Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Wilson Lake tidal water?

No. Wilson Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.