The first thing I will do is visit the Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and parks website and copy their shocking results reports http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Fishing/Fishing-Forecast and paste into excel. I will grab all the data for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass in lakes and reservoirs and paste onto one spreadsheet.
Once it's in the spreadsheet I can then use the data sort function to filter the results. I will create several different versions and print them out. I will sort by preferred rating (highest to lowest), biggest fish, and both density ratings. Before I print out I will delete lines for lakes that have very poor numbers because I know I don't want to spend anytime fishing those lakes. Next, I will reprint last years reports as well (this is another benefit of creating spreadsheets - you can save them on your computer). Finally, I grab a highlighter and begin to review the reports. The first thing I do is look at this years results and take into account preferred rating, size, and overall density and I will highlight those lakes that score in the top 10 of each. Next, I will cross reference reports and see what lakes are top rated across the different categories. This helps to narrow my list of lakes I'd like to concentrate my free fishing days on this year. For each person their desires are different, so a lake might have an excellent density rating but all small fish, or an excellent density rating of large fish but not a great overall population. You can use these reports to seek out those lakes that appeal to your desires on numbers or size.
Next, I compare those lakes I've identified with what their results were from last year to see is it improving, declining, or steady. Sometimes you can see over a course of 3-4 years if a lake is getting pressure or not just by watching the results from year to year. I have kept records of the reports since 2004 so I can really look at trends on lakes. Obviously other factors will affect these reports, but again, the more information you can gather before you ever get to the water the better prepared you are for your time on the water.
The last step I take is to identify any lakes from the list that I am not already familiar with and use Google maps (see yesterday's blog) to learn more about the water. Where is it at? What does it look like from an aerial view? Where is the nearest town(s), food, gas, etc. Then I have to evaluate do the numbers justify a trip to try the lake based on where I live and the cost and time involved in trying the lake. Again, each of our budgets are different so this process helps you narrow down your results even more.
By the end of this process you should have a short list of 5 - 6 Kansas lakes that you have decided you'll focus on this year. This is the perfect time of year to plan a weekend driving trip to scout any of those lakes you aren't familiar with and take a camera and notebook. walk the shoreline and take pictures of any interesting features, exposed structure etc and make sure to take notes about your visit to the lake. Those notes and pictures will help you when you come back in the Spring and the water is up. Also - stop in any local gas stations, bait shops etc and see if you can get a lake map and any local advise or tips.
In closing, by doing your homework now, you'll make your fishing time more productive and therefore more enjoyable as well. Don't spend valuable time on the lake trying to learn about the lake or worse yet figuring out if there are even any fish in it - instead identify lakes with greater potential, scout them, and review your notes and pictures when you go to fish that lake.
Until next time - Tight Lines!
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