Hello, talk to me about Kansas

Hello folks,

First off please allow me to assure you that I am not just internet trolling around, we are serouisly looking into kansas.

I am from Iowa born and raised. It looks like in a couple years I might have the oppertunity to move west and I am pretty sure its going to be Kansas.

But where is still up in the air. The wife and I are bird hunters with shorthairs. So that is our biggest concern well hers anyway. But mine is Fishing. And crappie fishing more importantly.

So I am looking for a good crappie lake. I dont have too many requirements other than those two. Well of course the other would be a job but heck I can come up with one of those, somewhere. Oh yea I am thinking southern Kansas but thats just because I am tired of the Iowa winters and want something warmer, but not too hot during the summer. The wife hates summer.

So If you dont mind do you have any suggestions on any crappie lakes that a person can catch fish regularly?

Thanks for your time and any suggestions.

Clint

KDWP website would be a better resource for this type of info, but IMHO...

Crappie fishing is good in Kansas wherever there is water, which is mostly the eastern 1/3 of the state. Bird hunting is best in the western 2/3 of the state. That's not to say there aren't exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking...

I don't think you can stick a pin in a map and say, "this spot is both the best bird hunting and crappie fishing spot in Kansas". If I had to pick a place that would be the best compromise, I would say the Glen Elder area.

Good luck not finding "too hot during the summer." Kansas is one of those states that gets all 4 seasons....sometimes in the same week. Winters aren't near as bad as Iowa, but we still get the sub-zero temps and snow. Summertime is 100+ with 100% humidity and it's almost always 30-40mph winds....lovely weather.

As far as hunting and fishing opportunities....you can find it pretty much anywhere in the state. There's not too many places you could live that would be more than 2 hours away from a great fishing lake, there's several throughout the state. As mentioned, the eastern half of the state probably has better fishing.

Ditto on Glen Elder. Lots of pheasants and crappie.

Be aware that Kansas summers can be brutal. I have lived in Mississippi and Alabama - along with New York City and some other places. For a couple of weeks in the summer it will be hotter in Kansas than it is in Alabama or Mississippi. Those states have more 90+ degree days, but we generally have more 100+ degree days.

Pete

I would say alot of that has to do with the size of town you want to live in. Wichita is the workforce center of KS outside of KC and you can drive to several lakes and ok hunting within an hour. If you are willing to work in a smaller town then Marion, Lindsborg, Beliot and even Manhattan and Salina would be good options for little bigger towns. Lindsborg would be my choice but anything along the I 135 coridor will work. That is kind of your dividing line between good hunting west and more lakes east (althought there are many good lakes just west of the highway) Winters are cold and summers are hot but still a great state to live in.

Here's my 'two cents' worth for a recipe for true happiness....You take the dogs and the boat and go somewhere's out close to "The Glen"........Send her and all your other 'crap' somewhere around downtown Kansas City.....just funnin' good luck

The Kirwin area wouldn't be a bad place to land for birds and fish either ;).

If you dont mind ghost towns

chanute ks

As for a place to move I would want to be in driving distance of Glen Elder for the bird hunting...as far as employment you would probably want to look around one of the larger city Salina, Wichita, Newton, Topeka or something along those lines depending on what your field is......Glen Elder area has lots of birds and from what I have read here and other places seems to have good crappie. Can also check out Hays area lots of peasants out that way and not too bad of drive to several lakes....Wilson, cedar bluff, Webster, Kirwin, glen elder(waconda lake), kanopolis

If your from Iowa you don"t have much for quail. South west or south east KS should work I would imagine you've shot enough dich parrots the quail hunting in that country is the best in the wheat state and big hill or toronto are not bad lakes to have as your home lake

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Originally Posted by birddog one

If your from Iowa you don"t have much for quail. South west or south east KS should work I would imagine you've shot enough dich parrots the quail hunting in that country is the best in the wheat state and big hill or toronto are not bad lakes to have as your home lake

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Interesting analogy, but I can 2nd that.

If you go the southeast Kansas route to find the quail, I hope you are good at networking. If you can get access to private land, the hunting can be unreal.:D Public land/WIHA down there... not so good:o... Proximity to KC, Topeka, Wichita, and Missouri gets the public land hammered down there. That's my experience anyway.

Still, the fishing is awfully good and there are a zillion farm ponds to hop when the lakes get crowded.

Concordia KS!!!!

I prefer the flinthills... It has the best of everything to me except for pheasants.... its got quail...ducks ...geese... and lots of crappie within in an hours drive... melvern...pomona...clinton...hillsdale...toronto.. .redmond...etc...etc...oh and by the way.... its got monster deer!!!

Even though I moved to eastern Kansas from the Hays area I still think Hays and surrounding areas are the best. Plenty of pheasants, dove and quail and close enough to fish several lakes. Webster, Wilson, Cedar Bluff and Glen Elder are all close enough for a weekend trip. As far as bird hunting, it is very easy to get permission to hunt land back there. Around Plainville and Stockton it would be odd to be denied permission to hunt land. Easy going lifestyle and all the good things in life in one place!

That being said, the downside to living back there is less than good wages and the same cost of living as eastern Kansas. The compensation in western kansas is a joke! In both my wife's and my career choices we can almost triple our wages living in eastern Kansas and still pay the same "cost of living" as in the Hays area. That is why we are in eastern Kansas and not in Hays any longer.
I sure do miss the access to hunting and fishing in western Kansas though!

Keith

I've lived in every piece of Kansas except the NW part and I haven't found a bad one yet. Like someone said, depends on the size or town you want, me, I live NW of Topeka in the country, have the best of both worlds, lots of stuff to do in T-town and out here, it's just me, the deer and turkeys and don't have to put up with the kid next door with a loud stereo. Best hunting for feathers, turkeys are pretty much all over, west for pheasants, SE for quail, central if you like a mixed bag. Best fishing, flint hills watersheds, but you have to know someone, they're all private. Next best, anyplace in Eastern part of the state, there's lots of big water, state and county lakes and lots of streams. Now don't tell this to all your buddies, we're trying to sort of keep this to ourselves, but Kansas has some of the best outdoor sports in the Nation! Plus, some of the best people, so come on down.

I have traveled and fished all over kansas and the best advice I can give is move to Mo.

if you are retired folks Glen Elder area is a good choice. We live in Cawker City five miles west of Glen Elder. Quiet community we enjoy watching the wildlife run near our backyard. We are on the east end of Cawker. There is a lot of good fishing in Glen Elder Lake. Lots of good hunting pheasants, deer, and turkey in the area. Downs is nice little community to shop. We love it here. We are 85 miles from Hays, Salina, and Hastings, Nebraska for bigger places to shop. Beloit has a newly remoded hospital and a wonderful medical clinic. Glen Elder, Cawker City have many churches and the people are wonderful.

If you are retired, the Glen Elder area is the place to consider. The lake offers and good fishing and hunting. There are plenty of pheasants, deer and turkey in the area. We live in Cawker City and quiet community and we love to watch the deer, turkey, and other wildlife near our back yard. Beloit is nearest larger community it offers good medical center, newly remodled hospital, and churches of choice. Here is Cawker City we are 85 miles from Hays, Salina, and Hastings, Nebraska for shopping area or other needs. There are several houses for sell in Glen Elder. Not many homes to rent to speak of. The people are friendly and make you feel like family.