Hook, line and sinker: 10 spots you can go fishing in the Kansas City metro this summer
Dust off your fishing rods and casting lines. It’s time to go fishing.
Plenty of lakes surround the Kansas City metro, all within driving distance. Take a day to catch some fish at these lakes.
If fishing isn’t your thing, these lakes also serve as a great spot to cool off in Kansas City’s hot summer temperatures. Before you go, make sure you have fishing and boating permits in Kansas and Missouri.
All lakes are free to the public unless noted otherwise.
KANSAS FISHING SPOTS
Clinton Lake: The lake in Lawrence was named a top destination in the U.S. for spring fishing trips by travel site Fishing Booker. It’s $5 per vehicle to enter and you can catch bass, catfish and crappie here.
The marina is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays and closed on Mondays. Fishing is allowed at all hours.
Hillsdale Lake: This lake is 30 miles away from downtown Kansas City, and features 4,500 acres of water and 51 miles of shoreline, all open for fishing. Bass, catfish, crappie and walleye can be caught here. The marina is open every day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. except on Saturdays, when it closes at 8:30 p.m. Fishing is allowed at all hours.
Kill Creek Park: Located off Kansas 10 highway on the way to Lawrence, the park features a 27-acre lake to go along with a swimming beach and marina. You must have a local and state permit to fish here, which costs $6 for a one-day pass for Kansas residents and $10 for non-residents. You can also call 913-438-7275 to get a fishing permit.
While it’s free to enter the park and fish, entry to the beach costs:
$4 for residents 12 and under and 60 and older, and $6 for residents ages 13-59.
$6 for non-residents 12 and under and 60 and older, and $8 for non-residents ages 13-59.
Shawnee Mission Park Lake: One of Johnson County’s largest county parks with a 120-acre lake to fish for trout, crappie and panfish. It’s open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day until Halloween, and then it’s open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. through February. You can call 913-438-7275 to get a fishing permit, and you will need local and state permits to fish.
Wyandotte County Lake: the 400-acre lake is great for fishing of all expert levels. The lake even features a kids’ fishing pond. Bass, catfish, bluegill and crappie are all up for grabs here.
Permits cost $20 for the season and $10 daily for Wyandotte County residents, and $40 for the season and $20 for daily passes for non-residents. It’s open from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. every day.
MISSOURI FISHING SPOTS
Blue Springs Lake: located in Fleming Park in Blue Springs. It’s 720 acres long, giving you plenty of space to catch fish. It’s open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, and fishing is allowed outside open hours.
Lake Jacomo: like Blue Springs Lake, it’s found at Blue Springs Lake and is 970 acres long. It’s open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, and fishing is allowed outside open hours. You can catch bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie and walleye.
James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area: The Missouri Department of Conservation oversees the 12 lakes in this Lee’s Summit area. The lakes range in size from one to 42 acres. It’s open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every Monday through Friday for Daylight Savings Time, and you can catch bass, catfish, crappie, bluegill and sunfish here.
Longview Lake: the 930-acre reservoir touches parts of Kansas City, Lee’s Summit, and Grandview. You can find fish like crappie and largemouth bass here. It’s open 1-7 p.m. every Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, and fishing is allowed outside open hours.
Smithville Lake: this 7,190-acre lake in Clay County is 20 miles north from downtown Kansas City. You’ll most likely catch bass, catfish or walleye here. There’s a $6 entrance fee for cars and $14 fee for boats to enter. You can fish at any point throughout the day.
MAKE IT A DAY TRIP
The lakes above are near the Kansas City metro. If you’re looking to get out of the city and fish, check out a few of these lakes in Missouri and Kansas:
Table Rock Lake near Branson
Lake of The Ozarks in Missouri
El Dorado Lake in Kansas
Tuttle Creek Lake, five miles north of Manhattan, Kansas
For more likes around Kansas and Missouri, check out this guide.
This story was originally published July 22, 2023 at 6:30 AM.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed opening and closing times for fishing at the Kansas lakes. It has been updated to show the times listed are for marinas. An earlier version also gave the wrong location for Shawnee Mission Park Lake, which is in Johnson County. The story has also been updated to clarify entrance fees at Kill Creek lake are for the beach, not for fishing access.
