Fishing for some species at Clinton Lake this year will be good, and for other species not so good.

That’s the prognosis of Richard Sanders, district fisheries biologist for Wildlife and Parks, based on electrofishing and net samplings.

“Fishing for crappie should be similar to last year, which was fairly good,” Sanders said. “Statewide, Clinton ranked fourth among reservoirs in adult crappie density, so angling for crappie should at least be fair.”

Sanders reports higher numbers of white bass were captured in 2001 than in the previous three years with a good mix of sizes observed. Clinton ranked second in the state for adult white bass density and Sanders lists white bass prospects as good.

Same goes for channel catfish.

“In recent years, channel catfish have trended downward in size and upward in abundance,” Sanders said. “Anglers have enjoyed good to excellent fishing during past years, and this year should be good, but many will be small.”

Clinton received 3.5 million walleye fry and 105,000 fingerlings last year.

“Currently, the population is comprised primarily of small to intermediate-size walleye of moderate density,” Sanders said. “Even though the walleye population is down, anglers reported some success last year, at times catching limits during the summer pattern. That shouldn’t change this year.”

Kansas reservoirs generally are poor largemouth bass lakes. Turbid, wind-swept waters create feeding and spawning problems. The largemouth bass population bottomed out at Clinton in 1986 and hasn’t changed much, if at all.

“Electrofishing catch rates have been low ever since and 2001 samples continued this trend,” Sanders said. “Tournament bass anglers have success at Clinton, but for the rest of us the bass fishing will be poor, as it has been for a long time.”