Heading out to King Lake this weekend to do some fishing?
If you do, you may not be alone after the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks designated the lake as open for fishing earlier this week. The move to open the lake to the public follows the creation of Emporia State’s Prophet Aquatic Research and Outreach Center in 2020 and 2021, which brought more attention to the lake as a potential fishing option according to Wildlife and Parks biologist Ben Neely on KVOE’s Newsmaker segment Friday.
Wildlife and Parks is partnering with Emporia State on this venture, and the partnership actually includes a study done earlier by ESU students which indicated good numbers of largemouth bass, bluegill and white crappie. The study also highlighted different management strategies in the future, including the stocking of channel cat and largemouth bass to balance the food web and enhance the experience for anglers. Rainbow trout may also be stocked to give some winter fishing opportunities.
And more study from ESU students is coming through this partnership. Jones Endowed Professor of Aquatic Sciences Rachel Bowes says fisheries management students have a lot of lake study ahead.
Residents can get to King Lake by using the Interstate 35 underpass off Highland Street. They can also use Burlingame Road to get to East 18th Avenue and drive west on 18th.
