Fly Fishing Tuttle Creek Lake, Kansas: Zones, Seasons and Trip Plan
Location Details / Kansas / Tuttle Creek Lake
Fly Fishing Tuttle Creek Lake, Kansas: Zones, Seasons and Trip Plan
Tuttle Creek Lake is a 12,500-acre Corps of Engineers reservoir in the Flint Hills just north of Manhattan, Kansas. Fly fish it for crappie in timbered coves, largemouth in the southern coves and saugeye below the dam, plus stocked rainbow trout in Willow Lake, a Type 1 trout water inside Tuttle Creek State Park, December through March.
Tuttle Creek is big, windy prairie water, and the fly fishing lives at the edges: coves, timber and the river below the dam. The honest part: as of November 8, 2026, the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast has no episode on Tuttle Creek yet, so the facts below come from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), Recreation.gov and the USGS. Fish it? Come tell the story on the show.
Species
Crappie, white bass, largemouth bass, saugeye, blue, channel and flathead catfish; stocked rainbow trout in Willow Lake
Best months
April to June for crappie and white bass (our reading); Willow Lake trout December to March
Character
Large Flint Hills flood-control reservoir on the Big Blue River, with a tailwater and ponds below the dam
Nearest towns
Manhattan, Randolph
Nearest airports
Manhattan Regional (MHK); Kansas City (MCI)
Rule to know
Willow Lake is Type 1: every angler needs a trout permit December 1 to March 31
Tuttle Creek Lake Zone by Zone
Recreation.gov lists about 12,500 surface acres and 100 miles of shoreline, with eleven parks around it. KDWP's Tuttle Creek fishing page carries the current report.
Willow Lake, Tuttle Creek State Park
Willow Lake sits below the Tuttle Creek dam in the state park and gets stocked rainbow trout up to 3 pounds; KDWP's latest report lists a first stocking of 930 pounds of fish, from half a pound to over 2 pounds. The stocking schedule shows stockings in late November, early January and early February. Shore-friendly water for a 4- or 5-weight.
River Pond, Rocky Ford and the Tubes
Below the dam, KDWP names the River Pond, Rocky Ford and the "tubes" as good saugeye spots, with good shoreline access and fish caught year-round, especially during large releases. Saugeye run up to 6 pounds, and 29 percent of KDWP's fall sample topped 18 inches.
Southern Coves
KDWP reports locally good largemouth bass, 1 to 5 pounds, in coves in the southern third of the reservoir: McIntyre Cove is best, then Carnahan Cove. Our reading: work the cove edges with poppers and baitfish patterns from a kayak or boat in spring and fall.
Stockdale Cove Timber
Crappie rate good, half a pound to 2 pounds, after six years of good spawning and growth, and some anglers report success in the standing timber of Stockdale Cove. Fish small streamers under an indicator or on a slow-sinking line in the spring.
Upper Lake and the Big Blue
KDWP calls the upper lake and river the most consistent catfish water. White bass rate slow to fair.
Reading the Tailwater
Live gauge: USGS Big Blue River near Manhattan, below the dam. KDWP says the tubes fish best for saugeye during large releases. Our reading: when the gauge jumps, head for the tubes, stay on solid footing and keep off wet rock.
When to Fly Fish Tuttle Creek Lake
Only the Willow Lake row rests on agency dates (the permit season and listed stockings). The rest is our own reading, not survey data.
| Target | JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Lake trout | ||||||||||||
| Crappie | ||||||||||||
| White bass | ||||||||||||
| Largemouth in coves | ||||||||||||
| Saugeye below the dam |
Intensity:LightModerateHeavy
Blank cells mean not worth planning around.
Tuttle Creek Lake Rules to Know
- Willow Lake trout: a Type 1 water, so every angler needs a trout permit from December 1 to March 31; limit 5 trout a day (KDWP trout permit).
- Bass and saugeye: largemouth 18-inch minimum, 5 a day; saugeye 15-inch minimum, 5 a day. KDWP asks anglers to release any saugeye with a purple tag, part of a K-State movement study (KDWP Tuttle Creek).
- Crappie and catfish: crappie 50 a day; blue catfish 10 a day with only one 30 inches or longer; channel catfish 10 a day (KDWP Tuttle Creek).
- Invasive species: the lake, River Pond and Rocky Ford are designated aquatic invasive species waters for zebra mussels; fish may not be transported alive from them, and boats and gear should be cleaned, drained and dried (KDWP Tuttle Creek).
Plan a 3-Day Tuttle Creek Lake Trip
Base in Manhattan; the dam is about 5 miles north on US-24, per Recreation.gov.
Day 1: Shore
Willow Lake or the River Pond
December to March, fish Willow Lake for stocked rainbows with nymphs and buggers under a trout permit. The rest of the year, walk the River Pond shoreline for saugeye.
Day 2: Kayak or boat
McIntyre, Carnahan and Stockdale Coves
Spring is the call: crappie in the Stockdale timber in the morning, then poppers and Clousers along the southern cove edges for largemouth.
Day 3: Pick by flow
The Tubes or the Kansas River
If releases are up, fish the tubes and Rocky Ford for saugeye. If not, float or wade the Kansas River from the Linear Park/Blue River ramp in Manhattan for carp.
What to bring: a 4- or 5-weight for trout and crappie, a 7-weight for bass, saugeye and wind, a floating line plus a sink tip, an indicator, polarized glasses, a Kansas fishing license and, for Willow Lake in season, a trout permit.
Want it planned for you?
Book a Local Pro at Tuttle Creek Lake
Guide, outfitter or shop near Manhattan? Get listed. No FFIP Certified pro is listed at Tuttle Creek yet. Put your business in front of anglers planning this lake.
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Plan a Trip with Frontiers
Frontiers does not book Tuttle Creek. We represent many great lodges through Frontiers International Travel, roughly 250 worldwide, so ask them where to go next.
Tuttle Creek Lake Tips from Podcast Guests
No guest has fished Tuttle Creek on the show; these are transferable stillwater tips.
-
Dangle balanced minnows and set fast for walleye
Phil Rowley, Kamloops stillwater guide and author, on Episode 111 -
Target structure, points, and drop-offs on stillwater
Landon Mayer, Colorado trout guide and author, on EP #6 -
Fish a leech rig into wind-blown rocky banks and start shallow
Mr. Werbs, stillwater lake angler -
Use a spoken countdown to find and repeat the strike zone
Jon Easdo, Colorado stillwater trout guide, on Migrating Your Fly Fishing to Stillwater -
Use tungsten-beaded blobs to hang tight and match zooplankton colors
Phil Rowley, Kamloops stillwater guide and author, on Episode 110
Browse every tip in the Fly Fishing Tips Library.
Hear It on the Podcast: Closest Episode
This is not a Tuttle Creek episode. It covers the stillwater habits that carry over, especially to Willow Lake trout.
Jon Easdo on moving to stillwater: midge stripping and leaving river habits behind. Read the episode notes.
Shop the Water: Flies for Tuttle Creek Lake
Baitfish patterns for saugeye, white bass and crappie, poppers for cove bass, and nymphs and worms for Willow Lake trout; our own reading of the water.
Clouser Minnow Freshwater Assortment
White Marabou Muddler, Size 8
Olive Black Woolly Bugger, Size 8
Brown Woolly Bugger, Size 8
Natural Deer Hair Popper, Size 8
Bead Head Pheasant Tail, Size 12
San Juan Power Worm, Size 12
Interchangeable Sink Tips
Tuttle Creek Lake Fly Fishing Questions, Answered
Where can you catch trout at Tuttle Creek?
Trout at Tuttle Creek means Willow Lake, a small KDWP-stocked lake below the Tuttle Creek dam in Tuttle Creek State Park. KDWP stocks rainbow trout up to 3 pounds there from late November into February, and the Kansas trout season runs December 1 through March 31. Willow Lake is a Type 1 water, so everyone needs a trout permit.
Where is the best saugeye fishing at Tuttle Creek?
KDWP names the River Pond, Rocky Ford and the "tubes" below the Tuttle Creek dam as good saugeye spots, especially during large releases. Shoreline access is good and saugeye are caught year-round, up to 6 pounds. Watch the USGS Big Blue River gauge near Manhattan to see when releases rise.
Can you fly fish Tuttle Creek Lake from shore?
Yes, at the right spots. Willow Lake, the River Pond and the water below the Tuttle Creek dam all offer shoreline fishing, and KDWP calls shoreline access for saugeye good. The main reservoir is 12,500 acres of open, windy water, so a kayak or boat makes the coves and standing timber far easier to fish.
Tuttle Creek or Lake Shawnee: which lake should you fly fish?
Choose Tuttle Creek Lake near Manhattan for a big reservoir with timbered coves, saugeye below the dam and Willow Lake trout under a Type 1 permit. Choose Lake Shawnee in Topeka for a compact 410-acre city lake with 16 fishing docks and good panfish. Both get stocked rainbow trout in winter.
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Tight lines, everyone!
By Christian Bacasa, host of the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast. Last reviewed November 2026.
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