Fishing El Dorado Lake in Butler County, Kansas

• Overview

  El Dorado Lake stands in Butler County, Kansas. The bank is 1,342 feet above sea level. It covers about 11.7 sq miles, which means weather matters as much as tactics. You have roughly 48 miles of edge to choose from, which rewards a scouting trip. Nothing else we list in Butler County covers more water. The closest town, El Dorado, is 4.7 miles distant. Towanda lies 12 miles off, Augusta another 16 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on El Dorado Lake

  60 ft is what our records show. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Across Butler County, recorded fish include orangethroat darter, green sunfish, bluegill and flathead catfish. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On El Dorado Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 79°F at the top of summer and 29°F at the bottom of winter. The season stretches long at both ends here. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. El Dorado Lake fishes to that pattern most years. A rising level after rain switches things on for a day or two.

• Tackle & Baits

  It is in public hands, so the usual state rules apply. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Augusta Lake, 15 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For El Dorado Lake in particular, ask before you travel.