Fishing Merritt Lake in Leavenworth County, Kansas

• Overview

  Look for Merritt Lake in Leavenworth County, Kansas. Land around it is rolling hill. The water measures roughly 6 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Ground here is low by Kansas standards. Leavenworth at 2.5 miles is the nearest place to stop. Weston follows at 4.5 miles, then Lansing at 7 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Merritt Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Survey and observation records for Leavenworth County include orangespotted sunfish, green sunfish, black bullhead, channel catfish and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Merritt Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 78°F and January near 27°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Plan any trip to Merritt Lake around it. The hour either side of first light is rarely wasted.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Smith Lake is 0.2 miles off. Nothing on Merritt Lake should be assumed from this page alone.