Shawnee Mission Lake in Johnson County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Shawnee Mission Lake is one of the Johnson County waters in Kansas. It sits in open valley. The water covers some 117 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. About 2.4 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. On our Johnson County list it sits near the top for size. Lenexa sits 4.3 miles from the bank. For a city, Overland Park is 6.8 miles off. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Shawnee Mission Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Open biodiversity records for Johnson County list green sunfish, bluegill, orangethroat darter and longear sunfish. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Read Shawnee Mission Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 28°F to 79°F. Spring and autumn are the strongest, but nothing is truly closed. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Plan around that when you fish Shawnee Mission Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. There are picnic tables recorded roughly half a mile off. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Lenexa Rose's Pond is 2.6 miles off. Rules at Shawnee Mission Lake are worth checking on the day.