By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
If you are looking for a good fishing outing in Great Bend, you are better off at Stone Lake rather than Veterans Lake.
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks visited Great Bend last week and threw out their survey gill nets in both bodies of water. At Stone Lake, there was a good showing of bass and bluegill. Great Bend Public Lands Director Scott Keeler said several striped bass were stocked into Stone Lake a few years back and many of them caught last week were up to 22 inches long.
Keeler added fishing conditions are not as good at Veterans Lake with mostly a large population of small crappie fish.
"On a good note, Fish and Game stocked Vets Lake with two to three-inch length Saugeye fish," said Keeler. "Since that time, they have almost doubled in size. With them being a predator fish, it will improve the ratio of bait fish to predator fish. It will be nice for the anglers out there to have a sport fish to go after."
Stone Lake has areas of water that goes down to 28 feet deep. Keeler estimated Vets Lake might be nine feet deep. Vets Lake was an old sandpit that was converted into a storm-water catch basin that still has its challenge of staying blue-green algae free.
Despite the less desirable fishing conditions compared to Stone Lake, the location and amenities keep Vets Lake well used.
"You have everything from walkers and runners," said Keeler. "The dog park is really popular. There's the walking trail and workout equipment on the north side. Then there's the playground equipment on the south side. We see people out there all day long."
A $680,000 splash pad, funded through the .15% quality of life sales tax, is expected to be installed on the north side of Veterans Park next spring.
With no storm water entering Stone Lake, Keeler said the lake is mostly pristine water for this area. The depth allows for a larger variety of fish and there is more cover to provide a larger survival rate for when the fish lay eggs.