Kaw Lake Fishing
ODWC-sized 23,610-acre reservoir spread over Kay and Osage counties.
Pick for black crappiePiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: usacetulsa, CC BY 2.0
The vital stats of Kaw Lake
The ODWC page puts 23,610 acres of water in Kaw Lake, a reservoir of Kay and Osage counties. ODWC lists 74 feet at the deepest spot. Its banks stretch 149 miles; volume stands at 428,600 acre-feet. ODWC lists U.S. Corps of Engineers as operator. Kaw City, the nearest Census place, lies about 4 miles off.
Trailers go in at 14 boat ramps on the Corps map. The Corps also maps 2 fishing piers and areas. It sits in the ODWC Northeast Region.
Acres, depth, shoreline and volume as printed on the ODWC Where To Fish page. ODWC Where To Fish page, wildlifedepartment.com, read November 3, 2026. Census 2023 places.
ODWC page details for Kaw Lake
- Location (ODWC)Kaw Lake is located 11 miles east of Ponca City on SH 11.
- Facilities (ODWC)U.S. Corps of Engineers manages campgrounds and boat ramps.
- Campgrounds ODWC listsKaw USACE
- ADA fishing accessNamed on the ODWC accessible fishing list
- Lake map: OWRB map sheet for the lakeOklahoma Water Resources Board
This band quotes the ODWC listing for Kaw Lake.
ODWC Where To Fish page, wildlifedepartment.com, read November 3, 2026. OWRB lake map PDF.
ODWC species roll call for the Kaw Lake
ODWC names these fish for Kaw Lake on its page, in its stocking reports or in its record table; the list is not a creel survey.
ODWC Where To Fish page (Fish Species of Interest), ODWC stocking reports 2024-2025 and the ODWC record table; read November 3, 2026.
For the black crappie herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Ramps around the Kaw Lake shoreline
- Bear Creek Cove Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake1 lane, concrete, USACE use fee
- Burbank Landing Northern Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake1 lane, concrete
- Burbank Landing Southern Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake1 lane, concrete
- Coon Creek Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake2 lanes, concrete, USACE use fee
- Mcfadden Cove Campground Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake1 lane, concrete, courtesy dock, USACE use fee
- Noc Cove Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake1 lane, concrete, USACE use fee
- Osage Cove Southern Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake2 lanes, concrete, courtesy dock, USACE use fee
- Osage Cove Western Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake1 lane, concrete, USACE use fee
- Pioneer Park Northern Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake1 lane, concrete
- Pioneer Park Southern Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake3 lanes, concrete
- Sandy Park Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake1 lane, concrete, USACE use fee
- Sarge Creek Cove Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake2 lanes, concrete, courtesy dock, USACE use fee
- Traders Bend Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake1 lane, concrete
- Washuhga Bay Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake1 lane, concrete, courtesy dock, USACE use fee
Walking to the water at Kaw Lake
- Fishermens Bend Fishing Pier on Kaw Lakefishing pier
- Osage Cove Fishing Pier on Kaw Lakefishing pier
USACE Tulsa District recreation features (boat ramp layer, inventory year 2021), read November 3, 2026; USACE Tulsa District recreation features (fishing feature layer), read November 3, 2026.
Slips, fuel and fillet tables at Kaw Lake
- Mcfadden Cove Marinamarina
- Pioneer Park Marinamarina, private owner
For Kaw Lake, the Corps maps where marinas sit; ask them about slips and bait.
USACE Tulsa District recreation features (fishing feature layer), read November 3, 2026.
Pool elevation reported for Kaw Lake
The Corps morning report of 03 NOV 2026 @ 08:00 CDT put Kaw Lake at 1011.26 feet, against a conservation pool top of 1010.0 feet.
USACE Tulsa District Daily Morning Reservoir Report, reading of 03 NOV 2026 @ 08:00 CDT (one dated reading, not live; feet as printed, datum not printed).
ODWC truckloads that went into Kaw Lake
| Year | Species as printed | Number | Size (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hybrid Striped Bass | 154,432 | 2 |
| 2025 | Walleye | 112,608 | 1.5 |
| 2024 | Walleye | 85,459 | 1.5 |
Each row is an ODWC report line for Kaw Lake.
ODWC Fisheries Division Public Stocking Reports 2024 and 2025 (2025 report, 2024 report), species abbreviations as printed (LMB = largemouth bass), read November 3, 2026.
Daily and size limits at Kaw Lake
| Species | Daily limit | Size limit |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and/or Smallmouth Bass | 6 (combined) | 1 (one) over 16 inches |
| Spotted Bass | no daily limit | no size limit |
| Channel and/or Blue Catfish | 15 (combined) | Only 1 Blue Catfish over 30 inches |
| Flathead Catfish | 5 | no size limit |
| White and/or Black Crappie | 37 (combined) | no size limit |
| Striped Bass | 5 (except Lake Texoma) | no size limit |
| Striped Bass Hybrids | 20 | Only 5 fish over 20 inches |
| White Bass | no daily limit | no size limit |
| Trout | See trout regulations | no size limit |
| Walleye, Sauger and/or Saugeye | 6 (combined) | 14 inch minimum |
| Paddlefish | See paddlefish regulation | no size limit |
| Alligator Gar | 1 | no size limit |
For Kaw Lake, the statewide table holds except where the area rules below say otherwise.
Anglers 18 and older carry an Oklahoma fishing license ($31 annual for residents, $81 for nonresidents in 2026).
Limits as printed on the ODWC statewide daily and size limits page (2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations (ODWC); PDF), read November 3, 2026. ODWC License Options and Fees, read November 3, 2026.
Lakes near Kaw Lake in one table
Of the five closest Oklahoma lakes with pages, Sooner Lake is largest at about 5,400 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth (ft) | Corps ramps | Piers and areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaw Lake | 23,610 | 74 | 14 | 2 | |
| Lake Ponca | 8 miles southwest | 778 | 0 | 0 | |
| Fairfax City Lake | 17 miles southeast | 111 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| Sooner Lake | 27 miles south | 5,400 | 74 | 0 | 0 |
| Bluestem Lake | 28 miles east | 865 | 57 | 0 | 0 |
| Pawhuska Lake | 31 miles east | 103 | 44 | 0 | 0 |
ODWC Where To Fish pages (acres, depth) or NHD outlines; USACE Tulsa District ramp and fishing layers; read November 3, 2026.
Close to the Kaw Lake shoreline
Neighbouring lakes around Kaw Lake
- Lake Ponca8 miles southwest
- Fairfax City Lake17 miles southeast
- Sooner Lake27 miles south
- Bluestem Lake28 miles east
- Pawhuska Lake31 miles east
Where ODWC sends Kaw Lake anglers for minnows
- Lakeview Campground, Boat Storage, Bait Shop & Store8865 Lake Rd, Ponca City, OK 74604, (580) 765-2219
- Walmart Supercenter (Ponca City)1101 E Prospect Ave, Ponca City, OK 74601, (580) 762-0395
- Grit & Grace Outdoors712 E 7th St, Newkirk, OK 74647, (580) 362-1016
- Bubba's Outdoor Sports515 W Doolin Ave, Blackwell, OK 74631, (580) 262-2275
- Academy (Stillwater)2409 N Perkins Rd, Stillwater, OK 74075, (405) 742-6010
- Lake McMurtry West Bait Shop30285 Bronco Curve, Stillwater, OK 74075, (405) 747-8085
- Keystone Lake Bait & Store998 W Oak Grove Rd, Cleveland, OK 74020, (918) 899-2649
- Walmart Supercenter (Stillwater)4545 W 6th Ave, Stillwater, OK 74074, (405) 707-0744
Minnows and nightcrawlers sold near Kaw Lake
- Pioneer Cove Marinamarina, Kaw City, 5 miles
- Lakeview Campground, Boat Storage, Bait Shop & Storebait and tackle shop, Ponca City, 7 miles
- Black Jacks Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Newkirk, 9 miles
- Bubba's Outdoor Sportsbait and tackle shop, Blackwell, 21 miles
- Boat Housemarina, Ponca City
- McFadden Cove Marinamarina, Ponca City
Fishing guides working Kaw Lake
- B-Rad’s Guide Servicefishing guide, (580)362-6564
- Kaff Charters Llcfishing guide, (972)214-6142
- Kaw Lake Fishing Guide Servicefishing guide, (580)327-7796
- Keystone Lake Paddlefish Chartersfishing guide, (918)798-6425
- Lance's Guide Servicefishing guide, (918)607-7357
- Lucky Catz Fishingfishing guide, (405)679-8646
- Paul Tennies Guide Servicefishing guide, (405)408-3474
- Paul’s Guide Servicefishing guide, (918)338-9106
Sooner towns that sit near Kaw Lake
- Newkirk9 miles
- Ponca City10 miles
- Fairfax20 miles
County guides tied to Kaw Lake
- Kay Countyseat: Newkirk
- Osage Countyseat: Pawhuska
Bait & Tackle Nearby on the ODWC page, wildlifedepartment.com, read November 3, 2026.
Reels from Piscifun lined up for a trip to Kaw Lake
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A field guide in photos for Kaw Lake fish
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Kaw Lake questions from the bait counter
How do I find Kaw Lake on an Oklahoma map?
Kaw Lake is located 11 miles east of Ponca City on SH 11. ODWC places it in Kay and Osage counties, about 4 miles from Kaw City.
Is Kaw Lake a big lake by Oklahoma standards?
ODWC gives 23,610 acres, with a maximum depth of 74 feet.
How many Corps ramps does Kaw Lake have?
Bear Creek Cove Boat Ramp on Kaw Lake is among 14 boat ramps on the Corps map.
Which species does ODWC list for Kaw Lake?
Named fish include white bass, black crappie, white crappie, blue catfish, flathead catfish, channel catfish and striped bass.
How many black bass does ODWC let me carry off Kaw Lake?
Largemouth and/or Smallmouth Bass: 6 (combined) a day; size rule 1 (one) over 16 inches.
Does an out-of-state angler need a license at Kaw Lake?
Anglers 18 and older carry an Oklahoma fishing license ($31 annual for residents, $81 for nonresidents in 2026).
Is Kaw Lake friendly to anglers on foot?
The Corps maps 2 piers and fishing areas, such as Fishermens Bend Fishing Pier on Kaw Lake.
Can I grab minnows on the drive to Kaw Lake?
First on the ODWC bait list: Lakeview Campground, Boat Storage, Bait Shop & Store, 8865 Lake Rd, Ponca City, OK 74604.
Is Kaw Lake above or below its conservation pool?
Our last Corps reading: 1011.26 feet (03 NOV 2026 @ 08:00 CDT), 2.1% occupied; the report updates daily.
Hitch up the glitter boat for Kaw Lake
Fees, area rules and border notes are on the license page.