Butler State Fishing Lake: Fishing & Camping Guide

Butler State Fishing Lake is a tidy little Flint Hills fishery in the tallgrass country of south-central Kansas. The 124-acre lake sits in 196 acres of rolling prairie a few miles north of Latham in Butler County, and at 22 feet deep with motorboat access and a good mix of fish, it offers more than its modest size suggests. Add free primitive camping along the whole north shore and it’s an easy, low-cost weekend on the water.

This guide covers Butler State Fishing Lake – the fishing, the camping, and what’s nearby. It’s part of our growing Kansas Lakes Database.

Table of Contents

Butler State Fishing Lake at a glance
Fishing Butler State Fishing Lake
Camping and access
Getting there and what’s nearby
Frequently asked questions
How big is Butler State Fishing Lake?
What fish can you catch at Butler State Fishing Lake?
Can you camp at Butler State Fishing Lake?
Where is Butler State Fishing Lake?

Butler State Fishing Lake at a glance

Size: 124 acres within 196 acres of Flint Hills prairie, about 3 miles west and 1 mile north of Latham in Butler County, south-central Kansas
Depth: up to 22 feet; motorboat access
Managed by: Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP)
Top fish: channel catfish, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, walleye, crappie, bluegill, redear and green sunfish
Camping: free primitive camping along the entire north side (picnic tables, shade shelters, pit toilets, potable water)
Access: three earthen fishing jetties give bank anglers a reach into deeper water

Fishing Butler State Fishing Lake

For a small Flint Hills lake, Butler carries a deep roster: channel catfish and big flathead catfish, largemouth bass, walleye, crappie, bluegill and both redear and green sunfish. Three earthen fishing jetties push shore anglers out toward deeper water, and the 22-foot maximum depth gives fish somewhere to hold through summer. Work the points and jetties for walleye and bass, the channel for catfish, and the shallows for panfish. Anglers 16 to 74 need a Kansas fishing license; check the current KDWP report and any posted limits.

Camping and access

The entire north side of the lake is open to free primitive camping, with picnic tables, shade shelters, pit toilets and potable water – a notch more comfortable than the average state fishing lake. It’s a relaxed, no-reservations kind of place. As with any warm Kansas lake, watch for summer blue-green algae advisories and avoid visible scum.

Getting there and what’s nearby

The lake is just north of Latham in southern Butler County, an easy drive southeast of Wichita and south of El Dorado. For bigger water nearby, El Dorado Lake – the largest in the region – is a short drive north, and Cheney lies to the west.