Louisburg-Middle Creek State Fishing Lake is a roomy, diverse fishery hiding in plain sight just south of the Kansas City metro. At 281 acres, it’s one of the larger state fishing lakes, with a high-quality mix of bass, saugeye, wiper, crappie and catfish across several types of aquatic habitat. Add free primitive camping on the north shore and a double boat ramp, and it’s an easy, uncrowded escape barely 20 miles from the city – a quiet alternative to the busier metro reservoirs.
This guide covers Louisburg-Middle Creek State Fishing Lake – the fishing, the camping, and what’s nearby. It’s part of our growing Kansas Lakes Database.
- Louisburg-Middle Creek State Fishing Lake at a glance
- Fishing Louisburg-Middle Creek
- Camping and access
- Getting there and what’s nearby
- Frequently asked questions
- How big is Louisburg-Middle Creek State Fishing Lake?
- What fish can you catch at Louisburg-Middle Creek?
- Can you camp at Louisburg-Middle Creek State Fishing Lake?
- Where is Louisburg-Middle Creek State Fishing Lake?
Louisburg-Middle Creek State Fishing Lake at a glance
- Size: a 281-acre lake about 7 miles south of Louisburg in Miami County, eastern Kansas – roughly 20 miles south of the Kansas City metro
- Managed by: Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP)
- Top fish: largemouth bass, saugeye, white bass, wiper, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish – a diverse, high-quality sport fishery
- Camping: free primitive camping on the north side only; ten designated sites with picnic tables and fire rings, plus a vault toilet (no water, electricity or trash service)
- Facilities: a double boat ramp, gravel pullouts, picnic tables and fire rings
- Appeal: a quiet, near-metro fishery with varied habitat
Fishing Louisburg-Middle Creek
This is one of the better-rounded state fishing lakes in eastern Kansas. Its varied habitat supports a genuinely diverse sport fishery: largemouth bass, saugeye, white bass, wiper, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish. The size and structure give fish room to spread out and give anglers plenty to explore. Work the points and flats for bass and saugeye, open water for wiper and white bass, and brush for crappie. Anglers 16 to 74 need a Kansas fishing license; check the current KDWP report before you go.
Camping and access
Camping is free and primitive, allowed on the north side only (the south side is closed to camping), with ten designated sites – each with a picnic table and fire ring – and a vault toilet. There’s no drinking water, no electricity and no trash pickup, so pack in and pack out. A double boat ramp makes launching easy. 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 about 7 miles south of Louisburg, an easy drive south of Overland Park and the Kansas City metro. For a bigger reservoir nearby, Hillsdale Lake – with its marina, camping and trails – is just to the west in Miami County, and the renovated Lake Olathe sits to the north.
Frequently asked questions
How big is Louisburg-Middle Creek State Fishing Lake?
About 281 acres, 7 miles south of Louisburg in Miami County, roughly 20 miles south of the Kansas City metro.
What fish can you catch at Louisburg-Middle Creek?
A diverse sport fishery: largemouth bass, saugeye, white bass, wiper, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish.
Can you camp at Louisburg-Middle Creek State Fishing Lake?
Yes – free primitive camping is allowed on the north side only, with ten designated sites (picnic tables and fire rings) and a vault toilet, but no water, electricity or trash service.
Where is Louisburg-Middle Creek State Fishing Lake?
In Miami County in eastern Kansas, about 7 miles south of Louisburg, south of the Kansas City metro.
Related: explore more small lakes of Kansas, or nearby waters like Hillsdale and Lake Olathe – or head back to the Kansas Lakes Database.
