Osage State Fishing Lake is an easy-to-reach prairie lake just south of Topeka, popular with catfish anglers from the capital area. The 140-acre lake sits in northern Osage County near Carbondale, ringed by tallgrass prairie and wooded draws across more than 500 acres of public ground. With channel catfish, bass, crappie and wiper, free lakeside camping and good shore access, it’s a reliable, low-key spot for a day or weekend on the water.
This guide covers Osage State Fishing Lake – the fishing, the camping, and what’s nearby. It’s part of our growing Kansas Lakes Database.
- Osage State Fishing Lake at a glance
- Fishing Osage State Fishing Lake
- Camping and access
- Getting there and what’s nearby
- Frequently asked questions
- How big is Osage State Fishing Lake?
- What fish can you catch at Osage State Fishing Lake?
- Can you camp at Osage State Fishing Lake?
- Where is Osage State Fishing Lake?
Osage State Fishing Lake at a glance
- Size: about 140 acres of water within roughly 506 acres of public land, 3 miles south of Carbondale in northern Osage County, east-central Kansas
- Setting: tallgrass prairie with numerous wooded draws and slopes (purchased 1955)
- Managed by: Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP)
- Top fish: channel catfish, black bass, crappie and wiper
- Facilities: fishing piers, fish feeders, a boat ramp and dock on the west side
- Camping: free primitive camping in designated areas
Fishing Osage State Fishing Lake
Channel catfish are the most popular target here, backed by black bass, crappie and hard-pulling wiper. The fish feeders and piers on the west side make bank fishing productive, and the prairie-and-timber shoreline gives bass and crappie plenty of cover. Work the channel and feeders for catfish, the points for bass, and open water for wiper. Anglers 16 to 74 need a Kansas fishing license; check the current KDWP report before you go.
Camping and access
Osage offers free primitive camping in designated areas on the west side, alongside the boat ramp, dock and fishing piers. It’s a simple, no-frills setup – bring what you need – but the prairie setting and easy access from Topeka make it a popular local getaway. 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 3 miles south of Carbondale, a short drive south of Topeka in east-central Kansas. For bigger reservoirs nearby, the wooded Pomona Lake lies just to the south in the same county, and Melvern Lake is a short drive farther south.
Frequently asked questions
How big is Osage State Fishing Lake?
About 140 acres of water within roughly 506 acres of public land, 3 miles south of Carbondale in northern Osage County, east-central Kansas.
What fish can you catch at Osage State Fishing Lake?
Channel catfish are the most popular, along with black bass, crappie and wiper.
Can you camp at Osage State Fishing Lake?
Yes – free primitive camping is allowed in designated areas, with fishing piers, fish feeders and a boat ramp on the west side.
Where is Osage State Fishing Lake?
In northern Osage County in east-central Kansas, 3 miles south of Carbondale, just south of Topeka.
Related: explore more small lakes of Kansas, or nearby reservoirs like Pomona and Melvern – or head back to the Kansas Lakes Database.
