Gone Fishing

Here in Kansas we seem to finally be rounding that corner into summer.  For me this brings to mind memories of camping, fishing, and lazy afternoons relaxing and reading a good book.  For those of you looking for Kansas camping sites and fishing holes, you've come to the right place.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism is a great resource for those wanting to travel about Kansas looking for the perfect camping/fishing spot.  On their website you can learn about Mined Land Wildlife Area in Pittsburgh, Ks.  The majority of this land was surface mined for coal from 1924 all the way into the 1970's.  So in addition to the fishing, camping, wildlife viewing and mushroom picking you can do at Mined Land Wildlife Area, you can also see Big Brutus, an eleven million pound coal shovel that is open to the public.

Another campground that's said to be one of the best in Kansas is at Pomona State Park located in Vassar, KS.  The lake came into exsistence thanks to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the park is in an area with historical connections to the Santa Fe Trail.  Pomona State Park is only 30 miles south of Topeka and has a great family atmosphere.  It has over 200 primitive camp sites and 142 utility sites.  While camping you can acess many recreational activities, such as three hiking trails, the swim beach, volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoe pits and a nine-hole disc golf course.

Depending on the individual parks and campsites, some will charge a daily fee for camping.  And if you are planning on doing some fishing, don't forget to pick up your fishing permit.  If you are between the ages of 16 to 74, this permit will cost you about $20 and will expire on December 31st.  You can also purchase temporary or lifetime permits for a different price.  Go to http://www.kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/Fishing/Fishing-Application-and-Fees to find specific details about fishing permits in Kansas.

Hopefully you get to enjoy the summer, whether you are out of school for 3 months, or just making the best of the weekends.  Don't forget to stop by the library to check out our books about camping and fishing, and to snag a few of your favorite novels to read while you're waiting for the fish to bite!

Photo credit: Express-Times File Photo | Bill Adams