CHENEY RESERVOIR, Kan. _ Mark Fowler has fished Cheney Reservoir hundreds of times in the past 24 years. In some ways, he's never seen the lake better than it's been this year.
"For numbers of big wipers, this is probably as good as I've ever seen," Fowler said as he tried to subdue an eight-pounder as he fished during Monday's eclipse. "They're so big. So solid. That's what, at least 15, 20 that size today."
But there was more to the day than just one species.
Through a trip timed to coincide with the solstice, Fowler boated several white bass to at least 16 } inches. Even the white perch, the smallest species of the day, measured to 12 inches. Both species, Fowler said, were the best he'd ever seen in the lake.
Big numbers of big fish seems to be a common theme at the reservoir west of Wichita this year.
Here's a look at the lake's population of wiper, white bass, white perch and walleye.
