SD Missouri River Fishing Report

Lots of good fishing up and down the MO!
If you’re fishing in Pierre/Ft. Pierre on August 10th, the Street Master Car Show & Ice Cream Social will be happening 7PM – 8PM in the boat ramp parking lot of the Oahe Downstream Recreation Area. Vote for your favorite classic car and grab some ice cream while you’re at it!

This week’s Missouri River Fishing Report is sponsored by Allen’s Missouri River Fishing Guide & Hillside Motel (http://www.allenshillside.com/) in Chamberlain, SD. Conveniently located right off I-90, Allen’s Fishing Guide service is equipped to host large and small groups.

Temps for the rest of this week are mainly in the upper 70s leading into the weekend. Partly and mostly cloudy skies all week! This is a small reprieve from those big heat wave days.

All our best,
The SD Missouri River Tourism Team

Subscribe to the Missouri River Tourism Newsletter (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/newsletter-signup/)
The water levels on Lake Oahe are high and full, but the Oahe dam has begun releasing water again into Lake Sharpe. Check with USACE (https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/Dam-and-Lake-Projects/Missouri-River-Dams/Oahe/)  for release times and also with SD Game Fish & Parks (https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/fa1e6cd335d8425183944b9f1a03e01e/page/Ramps/) for boat ramp information.

Near Pollock (http://www.pollocksouthdakota.com/) and Mobridge (https://mobridge.org/) , fishing continues to be very good in the area. Please refer to last week’s update:
Depth has been 16-30 feet. Presentation has been using bouncers with spinner and crawlers, which seems to be producing well. Not many boats around.

Around Akaska (https://oahewings.com/?y_source=1_OTk3NzA2Ny03MTUtbG9jYXRpb24ud2Vic2l0ZQ%3D%3D) , the bite continues to get a little tougher for the eater-size fish. There seems to be no consistent pattern; start the day by searching with electronics until you find some fish, then try to catch them quickly. Once you find them, they won’t be there for a long time. Anglers are looking on the main river points in 25 -30 feet of water. Bouncers with a plain hook or a small spinner seem to be the best. Minnows will be starting again soon!
In the Whitlock Bay area near Gettysburg (https://www.cityofgettysburgsd.com/) , fishing is the same as it has been. Fish can be found in both shallow and deeper locations. Almost an all-nightcrawler bite, not using too many minnows now. Limits are still being met with over sizes. Average sizes are 17-19 inches. If you’re out early enough, you can be done by 10am, which will save you from the heat.
Around the Cheyenne River, Spring Creek (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/spring-creek-recreation-area/)  & Cow Creek (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/cow-creek-recereation-area/)  area, refer to last week’s update:
The bite around Cheyenne River is producing, but there is also a good bite to chase further south, just plan to put more time in for them. Cow Creek RA has been busy and catching has been good. The walleye have been deep and the smallmouth have been shallow. Milt’s Pond is currently stocked with smallmouth bass, all worm bite. For those who would rather cast, the glide bait is heating up. Catching all over on #7 WalleyeX Kamikaze in the birthday cake color. With all the bait in the system, some crazy colors could trigger full fish to bite.
Quality Catch in Cow Creek!
Photo curtesy of The Outpost Lodge (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/the-outpost-lodge/)
Salmon Update on Oahe
What started as a slow week on the water really fired up at the end. There were some outstanding days for salmon. Still plenty of really nice sized fish coming in this year. A couple of the biggest fish this week weighed in at 16.3 and 17.8. Expecting to see several 20lbs+ fish in another month or so. Overall, the situation is pretty much the same as it has been most of the year. Depth at 60-80 ft, with a few from the 85-100 range. It pays to spread your lines out until you get dialed in on the depth the fish are at. Color choice is still very inconsistent. Using mostly greens and yellows; others have reported a good bite on blues. The water is still refusing to stabilize. Whenever you find some decent water, it will warm up 2 to 3 degrees after a couple days and the fish move out of it. In spite of the difficulties with the water, it appears most people are finding salmon.
https://sdmissouririver.com/follow-the-river/the-four-lakes-and-dams/lake-sharpe/
For the Pierre (https://pierre.org/) /Fort Pierre (https://www.visitfortpierre.com/)  area, the bite on the lower end has good quality of fish, but it is very slow and you need work for them. Sutton Bay has been pretty tough to fish, but there are a lot of catfish in the area. Lake Sharpe continues to have its best bite in Hipple Lake and down at West Bend.

West Bend (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/west-bend-recreation-area/) area is producing some limits at all depths, with some fish being caught at around 25-35ft on most days. Some fish can be caught in shallower places if it’s windy.
https://sdmissouririver.com/follow-the-river/the-four-lakes-and-dams/lake-francis-case/
For Chamberlain (https://www.chamberlainsd.com/) , the area remains tough. Fast water below Bing Bend Dam is producing fish at night. Some scattered limits caught from Crow Creek to Big Bend dam. Depth is running 20-30 ft. Using bottom bouncers, spinners, and crawler.
Awesome group in Chamberlain, SD!
Photo curtesy of Allen’s Missouri River Guide & Hillside Motel (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/allens-missouri-river-guide-hillside-motel/)
http://www.allenshillside.com/
In lower Lake Francis Case near Geddes (http://www.geddessd.org/) , crank baits and nightcrawlers are still the best combination to put walleyes in the boat. Fish are ranging between 28-38 feet on the mud flats and in trees.
Around Bonesteel (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/pavels-walleye-camp/) , fishing has picked back up especially when there has been wind. Catching a few over the trees using nightcrawlers and jigs.
In the area of Lake Andes (https://lakeandesinn.com/) , Wagner (https://www.cityofwagner.org/)  and Pickstown (https://www.pickstown-sd.net/) , hot weather kept many anglers off the water, so please refer to last week’s update:
While many anglers swear by May and June for walleye, the Fort Randall Dam area and Pease Creek were excellent for fishing last week. Early mornings and late evenings remain prime times, and casting around weedy spots were especially rewarding. These areas are hotbeds for baitfish and fresh insect hatches — exactly what walleye love. In addition to walleye, anglers also brought home some impressive-sized trout and catfish.
https://sdmissouririver.com/follow-the-river/the-four-lakes-and-dams/lewis-and-clark-lake/

No new report for the Yankton (https://www.visityanktonsd.com/)  area from our angler contacts, but please be aware there has been major flooding in the southeast part of South Dakota. Check the SD Game, Fish & Parks Facebook for the latest updates.

Lake Oahe

·         Kemnitz MoRest Motel in Mobridge at 605-845-3668

·         Oahe Wings & Walleyes at 605-230-0280

·         Bob’s Resort in Gettysburg at 605-765-2500

·         South Whitlock Resort in Gettysburg at 605-765-9762

·         The Outpost Lodge in Pierre at 605-264-5450

·         Oahe Salmon Guide Service in Onida at 605-691-9020

Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe

·         Lip Ripper Fishing in Pierre at 402-689-9947

·         Hutch’s Guide Service at 605-220-2844

·         South Dakota Walleye Charters at 605-366-1875

Lake Francis Case

·         Allen’s South Dakota Fishing & Hunting at 800-435-5591

·         Platte Creek Lodge at 605-941-1679

·         Missouri River Lodge in Geddes at 605-680-3877

·         Lake Andes Inn Motel & RV Park at 605-418-9888

Lake Lewis and Clark

·         The Walleye Guys in Yankton 402-499-4936
Please note – this report is a snapshot in time and changes can occur quickly. We suggest you call one of our members listed above – they can be very helpful with what is happening along the river. That way you’ll be assured of a great trip!

Questions about boat ramp access? Check the SD Game, Fish & Parks (https://sdgfp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=79c3f941ae6c4abbbc6ac4b6987a06f5) interactive map. You’ll have to zoom in to the ramp you want to look at, and the information is regularly updated. It’s a great resource!

Help slow the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species! Check out the Game, Fish & Parks (https://gfp.sd.gov/) web site for detailed info on the regulations. They are very specific so you’ll want to be sure you’ve read the regulations. If you love to fish the Missouri River in South Dakota, please do your part to keep the reservoirs free of aquatic invasive species.

Have some great photos from your time on the water? South Dakota Missouri River Tourism would love to share them as part of our weekly Fishing Report update on our social media. Send your Mighty MO river photos to [email protected] and we’ll be sure to give you a shout out! Also, be sure to like us on Facebook for up to date information in the Missouri River Region.
Thanks for reading our Fishing Report!