SD Missouri River Fishing Report

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Ready for the Fall Bite?
This week, weather is going to be a little bit of everything. Temperatures will range in the mid 90s, dropping to high 60s by Sunday. Rainy days are forecasted for this weekend. Look to the middle of the week for sunny days to try your luck on the water!

The 4th Annual Lake Francis Case Fall Walleye Tournament (https://gfp.sd.gov/events/detail/3039/) is happening October 12-13 at the Cedar Shore Marina in Oacoma!

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. The Oahe Dam will be releasing water this week; 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/) , the bite is still tough. Limits are attainable, but plan on spending a full day to catch them. Fishing at 20-30ft seems to be the best. There are a few areas where fish have moved shallow. The best presentation has been bouncers with spinners and crawlers.

Around Akaska (https://oahewings.com/?y_source=1_OTk3NzA2Ny03MTUtbG9jYXRpb24ud2Vic2l0ZQ%3D%3D) , the bite for big fish is great; everything else is not. Eater-sized walleye are scattered and hard to find. People are catching the big ones at 30ft and deeper, using jig raps. The Swan Creek/Moreau River section of the lake has been amazing.
In the Whitlock Bay area near Gettysburg (https://www.cityofgettysburgsd.com/) , eater-sized fish action is also slow. Some anglers are hunting for big walleye and salmon. Salmon sizes seem to be better this year and folks are catching more too, an all-around better salmon season. Go deep for walleye, 30-40 feet. Live bait isn’t doing much right now and anglers have been mainly using worms and jig raps. Anglers can catch salmon from off-shore. The Fall bite should pick up in a week or two.
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, anglers are fishing deep for both walleye and salmon, 30-40ft. Using red beads seems to help with presentation. Recent good locations have been between Agency Creek and down in the main channel.
Salmon Update on Oahe
It was a considerably slower bite all last week, not terrible but much slower. High winds and thunder storms helped to bring down the action. The 70-80ft range was the most productive. Higher up in the column also caught some fish this week, 55-65ft. It seems like we are trending back to earlier this year when the fish were scattered vertically and horizontally. Possibly just an anomaly too from the high winds. The spoon bite has picked up somewhat this week. Green FF continued to be the most active. Yellows still caught a few. We’re well into the tail end of an outstanding season! If you haven’t made it out yet, there’s still plenty of time to get in on the action!
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, please refer to last week’s report:
The fall season has truly started and fishing is picking up on Lake Sharpe near Pierre. Fish are transitioning up the reservoir, scattering across the major flats east of Pierre, where they stop to eat before moving on to the upper third of the reservoir for the season. There is an abundance of gizzard shad and mayfly, which has made the bite concentrated to certain windows. Cooler temperatures are also concentrating fish, particularly in the early mornings, but when the sun climbs up, the fish scatter across these flats and hold tighter to breaklines as opposed to up shallower where they feed. Anglers should focus on depths of 6-10ft, particularly adjacent to the main channel where fish can move onto the flats and feed. Near submerged trees and larger sandflats are also productive. Fishing away from other boats will help you get more action on the line.

With water temps hovering between 69-70 degrees, bottom bouncing with larger, #3 or #4 Colorado blades, will be more effective. Adding a crawler will make your bait more appetizing in the heavy-forage system. With the recent strong currents, you will need to increase your fishing speed. Bottom bouncing quickly will cover more water and contact those active fish.

Right now, there are a lot of fish around 15 inches on Lake Sharpe. The abundance of fish is providing good action for anglers, and these fish should continue to bulk up for the winter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpIOiw6AZ4w

** Missouri River Fall Fishing Report 9/8/24 – Lip Ripper Fishing (https://midwestliprippers.com/2024/09/08/missouri-river-fall-fishing-report-9-8-24/)
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https://sdmissouririver.com/follow-the-river/the-four-lakes-and-dams/lake-francis-case/
For Chamberlain (https://www.chamberlainsd.com/) , the bite has gotten better from Chamberlain to Big Bend Dam. Bouncers and crawlers have been working best. Some anglers are pulling cranks baits. Depth has been 15-25ft. Bass bite on Sharpe has been good. Using bouncers and plain hook or pitching plastics.
Father and son fishing on Lake Francis Case!
Awesome catch!
In lower Lake Francis Case near Geddes (http://www.geddessd.org/) , fishing has slowed with warmer weather. Fish are still getting caught daily in depths between 18-24ft. Best presentation has been using artificials.
Around Bonesteel (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/pavels-walleye-camp/) , not much has changed so please refer to last week’s update: Water is already cooling down, so possibly anticipating a good early fall bite. Same presentation over the trees and in a mud line. Nice healthy fish in the area. Using jig and worm combos, worm jig raps, or spinners and night crawlers. Fishing in about 8-25ft.
In the areas of Lake Andes (https://lakeandesinn.com/) , Wagner (https://www.cityofwagner.org/) , and Pickstown (https://www.pickstown-sd.net/) , things are staying steady; the perch have been biting exceptionally well.
Last week’s update: Solid action at Fort Randall Dam and Pease Creek. The walleye bite is improving, but it takes some persistence and finesse to hook into the bigger ones. Catfish, trout, and drum remain reliable successes, with strong bites across the board and bringing in solid catches. For those seeking a quiet spot to cast a line, this area is a hidden gem — never overcrowded, with plenty of room for a fun and successful fishing trip. Pheasants have already been spotted darting across the roads, a sure sign that an awesome hunting season is just around the corner.
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. Gavin’s Point Dam is currently at minimum releases. 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!