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Guide to fishing in the Mount Rushmore State

By AA-Fishing Staff Writers

The state of South Dakota offers excellent fishing for big walleyes, bass, crappies, catfish, perch and more. Plus find lots of great places to fish for them, including big lakes, small ponds, streams and rivers. Ice fishing is an option in winter at many of the fisheries across the state.

  • Angostura Reservoir
  • Big Stone Lake
  • Lake Francis Case
  • Lake Kampeska
  • Lake Oahe
  • Lake Poinsett
  • Lake Sharpe
  • Lake Thompson
  • Lewis And Clark Lake
  • Shadehill Reservoir
  • Waubay Lake

South Dakota offers a diverse and abundant variety of fish species, making it a popular destination for anglers of all kinds. The purpose of this page is to share basic information about the best fishing lakes in the state, plus the species found in each lake. The state's fishing opportunities encompass warm water fisheries, cold water fisheries, and everything in between.

In the warm water fisheries, anglers can target popular species such as walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, yellow perch, channel catfish, and white bass. Lakes like Lake Sharpe and Lake Francis Case on the Missouri River system are renowned for their warm water species, providing exciting fishing adventures for enthusiasts.

On the other hand, the cold water fisheries in South Dakota offer excellent opportunities for trout fishing. The Black Hills region is home to beautiful lakes and streams like Pactola Lake and Rapid Creek, where anglers can catch rainbow trout, brown trout, and even the elusive cutthroat trout.

In addition to the larger lakes and rivers, South Dakota is peppered with numerous ponds and smaller lakes that are stocked with various fish species. These ponds provide a great opportunity for families and beginners to enjoy fishing in a more relaxed and accessible setting.

The state's rivers, including the Missouri River and various tributaries, also offer excellent fishing opportunities. Anglers can find a mix of warm water and cold water species in these waters, making them a popular choice for fishing throughout the year.

South Dakota's fishing scene is incredibly diverse, catering to anglers with different preferences and skill levels. From the serene lakes and rivers to the breathtaking landscapes of the Black Hills, South Dakota's fishing destinations promise unforgettable experiences and the chance to reel in some remarkable catches.

Fishing Boats For Rent In South Dakota

Here, you can fish for many species, including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout, lake trout, bluegill, green sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, spotted sunfish, white bass, yellow perch, chinook salmon, longnose gar, muskie, northern pike, paddlefish, sauger, sturgeon and tiger muskie in local lakes, rivers, ponds and/or streams.

Major South Dakota Lakes & Species

South Dakota major lakes and fish chart

Lake & Fish Chart

This chart shows the major angling destinations, cross referencing these waters with the major species to be found in each of the lakes or impoundments.

For a detailed list of primary fish species in SD, plus state fish records, see the list below.

Fishing lake sizes and locations in the state.

Angostura Reservoir is a 4,800-acre lake in the southwest part of the state, 5 miles south of Hot Springs.

Belle Fourche Reservoir is an 8,000-acre lake in the west-central part of the state, at Belle Fourche.

Big Stone Lake is a 12,600-acre lake on the eastern border of the state, at Big Stone City.

Bitter Lake is a 3,600-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, at Waubay.

Lake Albert is a 3,600-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, at Lake Norden.

Lake Francis Case is a 100,000-acre lake in the south-central part of the state, running from Fort Thompson to Pickstown.

Lake Kampeska is a 4,800-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, at Watertown.

Lake Madison is a 2,800-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, at Madison.

Lake Oahe is a 370,000-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, running from Pollock to Pierre.

Lake Pelican is a 2,800-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, at Watertown.

Lake Poinsett is an 7,900-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, at Stone Bridge.

Lake Preston is a 5,400-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, at Lake Preston.

Lake Sharpe is a 55,000-acre lake in the central part of the state, running from Pierre to Fort Thompson.

Lake Thompson is a 15,000-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, at De Smet.

Lake Traverse is an 11,200-acre lake on the eastern border in the northeast corner of the state, 10 miles east of Sisseton.

Lake Whitewood is a 4,700-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, at Lake Preston.

Lewis And Clark Lake is a 31,000-acre lake on the southern border of the state, from Yankton to Springfield.

Shadehill Reservoir is a 5,100-acre lake in the northwest part of the state, at Summerville.

Waubay Lake is a 9,600-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, at Grenville.

A nice Walleye being released to grow for another day

SD Walleye Fishing

To many, it's known as the Mount Rushmore State. To walleye anglers, it's walleye paradise. Click here for information on walleye fishing in South Dakota.

State of SD Fishing Information

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks website offers a great deal of information about fishing in South Dakota. Click here for a South Dakota fishing license.

Bass fishing book

Fish for big bass

Excellent largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing opportunities are available to anglers.

Visit AA-Boats-Boating.com to find information about fishing boats in South Dakota and other boating information.

Fish Species & State Records in South Dakota

Bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

World record: 22 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 9 lbs 5 oz

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

World record: 11 lbs 15 oz

State Record: 7 lbs 3 oz

Catfish

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

World record: 58 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 30 lbs 1 oz

Flathead Catfish

Flathead catfish

World record: 123 lbs 9 oz

State Record: 63 lbs 8 oz

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

World record: 143 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 99 lbs 4 oz

Crappie

Black Crappie

Black crappie

World record: 6 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 3 lbs 8 oz

White Crappie

White crappie

World record: 5 lbs 3 oz

State Record: 3 lbs 9 oz

Walleye

Walleye

Walleye

World record: 25 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 14 lbs 4 oz

Sauger

Sauger

World record: 17 lbs 7 oz

State Record: 7 lbs 7 oz

Trout

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

World record: 42 lbs 2 oz

State Record: 19 lbs 4 oz

Cutthroat Trout

Cutthroat trout

World record: 41 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 6 lbs 5 oz

Brook Trout

Brook trout

World record: 14 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 12 lbs 0 oz

Brown Trout

Brown trout

World record: 40 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 24 lbs 8 oz

Lake Trout

Lake trout

World record: 72 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 30 lbs 0 oz

Panfish

Bluegill

Bluegill

World record: 4 lbs 12 oz

State Record: 3 lbs 4 oz

Green Sunfish

Green sunfish

World record: 2.2 lbs

State Record: 1 lbs 5 oz

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

Pumpkinseed sunfish

World record: 2 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 0 lbs 12 oz

Rock Bass

Rock bass

World record: 3.0 lbs

State Record: 2 lbs 0 oz

Soptted Sunfish

Spotted sunfish

World record: N/A

State Record: 0 lbs 5.5 oz

White Bass

White Bass

World record: 6.8 lbs

State Record: 4 lbs 12 oz

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

World record: 4 lbs 3 oz

State Record: 2 lbs 13 oz

Salmon

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

World record: 97 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 31 lbs 8 oz

Other species

Longnose Gar

Longnose gar

World record: 50 lbs 5 oz

State Record: 24 lbs 2 oz

Muskie

Muskie (Muskellunge)

World record: 69 lbs 9 oz

State Record: 40 lbs 0 oz

Northern Pike

Northern pike

World record: 55 lbs 1 oz

State Record: 36 lbs 3 oz

Paddlefish

Paddlefish

World record: 144 lbs

State Record: 127 lbs 9 oz

Sauger

Sauger

World record: 17 lbs 7 oz

State Record: 7 lbs 7 oz

Sturgeon

Sturgeon

Estimated world record: 1,100 lbs

State Record: 40 lbs 0 oz

Tiger Muskie

Tiger muskie

World record: 51 lbs 2 oz

State Record: 37 lbs 7 oz

Click the images and links above for species details.

 

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