TOP 7 Best Fishing Lakes In South Dakota You Should Come And Experience

TOP 7 Best Fishing Lakes In South Dakota You Should Come And Experience

South Dakota has excellent fishing for large walleyes, catfish, bass, crappies, perch, and other species. You can also find them in a variety of locations, including large lakes, small ponds, streams, and rivers. Many of the state’s fisheries offer ice fishing in the winter. Here are the best fishing lakes in south Dakota we would like to share with you!

Angostura Reservoir

Angostura Reservoir
Angostura Reservoir

The first one on the list of the Best Fishing Lakes In South Dakota is Angostura Reservoir. It is a great place to catch largemouth bass, white bass, walleye, bluegill, smallmouth bass, black crappie,rock bass, yellow perch, and northern pike. Angostura Reservoir, a 4,800-acre lake located 5 miles south of Hot Springs, is popular for camping, boating, and fishing.

There are at least 8 boating connect areas with boat launch ramps scattered along the 36 miles of coastline for easy launching from almost any direction. Campgrounds, parks, and recreation facilities provide ample opportunities for swimming, picnicking, and bank fishing.

Anglers come from all over to catch quality largemouth bass as well as plentiful chunky smallmouth bass. Walleye, crappie, sunfish, and pike also live here and are frequently caught. When the ice is safe, ice fishing is a choice in the winter.

Big Stone Lake

Big Stone Lake
Big Stone Lake

Big Stone Lake in Big Stone City, SD, on the state’s eastern border, is known for its bass, walleye, and perch. The name of this 12,600-acre lake comes from the abundance of boulders and rocks in the lake bed. There are roughly 60 miles of shoreline, half of which is in South Dakota and the other half in Minnesota.

The lake’s target fish species include bass, walleye, sunfish, crappie, white bass, perch, and northern pike. This is an all-year fishery. Spring, summer, and fall offer excellent fishing from the fish houses, shore, and all types of boats, ranging from canoes as well as kayaks to pontoons and fishing boats of all sizes.

Ice fishing is popular and generally successful during the winter. Local fishing guides provide trips on the water and through the ice. Boat launch ramps are available for launching pleasure and fishing boats at Hartford Beach State Park and Schmidt’s Landing.

Lake Francis Case

Lake Francis Case
Lake Francis Case

Lake Francis Case is on the selection of the Best Fishing Lakes In South Dakota. This lake is a fertile segment of The Missouri River that is over 100 miles long and has 540 miles of shoreline. This 100,000-acre lake in the state’s south-central region stretches from Pierre on the north end to Pickstown on the south.

Walleye are the main attraction in terms of both quantity as well as quality. Anglers quickly discover that walleye can be caught virtually anywhere on the lake during both the warm and cold seasons. Perch but also crappie are also popular here, particularly when ice fishing. Sauger, catfish, and white bass are also abundant in the lake.

There are hundreds of bank fishing opportunities, and various boat launch ramps are scattered throughout the lake, providing boating access from almost any direction. Marinas, campgrounds, bait, RV parks, tackle shops, convenience stores, restaurants, and lodging are all available in the area.

Lake Kampeska

Lake Kampeska
Lake Kampeska

Vacationers enjoy camping, boating, water skiing, and fishing at Lake Kampeska in Watertown, a 4,800-acre lake in the state’s east-central region. But it’s the fishing that continues to draw the most people year after year. Smallmouth bass and walleye are popular here, but the lake also has large populations of perch, crappie, white bass, and catfish.

On all sides of the lake, which has over 13 miles of shoreline, there are 5 boat launch ramps. Bank anglers will find plenty of opportunities near boat ramps, parks, and campgrounds.

Lake Oahe

Lake Oahe
Lake Oahe

The next one on the list of the Best Fishing Lakes In South Dakota is Lake Oahe, a 231-mile-long stretch of the Missouri River created by Oahe Dam, which is a productive smallmouth fishery. This 370,000-acre impoundment in north-central Iowa runs from Pollock to Pierre and has over 2,200 miles of shoreline.

From one end to the other, fishing for catfish, walleye, bass, trout, salmon, and pike is good to excellent. The population of quality smallmouth bass, on the other hand, is the best-kept secret. Smallies weighing four to five pounds are common, and smallies weighing more than six pounds are still not uncommon.

Walleye, lake trout, and landlocked salmon are also common. While there are numerous spots where you can fish from the bank, which is often successful, the easiest way to fish in this massive lake is from a boat.

There are several boat launch ramps located throughout the lake for quick access from any direction. Winter ice fishing can be very effective, particularly for crappie but also walleye. Winds can be strong at times, so exercise caution for safe boating. There are numerous campgrounds, RV parks, and lodging options available, mainly on the lake’s east side.

Lewis And Clark Lake

Lewis And Clark Lake
Lewis And Clark Lake

Lewis And Clark Lake, one of the Best Fishing Lakes In South Dakota, located between Yankton & Springfield, SD, straddles the South Dakota-Nebraska border. Anglers, boaters, and vacationers will find more than 90 miles of shoreline to discover and enjoy. There are various boat launch ramps on both the SD as well as NE sides of the lake for boaters.

This productive fishery is a 25-mile-long impoundment on the Missouri River that offers great fishing. Catfish, walleye, sauger, and saugereye are among the most popular. Walleye, sauger, saugeye, and catfish spend the summer and winter in deeper water, often near the river channel, and migrate shallow in the spring, preferring rocky areas.

Bass, crappie, sunfish, and northern pike are also plentiful in the lake. There is plenty of shorelines available from the bank for fishing. A full marina with boat rentals, as well as boating, fishing, and camping supplies, is available. There are also boat rentals as well as a restaurant in the marina area.

Lake Sharpe

Lake Sharpe
Lake Sharpe

The last place on the list of the Best Fishing Lakes In South Dakota is Lake Sharpe. It is known for its large walleye as well as smallmouth bass, but it also has a diverse fish population. In this 80-mile-long impoundment of the Missouri River, anglers can catch bass, catfish,  walleye, white bass, crappie, perch, salmon, pike, and sturgeon.

With over 55,000 acres and 200 miles of shoreline, there are plenty of opportunities to cast a line. Sharpe Lake is in the center of the state, stretching from Pierre to Fort Thompson. There are numerous camping and lodging options, most of which are concentrated near the cities at the lake’s two ends. Boat ramps are located throughout the lake, with the launch ramp at Fort Pierre receiving special attention for its fish cleaning station.

There are numerous opportunities to fish from the bank in recreational areas, campgrounds, and other public access areas. Local fishing guides provide a wide range of trip packages, with the most popular concentrating on walleye as well as smallmouth bass fishing.

In conclusion

Hope that all the information above about the Best Fishing Lakes In South Dakota will help you find a suitable place t have the best fishing experience. Let us know if you highly recommend any other lakes in South Dakota.