Spring fishing has officially hit the Missouri River in South Dakota and additional open water fishing opportunities continue to become available daily. We’ll kick off the 2021 open water season with our first fishing report and an update on the 2021 guide season.
Early Season Fishing Report
First and foremost, let’s talk fishing! Mason Propst, Chris Seylar and myself were able to hit Lake Sharpe out of Pierre this past weekend and the fishing was excellent! High winds gusting over 40 mph Friday, Saturday and Sunday presented a challenge, but we were still able to put some fish in the livewell!
The weekend started off interesting, with Chris reeling in a chinook salmon while vertical jigging deep holes. Both Atlantic and chinook salmon are stocked in Lake Oahe by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and these fish can occasionally find themselves below the dam down in Lake Sharpe.
Last year was an incredible year for salmon fishing up on Lake Oahe and there were many anglers (myself included) catching salmon in the tailrace on Lake Sharpe as well. We should be in for another spectacular year of salmon fishing on Lake Oahe and it looks like there are still a few to catch in Lake Sharpe too.
I have said it before, but the stilling basin continues to be the capitol of spring walleye fishing at the state’s capitol. Fishing has been inconsistent, with fishing being very difficult at times and very productive at others. The best bet is to fish the high percentage times, particularly in the mornings and evenings. Although fish can be caught in the middle of the basin during the middle of the day.
Pay attention to your electronics and look for marks on your graph. Fish are in tight pods, so it is important to fish where you are seeing marks. Once you catch one, there are often more to be found with them. Fish tend to be in pods of the same size, with larger females swimming together and the smaller males in slightly larger groups.
The primary spring presentation of a jig and minnow has been best. Maintain bottom contact, but don’t be afraid to mix in a few hops and skips as part of your presentation.
Trolling crankbaits on the bluffs can also be productive. Fish are very scattered so it is important to make long passes and cover as much water as possible. Water temperatures are still very cool and this bite should continue to ramp up as the water warms up.
Below Sharpe, anglers are reporting a good bite on Lake Francis Case as well. Chamberlain is a favorite spring location for many anglers and fishing has overall been good. Dragging and pitching jigs can be productive, with trolling small crankbaits on leadcore an option as well. Fishing between Big Bend Dam and the White River often holds the best fishing.
Pike fishing on Lake Oahe is just beginning to ramp up. As the ice leaves the bay, anglers are hitting the warmer water in search of trophy northern pike! Pike anglers are already reporting good fish being caught and the fishing should only get better and better as water temperatures continue to warm.
2021 Guide Season Update
I apologize for the lack of updates the past several weeks. On January 14, the apartment I was a (former) resident of was the site of a very large fire. This was the same day of the grass fire that took place on Peoria Flats up on the lower end of Lake Oahe. It was a warm day in the 40s and winds were gusting upwards of 60-70 mph. A red flag warning had been in place, meaning there was a high risk of fire danger. There was also a high wind warning as well.
Unfortunately, the warnings were not enough and there were still several large fires that took place across the state. My apartment ended up being on of them. Despite the best efforts by local fire departments, conditions proved to be too difficult to prevent the building from being completely destroyed.
Following the fire, I quickly began working with one of our local real estate agents and was able to have an offer on a local house accepted four days after the fire. While waiting to close on the house, the very kind staff of Oahe Downstream Recreation Area offered one of the modern cabins to stay at. Staying at the park was a ton of fun and I cannot say enough good things about the cabin. If you are looking to plan a fishing trip to Pierre, I highly recommend checking out the modern cabins at Oahe Downstream Recreation Area! You can also find cabins available at Spring Creek Recreation Area, Farm Island Recreation Area and Cow Creek Recreation Area.
I’m happy to report I have closed on my house, have gotten all moved in and am ready preparing to guide this season. Due to lost gear and the delay in getting completely ready, I will not begin booking any guide trips until May 1. I will have availability posted on the website as usual and you can begin booking trips for anytime after May 1. I’m looking forward to getting back out on the water and getting back to normal!
I can’t wait to share more updates with you this season and am looking forward to seeing many of you out on the water! Good fishing!
Nick
