It is no secret that winter means ice fishing in South Dakota. As the first true cold front grasps the region, spud bars begin to strike the ice, batteries are charged, and heaters begin to light up for the year. By the time Old Man Winter has the state firmly in his grasp, anglers have already been out chasing walleyes, yellow perch, trout, crappie, bluegill, and northern pike. It may seem like there are not any secret spots in South Dakota through the ice, but in reality, many of some of the best fishing opportunities remain under the radar for many anglers.
Digging for Gold
South Dakota is a walleye state. South Dakota is such a walleye state, that the state fish of South Dakota is indeed the walleye. However, in the winter months, for many anglers walleye take a back seat to the golden opportunity that presents itself. This would be the yellow perch.
Eastern South Dakota is known for tremendous yellow perch fisheries, many of which truly shine through the winter months. Sure, anglers can target these fish out of the boat especially in the fall, but every hardcore angler knows that the time to catch these gold nuggets is when a blanket of ice covers the lakes.
There are many famous perch fisheries that have been showcased throughout the region. The Webster area is extremely popular, and large waterbodies such as Bitter Lake and Waubay Lake draw the bulk of the attention. Further south, Dry Lake #2 in the Clark area is another favorite as well as Lake Poinsett and Lake Thompson north of Brookings.
While all of these fisheries can produce spectacular perch fishing, both for numbers and size of fish, there are many under-the-radar fisheries that can produce a true gold rush if anglers are willing to put in the time. Anglers would be surprised by the caliber of fisheries they are driving by to get to one of these well-known waterbodies.
Yellow perch in eastern South Dakota are essentially a boom and bust fishery. On any given year, a handful of lakes may produce excellent bites while traditional fisheries may be quiet. This is because these populations grow extremely fast and are often very short lived, reaching sizes greater than 12 inches quickly and experiencing natural mortality after 3-5 years of life.
This recruitment and growth is often timed to environmental factors, specifically spring time spawning conditions. Yellow perch have a short hatch window and springs that feature increased precipitation, minimal wind, and warmer air temperatures produce the best conditions for a booming year class. When these conditions are right, a specific waterbody may be set to explode with this gold anglers seek.
Anglers that are willing to put in the time and find waterbodies that may be relatively small or fly under the radar are often going to experience the best fishing. Just like the prospectors looking for gold, it will require studying your maps, fishing where other anglers are not, and drilling plenty of holes. The end result can be a literal goldmine for anglers.
Tip Up Trophies
Despite the excellent yellow perch fishing opportunities that take off in the winter months, South Dakota is indeed still a walleye state. Many of the fisheries that offer tremendous perch fishing also offer spectacular walleye fishing opportunities too. Anglers who are looking to focus on structure, as opposed to the run-and-gun nature of the grazing yellow perch, can also experience terrific walleye fishing especially in the mornings, evenings, and through the overnight hours.
As sonar has improved throughout the years, many anglers have become too focused on what they see on their electronics and forgotten the tried-and-true techniques that many anglers deployed years ago. One of these forgotten methods would be the utilization of tip ups.
Tip ups present nothing but additional chances for anglers to put more fish, and in many times bigger fish, on the ice. Anglers are allowed four lines in South Dakota, and many combinations of anglers fishing in an ice shack feature a jigging rod and a dead stick rod. This allows two more likes that could be utilized. This is where the tip ups come in.
Tip ups are truly nothing more than a spool of line, and a flag that is triggered when the spool spins once a fish takes the line. When the flag trips, the angler runs over, and brings the fish in hand-over-hand. The set ups are simple to operate and cheap to buy. Tip ups are effective for covering various depths off a piece of structure, but the most under-utilized aspect of these is the ability to present a larger option that can entice trophy fish.
Let’s be honest, if we aren’t getting bites, those colder temperatures can really start to get to an angler when out on the ice. It is tough to wait all day for a bite or two, even if they are likely from a larger fish. This is where the tip up comes in. The tip up’s toes will never get cold, and the one or two bites it might generate throughout a day are what can turn a good day into a great day.
Rigging up larger baits, such as shiners or chubs, often produce the best results. Don’t forget that lepomis species can also be used for bait in South Dakota, or bluegill and other common sunfish, and these can be terrific baits for a big largemouth bass in waters where bass are present. Whether you’re rigging up a shiner for a big walleye or a small bluegill for a trophy bass, tip ups are the perfect way to present these additional chances.
Don’t Go Ice Fishing
Wait a minute, what? How is “don’t go ice fishing” an “ice fishing secret?” Well, as spectacular as ice fishing opportunities can be, anglers that have the itch to use their long rods and/or get the boat out of storage have those opportunities in South Dakota.
The Missouri River reservoirs are created by large dams that constantly produce flow through the powerhouse. The Oahe Dam in Pierre, Big Bend Dam in Fort Thompson, Fort Randall Dam in Pickstown, and Gavins Point Dam in Yankton all can present open water opportunities depending on the weather conditions. Depending on the year, the water may be open just directly below the dam or it may be open for several miles down river.
In mild winters, opportunities for anglers to launch their boats and fish a rather significant amount of open water are generally present. Not only is the opportunity there to fish, but also have spectacular fishing as well.
In the Pierre area, many of the sandbars between the dam and the bridges will hold fish all winter long. Here, anglers can find great success pitching jigs and minnows. A similar bite presents itself in the Fort Thompson Area, where fish will concentrate on the bluffs below the dam and on the large flats as well. Once again, pitching jigs or vertical jigging is the best option. Further downriver, pitching large plastics on jigs in the flowing water below Fort Randall dam can produce great success too.
For anglers that would rather fish out of their boat, there are plenty of opportunities to do so in South Dakota. Shore anglers can also take advantage of these opportunities, and in many cases experience excellent fishing as well. Casting the same jigs and plastics or hard, shallow running baits can produce the best.
Whether you’re chasing jumbo perch across the expansive basins, setting tip ups for trophy walleye, or refusing to accept that winter means boats should be in storage there are opportunities to enjoy in South Dakota. See for yourself what winter fishing opportunities wait for you this season! Good fishing!
Learn More About Ice Fishing in South Dakota
Dynamics of South Dakota Yellow Perch
Similar to prospectors looking for gold, anglers targeting perch often follow many of the same patterns. Overall, the top perch fisheries can be classified as “boom or bust” and the best bite can vary widely from lake to lake, year to year, and even within the season. The variable nature of this fishing may make anglers think, “will the gold run out?” To answer this question, one must understand the dynamics of yellow perch in South Dakota.
Making the Forage Connection for Ice Success
Understanding the prey of the species your are pursing is critical to ice fishing success. Nick Harrington breaks down the various situations anglers will encounter when targeting walleye, perch and northern pike across South Dakota and the Midwest in Making the Forage Connection for Ice Success.
How Predator/Prey Relationships Impact Ice Fishing
Understanding the dynamics of the predator and prey relationships taking place within a waterbody is critical to having success. Learn about the food chain, predator/prey relationships and how it impacts your fishing in How Predator/Prey Relationships Impact Ice Fishing.
