We’re approximately halfway through winter here in South Dakota, and there has been no shortage of news in the South Dakota outdoors! We break down everything you need to know as winter, hopefully soon, transitions to spring!
Ice Fishing Report
First and foremost is our traditional fishing report. Well, traditional maybe not so much. Ice fishing around the state, fishing wise, has been very good.
On the Missouri River, the fishing on the lower end of Lake Sharpe has been fantastic. The fishing from Joe Creek to Iron Nation has been very good, and quality walleyes are being caught.
In the northeast, fishing has been excellent as well and there are many quality fish being caught. Overall, walleyes are in excellent condition and the bite has been strong on many waterbodies.
While the fishing itself is very good, the ice conditions are not. The dramatic changes in temperature have resulted in numerous weak spots across the state. Whether it is in the northeast, along the Missouri River, or western South Dakota there are heaves, cracks, and slush pockets on nearly every waterbody.
This does not mean don’t go fishing, but it means even though it may be mid-season ice safety must remain top priority. A couple key things to consider:
- Navigate the ice in light conditions, when you can see any potential dangers easier;
- Have a driver focused on the ice, and a passenger focused on a map. A good mapping tool is critical for ensuring you keep your bears and know where you are on the ice;
- Go slow, go smart. It’s easy to get the feeling of invincibility in a vehicle, recognize that your senses are reduced in the driver’s seat so you need to go slow, and if you don’t know get out and check your path foot; and,
- Always have your picks on you. Should the worst happen, these will help you pull yourself back onto the ice.
Ice fishing is a ton of fun, but you need to make sure you’re being safe, especially this year!
Upcoming Public Fisheries Meetings
There are multiple public fisheries meetings coming up, and these provide a valuable opportunity to visit with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) fisheries biologists regarding your favorite fisheries. There are three upcoming meetings:
- Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe Fisheries Update (Pierre)
- Tuesday, January 28
- Ramkota Hotel and Convention Center
- 7 p.m. CT
- Western Aquatic Habitat and Access Program Discussion (Rapid City)
- Wednesday, January 29
- Outdoor Campus West-Large Education Room
- 6:30 p.m. MT
- Lake Oahe Fishery Update (Mobridge)
- Thursday, January 30
- 7 p.m. CT
- Wrangler Inn
If you are unable to attend these meetings, the Pierre Lake Oahe/Lake Sharpe meeting will be recorded and posted on the GFP YouTube.
Additionally, stay tuned to our South Dakota Fisheries Focus page as we’ll be providing updates on the Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe fisheries based on discussions at these meetings. These, as well as our 2025 South Dakota Fishing Outlook, will be available in February.
Upcoming South Dakota Limited Draw Application Deadlines
There are several major application deadlines that are upcoming. Two of these we would like to focus on are the Lake Francis Case Paddlefish Application and Nonresident Black Hills Spring Turkey.
Lake Francis Case Paddlefish applications are due Monday, February 10, 2025 at 8 a.m. CT. This is open for South Dakota residents only and there are a total of 500 licenses available.
New for 2025, nonresidents will need to apply for their Black Hills Spring Turkey licenses. The deadline to apply for these licenses is Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at 8 a.m. CT. There are 2,225 Nonresident Black Hills Spring Turkey licenses available. South Dakota residents will still be eligible to purchase Black Hills Spring Turkey licenses over the counter.
While not a limited draw deadline, this is a unique time to purchase your South Dakota Park Entrance License as a limited edition collector’s sticker is available for individuals who purchase their park entrance license online by March 15. This year’s theme is Make a Splash, and online park entrance licenses purchased by the deadline will receive their specialty sticker with their park entrance license.
Fishing Tournament Schedules Coming Together
The 2025 tournament season is coming together, and dates for major tournaments across the state have been announced. We’ve got complete information on all of these events on our new Fishing Tournament News page.
We’ll also be putting together a comprehensive South Dakota Fishing Tournament schedule that will be available in February as well. There are still a number of tournaments that we’re waiting for their official dates to be posted.
Check Out Our New Tackle Profiles
Throughout the past several weeks we have been sharing what’s in our tackle boxes in our new Tackle Profiles on our Getting Geared Up page. If you haven’t checked these out already, this is an awesome way to make plans on what to fill your tackle boxes with as we head into the open water season.
JB Designs Depth Strike Rods Are Out!
Speaking of tackle, we’ve got some exciting news in the tackle department! The much anticipated JB Designs Walleye Series Depth Strike Bottom Bouncing rods are here! Check these rods out! They are truly the best bottom bouncing rods on the market!
A Sneak Peek Into 2025 for Lip Ripper Fishing
First off, thank you everyone for following along and supporting us. The year is early, but we’re off to our highest website traffic thus far. We’re working extra hard this year to keep you up to date on fishing in South Dakota, and everything else going on outdoors as well.
As far as our 2025 plans, right now there are three tournaments for sure we plan to compete in:
- Sharpe Showdown
- South Dakota Governor’s Cup
- Pierre Tuesday Night Walleye Fishing League
There is another tournament Nick will be competing in for sure, more to come on that!
No, that tournament is not NWT….yet. That’s the #1 question we’ve been getting, and right now the odds would put competing in NWT at 50%. That can change, and the number one thing that would change those odds would be sponsorship.
That leads us into our last glimpse, we’re going to be showing a bit more of the behind the scenes of guiding and tournament fishing. What goes into everything, and our first step in that has been our Tackle Profiles. Check them out and let us know what you think!
As discussed above, we also have several upcoming topics we’ll be highlighting. These include:
- 2025 South Dakota Fishing Outlook;
- Lake Oahe Status and Outlook;
- Lake Sharpe Status and Outlook; and,
- 2025 South Dakota Fishing Tournament Schedule.
We’ll of course have plenty more articles as well, so be sure to Follow our Facebook page to make sure you’re getting all the latest updates!
If you have a request for a topic we cover send them to Nick at LipRipperFishing@outlook.com. We’d love to provide exactly what you’re looking for!
Lastly, we’re going to be continuing to up our YouTube game, which will also include all of our fishing reports and exclusive fishing reports as well so be sure to Subscribe to our YouTube as well!
Thank you again for the support and we’re looking forward to everything 2025 has to offer!
