The weather was a bit tumultuous this past week, and that prevented a lot of anglers from hitting the water. The benefit of that, is the strong winds that ripped through the state greatly increased the amount of open water available for anglers to fish. Open water opportunities continue to expand along both the Missouri River and also the Glacial Lakes Region of South Dakota!
The weather, combined with an upcoming trip to Florida, means two weeks off fishing for me so I wanted to switch it up a bit for this week’s fishing report. We’re going to take a look at some of the top stories and highlights in the South Dakota outdoors this month. Stay up to date, and make plans to have your best open water season yet!
Lake Francis Case Fishing Report
First and foremost is the latest fishing report, and the bite continues to be best in the Chamberlain area. The upper end of Lake Francis Case, anywhere between the White River and the dam, has been productive for some very quality fish. The bite continues to be closely dictated by the current, with high flows creating high catch rates and low flows producing similar results as well.
Notably, there are a good number of quality fish coming out of Lake Francis Case, with a number of the “over” caliber fish, or fish greater than 20 inches, with good numbers of fish between 20-24 inches being reported. There is also quality slot fish, with 17-19 inch fish entering angler’s bags.
Lake Sharpe Fishing Report
The fishing on Lake Sharpe continues to be a bit slower than the reservoir to the south, but when they bite they are quality fish. The bulk of the fishing is taking place still between the stilling basin, Marions Gardens, and the Bad River. Though the presence of boat ramps now at Oahe Downstream, Farm Island, and Fort George will likely scatter boats more throughout the upper end of the reservoir.
Notably, in non-fishing news that directly impacts fishing, the remains of the old Pierre/Fort Pierre bridge is going to be literally exploded (utilize shape charges for the removal of girders is the technical term), and closed to boat traffic Monday, March 17 at 9 a.m. and waterway traffic will be impacted for up to 24 hours after. This will be a substantial change to the structure along the bridges, and will be interesting to see if fish use the area more or less following this event.
Missouri River Boat Dock Update
In terms of structures going into the water, minus the explosives, there’s been some major updates to the dock placements along both Lake Francis Case and Lake Sharpe this week.
As we discussed above, boat ramps with docks present in the Pierre area are fully operational with the exception of Downs Marina that is still experiencing some ice conditions. There is still some ice down in the West Bend area, but access should be available soon to all of Lake Sharpe!
The Left Tailrace boat docks were installed at Fort Thompson on Lake Francis Case, and further down the reservoir the docks were placed at West Bridge and Platte Creek Recreation Area near Platte. Access should be available at Cedar Shore Resort and American Creek Marina in Chamberlain soon as well!
We have a full report, updates on boat ramp cameras, and highlight the South Dakota Public Water Access Map in our South Dakota Boat Ramp and Dock Status Update.
Midwest Walleye Challenge Starts April 1 in South Dakota
New this year, South Dakota will be participating in the Midwest Walleye Challenge. If you haven’t heard about this, this is an event that allows anglers to share their walleye catch data with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks fisheries biologists to help benefit our fisheries. Anglers can register for just $25 and have the opportunity to earn a significant number of prizes!
This event takes place across the Midwest, and the 2025 event includes Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Michigan. Let’s show that South Dakota does indeed have the best walleye fisheries in the country!
Cedar Shore Resort Walleye Tournaments is Coming Up
Speaking of upcoming events, the 24th Annual Cedar Shore Resort Walleye Tournament is set to take place April 12-13, 2025. This week, The Fishing Crew announced the payouts for the 2025 event, with the first-place team set to take home $13,000. Payouts are based on 125 teams and also include optional day money for both Day One and Day Two.
That’s something that’s also new for this year’s event, instead of a one-day tournament this event will now take place on both Saturday and Sunday, with the cumulative weekend weight determining the winner. This is a new change to this event and should make it even more exciting!
Habitat Conservation License Plates Hit the Road
There’s a new way to support habitat in South Dakota, as the Habitat Conservation License Plates are now available for purchase for drivers when renewing their license plates. The new habitat conservation plate allows drivers to place one of four approved habitat decals, which can be purchased from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP), on their respective plate.
The decals are $50 per set, and include a pheasant, deer, meadowlark, and pasque flower. Plates are obtained at your local Treasurer’s Office and are $10 if your plates are not due for renewal, and free if they are.
Hunt for Habitat Raffle Open for 2025
The Hunt for Habitat raffle is back for 2025 and includes four packages for hunters to select from. These include three packages of any deer and any elk licenses, a Custer State Park Trophy Bison, Custer State Park Deer, and Any Deer. All of the money raised through this raffle supports habitat improvements on public lands here in South Dakota!
Lip Ripper Fishing Sponsoring Sharpe Showdown Big Bag
The third annual Sharpe Showdown will take place April 26-27, 2025, and in addition to the traditional payouts the Big Bag is going to be sponsored by Lip Ripper Fishing. This is an extremely fun event, and we’re fortunate to have the opportunity to add to the prizes anglers are fishing for when they hit the water.
If you haven’t made plans already, be sure to sign up and join in on the fun this year! This tournament encompasses everything the Pierre community is all about!
JB Designs Depth Strike Rods Available at a Store Near You
Our favorite rods, JB Designs, will be available at both DakotaMart in Pierre and Lured Inn in western Nebraska. These are the finest bottom bouncing rods you can find, and if you’re looking to take your fishing to the next level be sure to stop by and grab one for yourself!
We’re excited for the open water season, enjoyed the time on the water earlier this March, and are ready to dive into the season when the calendar flips to April! Until then, good fishing!
