When it comes to spring walleye fishing, it’s tough to find a better destination than Lake Francis Case. Anglers from across the country head to Chamberlain, South Dakota to take advantage of one of the best bites of the season. While Chamberlain is the epicenter of spring walleye fishing, an excellent bite can be found all along Lake Francis Case.
Current Sets the Tone
The early season bite brings a number of anglers from across the country, and those that aren’t familiar with fishing the Missouri River reservoirs of South Dakota first need to understand the most important rule-current sets the tone. Lake Francis Case sits below Big Bend Dam in Fort Thompson, and the current releases from the dam play a critical role in the bite along the reservoir.
Generally speaking, the closer you are to the dam the more impactful the current is to the bite. That said, the current can set the tone for the entire reservoir, particularly the upper third. This means whether you are fishing Crow Creek, Kiowa Flats, along the bridges in Chamberlain, or even down to the White River and towards Elm Creek and Boyer Creek the current is going to play a major role in the overall bite.
While you can’t dictate the current, you can be aware of how it will impact your presentation and the overall aggressiveness of the fish. When the current is pumping, this is your best bet to have a quick bite. If you aren’t marking fish or catching fish, it’s time to go searching for an active pod. You don’t want to pass up this bite window, so keep moving until you can contact fish. Once you do, there’s a good chance they will bite right away.
When the current is minimal or not present, this is when you don’t want to leave fish to find fish. If you are marking fish or getting sporadic bites, your best bet is to keep grinding them out. You’re less likely to find an active pod that reveals themselves, and if the current does pick up you will likely experience a quick bite. Fish can turn on very quickly, especially when the current does.
When the current is strong, focus your search on areas that fish are likely to be up and feeding. The best example of this would be up on the shallower areas of the flats, particularly along Crow Creek, Kiowa Flats, or even above the White River. Additional areas to target would be along the bluffs right below the Big Bend tailrace, Carpenter Bluffs, or between the bridges in town.
When the current isn’t strong, focus on areas that fish are likely to be staging. This could be the stair step contour lines adjacent to these shallow flats, along the main current channel, or even suspended over deep water. Another option would be focus on areas that experience less current overall, and thus are less impacted by current changes. Good examples of these would be Pontoon Bay, the rocks below Cedar Shore Resort campground, the bay adjacent to American Creek Marina, and the large flat directly out from Dude Ranch.
Fishing further down the reservoir, closer to the Platte area, means current will be less impactful to your fishing as well. The Platte area, and a bit further south, has several large creeks that provide spawning locations for resident populations of fish. While the bulk of the reservoir’s walleye and sauger population will be in the upper third of the fishery, there are still strong populations that exist within these specific locations.
The best examples of these would be Snake Creek, Platte Creek, Pease Creek, and Whetstone Bay. These areas provide their own spawning habitat for resident fish, and targeting the backs of these areas is often most productive. The further down river you go, the less impact current has, so a bit more consistent fishing can be expected as well.
Jigs Steal the Show
Wherever you are fishing, the highest percentage to produce bites is always going to start with jigs. There are two primary ways to fish jigs on Lake Francis Case, pitching and dragging. The best technique is also going to be dictated by current, but location can play a critical role as well.
When the current is strong, pitching jigs is your best bet. This allows anglers to actively search for pods of walleyes up shallow on their electronics, and pitch their jig directly on to them. The bite is often best when the current is strong and the fish are often up shallow, which really sets up for pitching to be the top strategy on those shallow flats or shorelines.
Pitching jigs is also a good bet when fishing along the rocky shorelines along the bridges between Chamberlain and Oacoma. Similarly, pitching onto the shallow bluffs allows you to skip your jig along the sharp current breaks, and contact fish at whatever level they may be holding. The shallow areas in the backs of the creeks near Platte also sets up to be a strong candidate for pitching jigs as walleyes soak in the heat of the shallow water and go through their spawning progression.
When the current is minimal, this sets up for a situation to drag jigs. This is best done vertically, staying as directly below the boat as possible. Fishing along the contour edges with a slightly heavier jig, ¼-⅜ oz is often the best bet. Maintaining bottom contact is key, so use the lightest jig possible that can still maintain bottom feel depending on the current and wind conditions.
The best option for dragging jigs is generally always minnows, as this is a more natural and subtle presentation. Walleye are often less aggressive and less willing to chase, but dangling a minnow directly infront of their nose can generate some bites.
When pitching jigs, minnows are still the highest probability option, but this does set up a scenario to try a plastic as well. Large bodied minnow imitating plastics, such as the Berkley GULP! Minnow or Berkley Power Minnow are good options. Natural colors such as pearl white are good when water is clear, but don’t be afraid to try brighter colors like chartreuse if water conditions are dirtier.
Cover Water with Crankbaits
While jigs and minnows are a staple of spring walleye fishing, don’t count out the crankbait options as well. Trolling crankbaits is an effective way to both locate fish and target the largest fish in the system. This is best done along the long flats, or over deep water.
If you’re new to fishing Lake Francis Case, or exploring a new area, trolling crankbaits is a great way to determine where fish are holding and then follow up with jigs and minnows once fish are contacted. This is also a good way to scratch out fish in difficult conditions, putting your bait in front of as many fish as possible and attempting to trigger active strikes.
The large flats particularly on the large flats near Platte, such as Two Johns or Red Rock, can be effectively targeted by trolling crankbaits. Other large flats such as the White River or Crow Creek are also trolling candidates, as these are long and expansive that fish will be in pods scattered along.
Another prime trolling area is along the bridges in Chamberlain, targeting suspended fish that are often times large females that are staging adjacent to their spawning areas. Targeting the main current seam, as well as areas like Pontoon Bay, can be the most productive areas. This isn’t a numbers game, but the best chance at landing a trophy caliber fish.
The key for success on Lake Francis Case in the spring is putting it all together. Lake Francis Case is a walleye factory, meaning there are no shortage of fish to target all along the reservoir. Additionally, Lake Francis Case is a gizzard shad driven fishery, which means that spring often has the least amount of forage present in the system than there will be throughout the entire calendar year. These factors all set up for a strong bite for anglers to experience.
The anglers who are able to understand the impact current has on fish moods and how that should impact both their location and presentation are going to have the best success. Current is the number one factor to understand, when the current is strong the bite is strong. When the current is reduced, the bite is going to be a bit more challenging. Anglers who pay attention to this and focus their target areas and corresponding presentation accordingly will often experience one of the best bites of the season. Good fishing!
