The Glacial Lakes region of northeast South Dakota is known for both excellent walleye and yellow perch fishing. Whether it is the larger fisheries such as Bitter Lake or Waubay Lake, or the smallest of sloughs, all of the best fisheries in eastern South Dakota have one thing in common: fast-growing, well-fed fish.
On the Missouri River reservoirs in South Dakota gizzard shad, rainbow smelt, and ciscoe all play a major role in the forage dynamics. The Glacial Lakes region sees a completely different forage base, with juvenile yellow perch, white bass, minnows, frogs, and aquatic insects all playing a role in the food web.
Learn More: Understanding Forage Dynamics on the Missouri River
Yellow perch play a critical role in the growth of walleye. Juvenile yellow perch offer an excellent food source for walleye of all sizes, while as they grow, they offer a larger bodied prey base for walleyes as they grow as well. This sets up a scenario that walleyes have a constant supply of yellow perch as both the walleye and perch continue to grow and age.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that the yellow perch and walleye are not directly competing against each other for forage. Yellow perch, particularly in eastern South Dakota, can grow to tremendous sizes very quickly. In fact, it is not uncommon for a perch to reach “jumbo” status, or greater than 12 inches, by age 3 in some fisheries. The extremely fertile fisheries set up for a live fast and die young situation among these perch populations.
Learn More: Dynamics of South Dakota Yellow Perch
Yellow perch primarily feed on fresh water shrimp, which are abundant in eastern South Dakota. Whether it’s watching these shrimp move on your electronics when ice fishing, or inspecting the weed stalks your crankbait was fouled on, anglers can easily see these small, high protein meals perch are keying on. This is also what makes Glacial Lakes perch have a relatively small head, yet large body, as they do not need a large mouth for consuming minnow species or other small fish. The head needs to be just large enough to consume these shrimp and other aquatic insects.
The success of these perch populations directly ties in to the growth of walleye, and also serve as an important food source for northern pike and even smallmouth bass. Yellow perch populations are often boom and bust, as their spawning success is tied in with the weather and water conditions. Yellow perch need shallow vegetation to have successful spawns, and the fluctuating water conditions play a key role in this.
Low water years result in the water receding and vegetation to grow along the shorelines. In high water years, this same vegetation is flooded and that is what gives spawning habitat for these perch. High water years, and flooded vegetation, are the greatest driver to strong yellow perch spawns. Overall, minimal wind, warm temperatures, and increased precipitation is the recipe for strong perch populations.
While yellow perch are the primary driver of eastern South Dakota fisheries, both for anglers specifically targeting these perch or for walleye anglers, they are not the only food source for walleye. Juvenile white bass also serve as an excellent forage option, particularly for larger caliber walleyes. These juvenile white bass are very similar in size and shape to the gizzard shad consumed by walleyes on the Missouri River.
Other small fish species in the system also present forage options for walleye, such as minnows. Less commonly known forage options, when they are available, include frogs and even crayfish. Frogs in particular make a forage option, as in the fall and winter they will go dormant and bury themselves under a layer of mud/silt, which walleyes can then find and root out of the mud areas making for an easy meal.
The same freshwater shrimp and zooplankton consumed by perch also play a major role in the walleye’s early life cycle. This means that walleye forage preferences can change and adapt with them as they age, which is a bit contrary to the Missouri River that a fish in Lake Francis Case or Lake Sharpe may be keying on gizzard shad their entire life.
Every region, and particularly fishery, features different elements that all impact the overall fish populations and thus fishing style. Anglers who understand the importance of these elements and tailor their presentation and location accordingly will often find sustained success throughout all of the seasons through the year and through a year over year basis. Good fishing!
Learn About Missouri River Forage Options
Contrary to the Glacial Lakes Region of South Dakota, the Missouri River reservoirs feature a completely different forage base for walleye, and with their own changing dynamics. Learn more about the gizzard shad driven fisheries, and the complex cold-water prey options on Lake Oahe, in Understanding Forage Dynamics on the Missouri River!
