The first event of the season for the National Walleye Tour (NWT) is set to take place April 24-25 on Lake Sharpe in Pierre.
“I was extremely excited for my favorite fishery, Lake Sharpe, to get national attention and was hoping this event would be a major victory for our home here in Pierre,” said Nick Harrington, Owner of Lip Ripper Fishing. “When I read what the NWT shared for a press release, I was frankly quite disappointed, especially when I saw ‘Lake Pierre’ to start the second paragraph. That said, I want to be positive and share a true outlook on this event.”
The event launches out of Downs Marina, and the entire reservoir is open for fishing. This is a pro-am event, which means there is a “Pro” angler and a “Co” angler in each boat. Anglers weigh their best five fish, which can include one “over”, or fish greater than 20 inches, per angler as outlined in state regulations.
“This will be the first time on Lake Sharpe for many of these anglers,” continued Harrington. “There have been major tournaments on Lake Oahe and Lake Francis Case, but Lake Sharpe hasn’t hosted an NWT/FLW in over a decade. There are many Lake Sharpe rookies in the field.”
Lake Sharpe is known as a walleye factory, and produces a great number of fish less than 20 inches. Those “overs” are coveted on the fishery, and play a major role in the outcomes of these events.
“Bill Shimota had a quote in the NWT press release regarding the lack of fish greater than 20 inches and if it was a ‘forage’ or ‘habitat’ factor,” explained Harrington. “Specifically, it’s because Lake Sharpe is a gizzard shad driven fishery. Gizzard shad do a great job growing fish to about that 20 inch line, but there is not a large bodied prey fish for walleyes to switch to once they reach that 20 inch mark.”
Heading into the event, anglers have two challenges. The first is locating these coveted overs, but the second is ensuring quality “slot” fish, or fish between 15-19 inches, are in an angler’s bag two days in a row.
“People get really wrapped up around the big ones here, and I get why, if you get one of those upper 20s you’re in amazing shape,” elaborated Harrington. “However, the real difference maker is what the whole bag looks like. Patterning those 17-19 inchers, that’s what makes the big difference.”
This is especially true for this year’s event, as there is an abundance of 15-16 inch fish in the system.
“Walleye abundance is extremely high right now in Lake Sharpe, particularly those fish in the 14-16 inch range,” detailed Harrington. “Unless you have an upper 20 each day, those 15 ½ inchers aren’t going to be helping much when it comes to weigh-in time.”
Another major element that is going to come into play in this event is the timing of the spawn.
“When I look at the notes from past years, as well as this year’s water temperatures, I think we’re looking at spawn happening literally in the days leading up to the event,” predicted Harrington. “That said, complex reservoirs like this will often see spawning activities taking place in waves, and at different times, along the reservoirs. If anglers can find pre-spawn females though, that’s going to be a big bonus.”
Regardless what stage of the spawning process they are in, location and presentation will be greatly tied to this spawning process.
“Fish are going to be staging along rocky shorelines and other hard substrates,” explained Harrington. “The males will likely be shallow, cruising these spawning areas and overall quite active. The females will be staging in the deep water adjacent to it, likely suspended.”
There are multiple ways to target fish on Lake Sharpe, but there are three main techniques that are most prevalent.
“The two most common ways to fish Sharpe in the spring is either pitching jigs or trolling crankbaits,” detailed Harrington. “Based on this crowd though, you’re going to see a lot of live scoping especially for those suspended females.”
While bottom bouncing, casting crankbaits, and other techniques can also be effective, these are more summer and fall presentation options. As far as top baits, generally smaller crankbaits are better on Lake Sharpe.
“Sharpe is a gizzard shad driven fishery, and there’s often an ample supply of small shad in the system throughout the primary growing season,” elaborated Harrington. “This is why I often prefer a #5 Berkley Flicker Shad or Flicker Minnow. The smaller profile generates bites, and is easier to troll over shallow sand flats.”
The combination of the timing of the spawn and the abundance of 15 inch fish are going to be the two biggest factors for this event.
“It’s going to come down to staying on top of your fish and making good choices on which ones to keep and which ones to put back,” concluded Harrington. “The winner is going to be able to follow their fish through the spawning progression, and of course have a little bit of luck that the bites come at the right time, and in the right order.”
Weigh-ins take place at Steamboat Park in Pierre beginning at 3:15 p.m. and are available on the NWT Facebook page as well. We’ll also have a complete recap available on our website following the conclusion of NWT and Sharpe Showdown.
Host Waterbody: Lake Sharpe
Lake Sharpe takes center stage for the first time since the World Walleye Championship in the fall of 2023, and the first visit in the history of the National Walleye Tour. Lake Sharpe is a walleye factory, and abundance is particularly high heading into this season. Learn more about this fishery in our Lake Sharpe Status and Outlook.
Host City: Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is an outdoor lover’s paradise, with fantastic fishing, great pheasant hunting, and numerous camping opportunities. Featuring small town charm, but capital city amenities, Pierre offers something for everyone. Learn more about the host city on our Plan Your Trip to Pierre page!
