The calendar has flipped to September, and that means the fall seasons are upon us! Archery deer season is underway, dove hunters are in the fields, and fall fishing is knocking on the door! Following a successful 2024, there’s even higher expectations for both the pheasant and grouse seasons too. We also have a deep dive on how to plan to target fall walleye on Lake Sharpe near Pierre. Find out everything there is to know and more in this week’s special fishing report!
Lake Sharpe Fishing Report
The fishing took a negative turn this week on Lake Sharpe, as heavy rains throughout the past week has resulted in a lot of mud and debris coming from the Bad River. This has greatly muddied up the water downstream, and has tanked the bite.
The fish are still present, and holding where they often are in 6-10 feet of water, but for the most part they are in an extremely negative mood and not looking to bite. This has forced the bulk of the boat traffic to fish above the Bad River, with the stilling basin being the best spot on Lake Sharpe currently.
There are some fish to be caught jigging along the bridges both in the mornings and the evenings. Between the bridges and the docks, there are the highest priority areas outside of the stilling basin.
Anglers are catching fish both trolling and bottom bouncing in the stilling basin. Following the procurement of a livescope, we can successfully confirm that jigging with crawlers is also another technique that puts fish in the boat.
South Dakota Hunting Season Outlooks
The calendar flipping to September means that many hunting seasons are beginning, or will soon begin. Archery deer season is underway, same with mourning dove season, and Unit 1 Canada goose season has kicked off as well.
South Dakota is the greatest state to pheasant hunt and features an overall outstanding upland game bird opportunity. This week we shared two outlooks regarding these seasons, and they’re something every upland game bird hunter is going to want to check out!
Pheasant Season Outlook
Last year there were 1.3 million pheasants harvested across South Dakota, with an additional 380,000 harvested on defined shooting preserves. This year, conditions are looking even better! There is a very real possibility even more birds are harvested in 2025, and this is setting up to be a season any pheasant hunter won’t want to miss!
Grouse Season Outlook
While pheasants may steal the show, South Dakota also offers a fantastic prairie grouse hunting opportunity too. Last year there were nearly 99,000 grouse harvested, and this season kicks off approximately a month before the traditional pheasant season. Upland game bird hunters who are looking to extend their season, and enjoy a unique hunting opportunity, will want to learn more about the grouse hunting South Dakota has to offer!
Fall Fishing Strategy on Lake Sharpe
We took a different approach with this week’s video, taking a look at what anglers can expect and plan for as the fall season progresses on Lake Sharpe. Check it out and drop a comment on what you think!
