There is an abundance of fishing spots across South Dakota, and with so many spots and so little time how do you know where to focus your efforts? Whether it’s targeting walleye on the Missouri River, yellow perch or bluegill in the Glacial Lakes region, or rainbow trout in the Black Hills there is a bite to be had for everyone!
Missouri River
Cedar Shore Resort (Lake Francis Case)
The Chamberlain area is the epicenter of walleye fishing in the early spring, and right in the heart of this action is Cedar Shore Resort. A protected marina, large boat ramp, spacious parking lot, and numerous plug ins for boats makes Cedar Shore Resort the perfect spot to focus your early spring walleye fishing efforts!
Explore: Cedar Shore Resort
Farm Island Recreation Area (Hipple Lake/Lake Sharpe)
Whether you’re looking to stay out of the wind, maximize your time on the water, or enjoy some spectacular multispecies fishing Hipple Lake is the perfect choice. Situated within Farm Island Recreation Area, Hipple Lake offers excellent fishing both from shore and from the boat. A unique aspect of Lake Sharpe, Hipple Lake often produces the best average sized walleye in the system.
Explore: The Complete Guide to Fishing on Hipple Lake
Oahe Downstream Recreation Area (Lake Sharpe)
Sitting just below the Oahe Dam at the beginning of Lake Sharpe, Oahe Downstream Recreation Area provides anglers easy access to some of the best year-round fishing on Lake Sharpe. The stilling basin will hold fish throughout the entire year, while the Oahe Dam tailrace will provide open water opportunities often year-round, with both an excellent shore fishing bite beginning in June, before peaking in September, October, and into November.
Explore: Oahe Downstream Recreation Area
Spring Creek Recreation Area (Lake Oahe)
The fishing on the lower end of Lake Oahe begins to peak in June, and Spring Creek Recreation Area provides anglers a central location to some of the best fishing on the lower end of the massive reservoir. A protected boat ramp and marina makes for easy launching and loading in any weather, and the spacious parking lot provides plenty of room for boaters to enjoy.
Explore: The Complete Guide to Fishing on Lake Oahe
West Bend Recreation Area (Lake Sharpe)
One of the most consistent bites in the summer is West Bend Recreation Area, which provides quick access to some of the best fishing spots on the lower end of Lake Sharpe. The large flats and submerged timber will hold fish throughout the year, with fishing taking off in May and carrying throughout the entire summer months.
Explore: The Complete Guide to Fishing on Lake Sharpe
Swan Creek Recreation Area (Lake Oahe)
Lake Oahe is a trophy walleye factory, and when it comes to the highest percentage areas to target these fish Swan Creek Recreation Area is right in the heart of the action. Sitting across from the Moreau River and featuring large flats and submerged timber in both directions, there are plenty of areas to target trophy walleyes.
Explore: Lake Oahe – A Trophy Walleye Factory
West Whitlock Recreation Area (Lake Oahe)
If Swan Creek Recreation Area is the northern edge of the best trophy walleye fishing on Lake Oahe, West Whitlock Recreation Area would be the southern edge. Similar to it’s northern counterpart, West Whitlock Recreation Area offers quick access to large flats, submerged trees, and also the pillars along the 212 bridge.
Explore: 2026 Lake Oahe Fishing Forecast and Status Report
Snake Creek Recreation Area (Lake Francis Case)
The Platte area is one of the most productive areas on Lake Francis Case, and fishing begins to really pick up in the May and June timeframe. The large tributaries of Snake Creek and Platte Creek hold a number of fish, and large flats and submerged trees provide a number of areas for anglers to target. A large, protected boat ramp in Snake Creek Recreation Area makes for an ideal launching location.
Explore: The Complete Guide to Fishing on Lake Francis Case
Buryanek Recreation Area (Lake Francis Case)
Fishing is popular in the Platte area, and when Snake Creek Recreation Area and Platte Creek Recreation Area fill up with anglers and boaters, the quiet boat ramp and campground at Buryanek Recreation Area can provide a peaceful location to enjoy Lake Francis Case.
Indian Creek Recreation Area (Lake Oahe)
The Mobridge area is famous for walleye fishing on Lake Oahe, and the best place to launch onto the waterbody in the area is Indian Creek Recreation Area. Whether it’s for a camping trip or a central spot to launch the boat, Indian Creek offers plenty of room for anglers and boaters.
Explore: Upper Lake Oahe Shows Both a Rebound and Promising Future
Oahe Dam Tailrace (Lake Sharpe)
Stretching hundreds of miles, it may seem like you need a boat to effectively fish the Missouri River, but that’s not true. The Oahe Dam tailrace is one of the best shorefishing spots on the Missouri River, with a solid bite beginning around June. The greatest number of fish will then move into the area beginning in August, with the bite peaking in September and October.
Explore: 2026 Lake Sharpe Fishing Forecast and Status Report
Fort George Lakeside Use Area (Lake Sharpe)
While casting crankbaits and jigs and plastics is a go-to in the Oahe Dam tailrace, Fort George Lakeside Use Area provides a more relaxed fishing experience. Here, livebait, a hook, and a weight is all you need. Anglers can expect to catch walleye, sauger, white bass, catfish, freshwater drum, and more!
Explore: Fort George Area on Lake Sharpe Sees Major Improvements
Glacial Lakes Region
Roy Lake State Park (Roy Lake)
Roy Lake offers some of the best bluegill fishing in northeast South Dakota, and also excellent smallmouth bass, northern pike, and walleye fishing. Roy Lake State Park provides direct access to the boat ramp, with both cabins and suites feet away meaning that anglers can stay directly on the access and maximize their time on the water.
Explore: Roy Lake State Park
Lake Poinsett Recreation Area (Lake Poinsett)
Lake Poinsett is one of the most popular fisheries in eastern South Dakota, and Lake Poinsett Recreation Area puts anglers in some of the best fishing on the lake. Simply coming out of the boat ramp, anglers can expect to catch walleye, yellow perch, crappie, northern pike, and white bass by both trolling crankbaits and bottom bouncing throughout the entire open water season.
81 Ponds (Brookings)
When it comes to catching a 30 inch walleye in the Brookings area, the 81 Ponds Complex is one of the best opportunities. Routinely producing fish over 20 inches, the various ponds provide anglers the opportunity for a walleye for the wall as well.
Bitter Lake (Webster)
The poster child of the Glacial Lakes region of South Dakota, Bitter Lake is a complex waterbody that can produce excellent walleye, yellow perch, and northern pike fishing. The amount of structure in the waterbody is unbelievable, including flooded timber, roads, stock dams, rock piles, and more.
Waubay Lake (Webster)
Similar to Bitter Lake, Waubay Lake is another large waterbody that features plenty of angling opportunities. Submerged trees, rocky grades, back bays, and road beds all hold fish, and anglers can scatter across the waterbody and find fish on unique structural elements. Terrific walleye fishing can be expected, along with yellow perch and northern pike.
Lake Sinai (Brookings)
One of the deepest lakes in eastern South Dakota, Lake Sinai provides a diverse and challenging fishery. Anglers can expect to find walleye, smallmouth bass, crappie, and yellow perch along with northern pike. Main lake humps, rocky shorelines, gravel points, and sunken timber all make for unique areas to target.
Lake Thompson Recreation Area (Lake Thompson)
A large fish bowl similar to Lake Poinsett, Lake Thompson provides some of the best crappie fishing in eastern South Dakota. In addition to crappie, anglers will find walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, and white bass in good numbers. Lake Thompson Recreation Area also offers some of the best cast and blast opportunities in the region once the pheasant hunting season begins.
Antelope Lake (Webster)
There are plenty of trophy walleye to be caught in northeast South Dakota, and while these fisheries can vary by the season, one of the most consistent trophy walleye waters is Antelope Lake near Webster. Anglers can expect large walleye, smallmouth, and northern pike on any given year.
Black Hills and Western South Dakota
Legion Lake (Custer State Park)
Legion Lake is an iconic location within Custer State Park, and while excellent views and a tasty burger or shake are what many expect, an excellent fishery is often overlooked. Rainbow trout, largemouth bass, and northern pike can all be caught in Legion Lake, which can offer an excellent bite especially in the mornings and evenings.
Explore: Multispecies Fishing on Legion Lake in Custer State Park
Grace Coolidge Walk-In Fishery (Custer State Park)
The Grace Coolidge Walk-In Fishery provides a unique opportunity, combining both hiking and fishing. Six lowhead dams all can offer excellent fishing for rainbow trout, and gorgeous views within the Black Hills for anglers hiking between the fisheries.
Explore: Fishing the Grace Coolidge Walk-In Fishery in Custer State Park
Center Lake (Custer State Park)
Sitting at the very top of the Grace Coolidge Walk-In Fishery is Center Lake, which can provide excellent fishing for a variety of species of trout. A quiet, remote campground, provides the perfect opportunity for anglers to enjoy a truly relaxing Black Hills vacation.
Explore: Custer State Park
Stockade Lake (Custer State Park)
Not all of the lakes in Custer State Park are trout spots, and a traditional bass and bluegill fishery can be found in Stockade Lake. There is a number of species present within Custer State Park, and Stockade Lake adds to that number.
Fort Pierre National Grasslands (Pierre)
Southwest of Pierre, the Fort Pierre National Grasslands offers a number of dams that can provide excellent largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, and crappie fishing. Popular fisheries include Sheriff Dam, War Creek Dam, Military Dam, and Richland Dam, but exploring off the beaten path can produce some of the best results.
Rocky Point Recreation Area (Belle Fourche Reservoir)
Commonly referred to as Orman Dam, Belle Fourche Reservoir is a popular walleye fishery in western South Dakota and Rocky Point Recreation Area sits directly on the fishery. Offering excellent numbers of walleyes, Belle Fourche Reservoir shined in the 2025 Midwest Walleye Challenge.
There are hundreds of different spots to target in South Dakota, and with so much water there is a bite for everyone. Whether you’re targeting walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, northern pike, channel catfish, salmon, or even paddlefish there is an abundance of opportunities across the state!
