I must admit I’ve not been doing a good job putting out fishing reports this year! As I mentioned in the summer fishing update last week, I’ve been having just too much fun in the new boat! Fortunately, summer is officially here and the fishing has been as hot as the weather! Let’s talk about it!
Regardless where you were fishing this past week, the wind and weather was a factor! Winds upwards of 30 mph and gusting even greater made fishing all across the midwest difficult! Several large storm systems also rolled through, doing their part to impact the bite as well.
Lake Oahe
The bite on Lake Oahe is really swinging into gear! The Mobridge area is producing an excellent numbers bite and can keep you reeling in fish all day long. There is an abundance of the 10-13 inch fish, but you can get those 15-18s in with them as well! There is of course always a chance at a trophy as well!
The best bite has been bottom bouncing with simple set ups, mainly plain hooks and also adding a small Smile Blade to them has been the ticket. Both nightcrawlers and minnows can catch fish, but as the summer heats up expect crawlers to become the top choice.
On the lower end of the reservoir near Pierre, well much of the same can be said! There is an abundance of those 10-13 inch fish, but just like up in Mobridge, there are 15-18s not too far away once you find them.
The same style of fishing can produce on the lower end as well. Bottom bouncing the backs of creeks and bays with plain hooks and Smile Blades is effective. Vertical jigging with minnows along the edges of dropoffs can also result in fish. Don’t be afraid to pitch up onto those dropoffs as well!
The upper end of Sharpe has been producing some excellent fishing. The Oahe Dam tailrace has drawn a great deal of attention of anglers who are reporting both good fishing for walleye and salmon. Yes, salmon! Anglers are finding success throwing crankbaits and jerkbaits, particularly in the evening hours.
The stilling basin has also been producing some excellent fishing. Much like we discuss above, the numbers bite has been excellent with a strong number of those 10-13 inch fish keeping anglers busy all day long. There are better quality fish as well, some days your keepers may all be between 15-16 inches, but other days fish between 17-19 inches are possible as well.
Further downstream, the bluffs have been toying with angler’s hearts. Muddy water from the Bad River has been wreaking havoc on the bite along the bluffs and further downstream for roughly two weeks now. When the water is semi-clear, anglers have been having the best success pulling crankbaits. Be advised, there is a good deal of debris in the water column and it is important to ensure your baits are running properly and not fouled.
Moving away from the Bad River, West Bend is doing what West Bend typically does and that is put out a lot of fish. An excellent action spot, West Bend offers anglers a strong number of biting fish, with some keepers mixed in there as well. Be on the lookout for some excellent smallmouth bass fishing too! The majority of anglers are also pulling bottom bouncers with live bait, both minnows and nightcrawlers are producing fish, but once again expect that crawler bite to really be the top option moving forward.
Well it’s a pretty typical situation for Lake Francis Case this time of year. The Big Bend tailrace is producing some strong fishing in the upper end, while Snake Creek and Platte Creek have exploded for excellent fishing! There is no doubt that Snake and Platte Creek areas are the hottest places to be on Lake Francis Case right now.
Much like what we see further up, bottom bouncers and simple snells are going to be the top option for many anglers. These areas also are excellent places to target for crankbaiters too.
The biggest story line here is rising water. In the northeast, lakes like Bitter Lake and Waubay Lake are rising above their previous record highs and really causing chaos. While the fishing can still be very good in this neck of the woods, it is probably more important that ever to ensure you know where you are going in both your tow vehicle and your boat.
Moving south, winds played a big factor on the two-day tournament on Lake Thompson this weekend. The large waves made navigating difficult for many anglers, but the ones who did get to their fishing spot were rewarded with some fish.
In the realm of sticking with what it does, Lake Poinsett is continuing to produce some excellent fishing. The majority of this fishing is in the “action” department, but there are trophy caliber fish present as well!
News and Notes
This week is National Fishing and Boating Week, if you didn’t have plans to get out and celebrate this is the perfect excuse in my opinion! Make sure you’re practicing safety and all AIS regulations when you’re out and about!
My “normal” fishing discount of $50 remains available. Simply give me a call/text at 402-689-9947 and tell me you want a “normal day on the water” and I will mark you down for the discount.
Book a Trip on the Missouri River
We talked about it above, but it is worth mentioning again. There is an abundance of fish in the Missouri River reservoir and it is good to see! They may be stealing your bait, but they are what we want to see moving forward!
I hope you all have an excellent week and can get out to enjoy with some fishing! Good luck, be safe and good fishing!
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