Lake Francis Case is a popular destination for springtime walleye fishing on the Missouri River. The Chamberlain area becomes the epicenter of walleye fishing across the Midwest and for good reason, the fishing can be absolutely spectacular!
The 2022 season is shaping up to be another terrific year on Lake Francis Case. Early reports indicate excellent fishing, with boats finding great numbers of fish and bringing home full stringers of eater class walleye. The strong bite should continue to pick up and carry through the entire spring season and into the summer months as well.
Lake Francis Case and Lewis and Clark Lake were recently featured on the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Podcast and Blast. Fisheries biologists from the Chamberlain office discussed what to expect on the reservoirs ranging from everything from walleye, smallmouth bass, white bass, catfish and projected water levels on the reservoir with another potential dry year.
Lake Francis Case will be in the spotlight again this year, drawing national and regional attention with several major tournaments on the schedule. The premier event will be the National Walleye Tour (NWT). Last year, the reservoir showcased how spectacular the fishing can be. Check out the action from last year’s event and stay tuned for updates on the 2022 tournament!
A preclude to the NWT will be the 21st Annual Cedar Shore Walleye Tournament put on by The Fishing Crew. This will be the first event of the year in The Fishing Crew side pot, which will pay points to teams fishing the Cedar Shore Walleye Tournament, TFC at the Platte Creek Store, and South Dakota Governor’s Cup. Anglers Mason Propst and Nick Harrington will be competing in all three events looking to take home Team of the Year honors!
Lake Francis Case will play host to the first events of this series, fishing out of Chamberlain in April before heading to Platte in June for the second leg of the event. The Fishing Crew at The Platte Creek Store will put the excellent summer fishing the Platte area can provide on center stage! Indeed, the summer fishing on the lower end of the reservoir can be spectacular as well!
In addition to these major events, Lake Francis Case will also host numerous other tournaments including:
- 25th Annual Lake Francis Case Walleye Tournament
- Midwestern Mechanical Walleye Classic
- 26th Annual Platte Chamber of Commerce Fishing Tournament
- 20th Annual Jim Fowlds Fresh Horses Fishing Tournament
- Muth Electric Fishing Tournament
- Sunshine Foods Annual Fishing Tournament
- Terry Severson Memorial Fishing Tournament
- Walcro Fishing Tourney
- McCook County Wildlife Club Walleye-Sauger Fishing Tournament
- Graybar Electric Annual Fishing Tournament
- Smithfield Fishing Tournament
- Cole Hickey Memorial Fishing Tournament
- South Dakota Walleyes Unlimited Fishing Tournament
- Ladies Only Fishing Tourney
- South Dakota Air National Guard Fishing Tournament
If you’re interested in getting into tournament fishing, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Lake Francis Case events often produce great numbers of fish as well as quality sized fish as well. A complete list of tournaments and events can be found on the GFP Event Calendar.
Whether you are looking to compete in the numerous tournaments, enjoy the hot spring bite or plan a summer family vacation the 2022 season is looking to be a great one on Lake Francis Case. We’ve got everything you need to learn about the reservoir, plan your trip and have success out on the water!
Follow Us for More Information
Are you looking for more information on Lake Francis Case? You can find the latest fishing reports, tournament results and tips by following Lip Ripper Fishing on Facebook. You can also follow Mason Propst and Nick Harrington as they compete across the state including out of Chamberlain and Platte by finding them on Instagram!
