It was a busy couple weeks on Lake Sharpe, with the National Walleye Tour and Sharpe Showdown events both taking place last week in Pierre. Now, we’re back on to our normal fishing reports, and the news is very good!
The spawn is mostly complete on Lake Sharpe, and the bite is starting to pick back up! The trend from the recent weeks is significant fish movement, both in terms of depth in the water as well as miles up and down the reservoir and this continues to hold true. Fish are now transitioning back towards their feeding areas as spawning activity begins to conclude.
This puts those large feeding flats between Farm Island Recreation Area and Fort George Recreation Area as top spots to target, as a constant stream of fish continue to work their way through the area. This has been the primary area of target these last couple weeks!
The males are still actively…involved…in spawning behavior when you catch them, but for the bulk of the fish the female walleyes have spawned and the bite should continue to pick up throughout this week and into the next as recuperation completes and feeding comes back top of mind. Males should be remaining highly active through this entire time as well.
The best bet is trolling crankbaits along the large flats, particularly adjacent to main current areas. Fish are actively moving up and down the reservoir, so focusing on these transitional areas is the highest probability option. Keeping moving, both in regards to trolling crankbaits and checking new areas, has been the key to success.
As far as baits, #5 Flicker Shads and Shad Raps are the top option. Colors include whites, purples, and oranges, but there does not appear to be any strong preference in color options. The water is quite clear still, despite some recent rains earlier this week. The wind has proven to be the best factor in changing water color, and thus color preference.
Further up the reservoir, the jig and minnow bite continues to be very good in town. Fishing along Marions Gardens, Causeway, and among the bridges continues to be the best option but the stilling basin can produce as well. The deep hole on the LaFramboise side of the Causeway has also been popular, though very hit and miss.
Further down the river, there is a decent bite along the bluffs as well. Anglers both trolling and jigging the bluffs have been catching fish, which matches up with the targeting transitional areas adjacent to deep water that have been producing fish as well.
Further down river as we discussed above, all flats between Stoney Point, Fort George, and the secondary flats in this area have all been productive. Targeting both the sandbar sides, but also the trees, can be productive.
Overall the key is covering water, targeting structural elements adjacent to deep water, and being cognizant of constant fish movement is the key to success. There’s no secret baits or spots, the bite is overall excellent along the reservoir wherever you may be fishing if you have these ingredients!
Camping Season is Upon Us!
The weather felt a lot like summer this past weekend, and camping season is indeed upon us! Campers are showing up in the parks, and the weather is ideal for camping too. Warm days with cool nights make for comfortable early season camping, and facilities are available across many parks across the state meaning there is running water available within the campgrounds.
South Dakota State Parks have a 90-day reservation window, which means the bulk of the summer is open for reservation! While planning ahead is a great approach, there are often campsites available for coming weekends so if you see an ideal forecast and the calendar allows there are plenty of opportunities for a last-minute weekend reservation too!
Purchase Your State Park Entrance License
As a reminder, 2024 South Dakota State Park Entrance Licenses will expire following Open House Weekend, which is May 16-18. If you haven’t already, make sure to buy your park entrance license so you’re ready to go for the summer of 2025!
Trolling crankbaits along the flats between Farm Island and Stoney Point has continued to be productive, scoring a 3rd place finish this past Tuesday for Jett and Nick in the third week of the Tuesday Night Walleye Fishing League season in Pierre!
The bite is picking up across the state, and there has been a lot of changes to the leaderboard for the Midwest Walleye Challenge in South Dakota! We’re a month into the event and shared on update on where things stand!
Sharpe Showdown wrapped up a busy week of tournament fishing last week on Lake Sharpe in Pierre, and it took a final weight of 19 pounds to score the victory for Ryan Thompson and Matt Lyon! Check out the full results, and breakdown of the event!
The National Walleye Tour made it’s first stop on Lake Sharpe in Pierre right before Sharpe Showdown, and a couple big walleyes came across the scales to propel Bobby Crow to a 21 pound Day One, and ultimately securing himself the role of NWT champion! Check out the full results of this event as well!
Check Out the YouTube Channel
The YouTube channel has been a major focus this year, and the goal is to completely up the game on videos from everything from fishing reports, tactical videos, and now as of this week the first long form video detailing everything going on regarding the past couple weeks on Lake Sharpe. If you enjoy these reports, check out the YouTube channel and be sure to subscribe too!
