Lake Sharpe is a classic Missouri River reservoir, flowing from Oahe Dam in Pierre to Big Bend Dam in Fort Thompson. Clear water, current, and classic reservoir fishing is what anglers can expect, as well as plenty of walleyes to be caught. However, connected to Lake Sharpe, is a fishery that is the complete opposite.
Sitting within Farm Island Recreation Area, Hipple Lake is an oxbow lake that connects to Lake Sharpe. Stained and shallow water offers the exact opposite of what anglers will find on the main body of the reservoir, and while the action may not be as quick, this area has the potential to produce some of the best sized walleyes in the system.
While connected to Lake Sharpe, navigation between Hipple Lake and the main body is not recommended. Siltation from the 2011 flood, as well as natural aging of the reservoir, has cut off consistent safe access from the Hipple Lake dock to the rest of Lake Sharpe. While anglers fishing tournaments have made the run from the main body into Hipple Lake, this navigation can vary with water levels and is not recommended.
Lake Features and Elements
Hipple Lake is a large, relatively featureless oxbow, with depths often between 5-7 feet. Depths will vary with water levels, but for the most part anglers should expect to be fishing in around 6 feet of water. The deepest area is 10 feet, directly off a feeder creek directly across from the campground, and shallow stretches of 4-5 feet also present uniqueness to the area.
The water is consistently stained, which is contrary to the clear water in the main basin. While rain and other high flow events can dirty it even further, especially when dirty water is pushing in from the main body, for the most part water conditions remain relatively consistently dingy.
Deeper water can be found directly in front of the swim beach, often 8-9 feet, and shallower water can be found further near the main channel near the end. Navigation is overall safe, with sandbars, submerged trees, and other hazards not present within the area like they are on the main body.
Biggest Factor: Forage
Lake Sharpe is a gizzard shad driven fishery, and while gizzard shad production occurs along the entire reservoir, Hipple Lake is one of the main concentration areas for gizzard shad. Offering warm water springs, adult gizzard shad can survive the winter, and then disperse throughout the reservoir. Many will remain in Hipple Lake all year long as well.
In addition to gizzard shad, Hipple Lake also offers a variety of other forage options. These include juvenile white bass, yellow perch, and crappie. Juvenile white bass in particular are often associated with the best walleye fishing and the biggest walleyes. These larger body prey species are also a major reason for larger walleyes in this area.
Whether it is gizzard shad, juvenile white bass, yellow perch, or crappie forage is abundant throughout the entire area. This means that fish do not often need to be feeding and bite windows are tight. This also means that ensuring these forage species are on your electronics screen, or better yet striking at your baits, is your best bet for success.
When juvenile white bass are striking your baits, walleyes are often close by. Paying attention to your screen is also critical, and through time and understanding of this fishery the best anglers will be able to determine when these bite windows will be occurring. Oftentimes fish will rise off the bottom, and forage may even be surfacing, and this is when the majority of the bites occur.
Key Consideration: Water Levels and Wind
While current does not actively flow through Hipple Lake, water levels are a major consideration when it comes to where to target. As mentioned above, what seems like a featureless structure does have areas that will concentrate fish. The two major factors that will determine these are water levels and wind.
Water levels will generally be lowest in the mornings and highest in the evenings. Because of the shallow nature of the area, this means that periods of low water may concentrate fish in the deeper portions while they will move into the shallower areas to feed in periods of high water.
This also means that areas that are holding fish may be different between the mornings and the evenings as these water levels change. Focusing on deeper water areas in the morning, and shallower water areas in the evening, is a good starting point.
Just as important as water levels are wind conditions. Generally speaking, wind makes the fishing in Hipple Lake better. However, this isn’t necessarily always the case. Wind does play a major role in where fish are concentrating though.
In south and east winds, which often hit the area the strongest, walleyes will concentrate on the wind blown side or on top of the shallower areas. Where 6-7 feet comes into 4-5 feet is often where the bulk of the fish will be. High percentage areas in this are directly off the reeds as the lake begins to open up to the east.
North and west winds, which are often decreased due to the positioning of the fishery to the nearby bluffs, will move fish to the opposite areas. In these winds, look for fish further down towards the main body, where the 6-7 feet will move onto 4-5 feet. The reeds directly across from the boat ramp and along the island can also be productive in these conditions.
In calm conditions, water levels are going to be the biggest factor. While the lake may look featureless, anglers who take the time to learn where fish will position based on water levels and winds will find the most consistent success.
Fishery Type: Quality Over Quantity
While Hipple Lake can produce ample bites and a limit of walleyes, overall this fishery is focused more on quality over quantity. While walleyes 14-17 inches are common on the main body, more fish between 17-22 inches can be caught within Hipple Lake. The possibility for a larger fish, 25 inches or bigger, is also present.
Hipple Lake is also a true multispecies fishery, offering anglers a legitimate chance to catch walleye, white bass, northern pike, channel catfish, and crappie. Sauger are also present along with walleyes, and paddlefish may also be found within the area as well.
Best Baits
The two best ways to target walleyes in Hipple Lake are trolling crankbaits and bottom bouncing. Both of these techniques cover water, attract attention, and emulate the forage within the system.
The best crankbaits are #5 Berkley Flicker Shads. The smaller profile will make it easier to maintain depth in the shallow water, and the loud rattle will help attract fish in the turbid water. These also do a good job emulating both gizzard shad and juvenile white bass, the primary walleye targets. Blue, purple, firetiger, and other bright colors are all effective.
Large, #3 or #4, Colorado blades are the best bet for bottom bouncing. The larger blade will produce flash and vibration in the stained water, and also resembles a larger meal that walleyes are keying on. Tipping these with a nightcrawler is most effective. Blue, purple, orange, and white are all effective colors.
Best Bite Window
The bite within Hipple Lake often begins to pick up around Memorial Day, as fish complete their annual spawning rituals and begin to focus on feeding. Fish that spawned in the upper end of the reservoir will move into this area, and feed throughout the summer. While fish can be caught before this, they are not present in as great of numbers.
The primary bite window will then continue from late May through June and into early July. While fishing will slow down through July and August, fish can still be caught. The bite will then begin to pick up again in September, before continuing to heat up through October and into the early part of November. Fish can then be caught through ice up.
Whether it is to try a new area, target larger fish, or enjoy quick and easy fishing on a windy or other type of bad weather day, Hipple Lake is an excellent choice. Conveniently located within Farm Island Recreation Area, anglers wishing to camp or just enjoy the quiet fishery should put Hipple Lake on their list to target!
Learn More About Fishing Lake Sharpe
Hipple Lake was the “Under the Radar Spot” highlighted within The Complete Guide to Fishing on Lake Sharpe. Find out what else you need to know about fishing across the reservoir!
