Day One of the 2026 National Walleye Tour (NWT) event on Lake Oahe is in the books, and the fishery’s reputation as a trophy walleye factory continues to back itself up.
After Day One, it was Dylan Nussbaum who was fishing with co-angler Michael Hoffer who found himself at the top of the leaderboard with 28 pounds. Nussbaum’s mega bag was anchored by a 12-pound Lake Oahe giant, which he caught on the NWT Livestream.
Sitting right within striking distance is local angler Beau Schilling, who was fishing with co-angler Joe Harriet. Schilling brought 26 pounds 9 ounces to the scales, and enjoyed the top spot for most of the afternoon until Nussbaum weighed later in the day. Right behind in third place is Eric McQuoid, who was fishing with co-angler Brian Fowlds, who weighed 25 pounds.
In total, 14 bags over 20 pounds crossed the scales on Day One. Anglers can keep one walleye over 20 inches each, meaning at the end of the day the pro/co-angler combination can weigh two “overs” and three “slots” or fish between 15-20 inches. Anglers are not allowed to cull, which means once a fish goes in the livewell they cannot release it to replace with a larger fish.
The weather conditions made fishing challenging, with strong winds blowing across the massive reservoir. A major cold front that began moving through the area Sunday brought rain, strong winds, and cooling temperatures that played a major role in the bite for many anglers.
Despite these challenges, Lake Oahe once again showed the quality of walleye anglers have the opportunity to catch. Fishing out of Indian Creek Recreation Area near Mobridge, anglers were right in the heart of some of the best walleye fishing on upper Lake Oahe.
Day Two will launch Thursday, May 21 at 7 a.m. and individuals can follow along through the National Walleye Tour Facebook page.
Images Courtesy National Walleye Tour Press Release
