Category: Fish Biology

When anglers think of muskie fishing, they likely think of northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Ontario as some of the top muskie fishing opportunities. While this is true, many anglers are surprised they have the opportunity to catch a muskie in eastern South Dakota as well. The South Dakota muskie program began in 1975, when South […]

One of the most common ethical dilemmas faced by walleye anglers is deep water fishing. Barotrauma, or internal damage done to a fish when pulled from deep water, is a very real situation that walleye anglers face across the Midwest. Fortunately, with some considerations, walleye anglers can be comfortable knowing they are making ethical decisions […]

Yellow perch are a favorite forage option of walleye wherever the two species swim together, and in many situations perch can provide a year-round forage option for walleye. This is because perch, which are related to walleye, offer the same type of body profile as walleyes in a smaller size, making an easy to consume […]

One of the most overlooked walleye forage options, especially in the late summer and early fall, is crayfish. As the calendar flips to August and into September, in many walleye fisheries crayfish can become one of the top forage options.  In the late summer and early fall, walleye will often be keying on deeper, main […]

Tagged fish, regardless the size, are a special moment for an angler that’s lucky enough to catch one. The metal jaw tag on a walleye or smallmouth bass holds the same weight as a banded duck or goose to waterfowl hunter, and similar to waterfowl these tags play an important role in fisheries management. The […]

Angler’s Atlas, host of the Midwest Walleye Challenge, has released the total catch data from the first half of the 2026 event. Across five states, over 3,000 fish have been logged. The data is current April 1 to May 7, 2026. In South Dakota, 1,367 walleyes have been logged. The average length of these fish […]

The Missouri River reservoirs in South Dakota are complex and dynamic fisheries, and one of the biggest factors in both angling techniques and locations is seasonal movements of fish throughout the waterbody. This brings an added factor in locating fish that takes an understanding of these movements throughout the calendar year. Reservoirs, including the Missouri […]

Across the Midwest, walleye anglers will encounter a variety of regulations when it comes to walleye management. One of these regulations is a closed season, which is present in states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, and northwest Iowa. Other states including South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska will remain open for walleye fishing year-round. The reason […]

One of the most common concerns anglers express is waterbodies being “fished out”, which would be all or a significant amount of the fish in a population being caught by anglers or otherwise experiencing mortality. In this article, we’ll fish out the facts on how harvest is studied on game fish populations. To begin, there […]