Category: Nick’s Tips and Tails

When you ask folks in eastern South Dakota what times of year they get most excited about you might get a few answers: pheasant opener, East River Deer season, duck opener, Christmas, and South Dakota State Jackrabbits playoff football might make the list. One time of year that will for sure be a favorite, is […]

Early ice is a special time of year in eastern South Dakota! The Glacial Lakes region of South Dakota is famous for its ice fishing opportunities, particularly for both walleye and yellow perch, and one of the best times of year to find success is early ice. Early ice can present unique challenges to anglers, […]

It is no secret that winter means ice fishing in South Dakota. As the first true cold front grasps the region, spud bars begin to strike the ice, batteries are charged, and heaters begin to light up for the year. By the time Old Man Winter has the state firmly in his grasp, anglers have […]

Trolling crankbaits is an extremely popular technique for targeting walleye across all waterbodies and fisheries. This is for good reason, trolling crankbaits allows anglers to cover the most water, contact active fish, and is an extremely simple presentation as a whole. Despite it’s popularity, many anglers still do not take advantage of one of the […]

The Missouri River reservoirs in South Dakota are a favorite of anglers from across the region throughout the spring months. The presence of open water, year-round walleye season, and excellent fishing attracts anglers looking to put their first limits of the season in the boat. The spring bite leads to a spectacular early-summer bite across […]

While the summertime blues can hit many walleye anglers across the region, one of the best summer walleye fisheries in the region is Lake Oahe. The summer patterns on Lake Oahe can set up to provide some of the best opportunities to catch a trophy walleye all season for many anglers. Fishing can change drastically […]

Historically one of the top walleye fishing destinations in the country, Lake Oahe can produce spectacular fishing, but can also be very daunting for anglers as well. The reservoir features hundreds of creeks and tributaries, thousands of points, submerged islands, large flats, and an abundance of deep-water structure that can leave anglers overwhelmed looking at […]

Spring fishing is a special time of year in South Dakota. Anglers come from across the country to take advantage of the year-round walleye season, put their boats in the Missouri River, and fill stringers of walleye. As the weather warms, the grass turns green, and other fisheries open up across the region the same […]

Whether you are walking through the local tackle store, ordering baits online, or even scrolling your social media feed you’ll encounter hundreds, if not thousands, of baits you can utilize for trolling crankbaits for walleyes. So many baits yet you can only tie on one to each rod at a time, how do you decide? […]

Trolling crankbaits is a popular way to target walleye throughout all of the open water months. Regardless what time of year you’re trolling crankbaits, an important component of your trolling program is a planar board. Planar boards serve a variety of purposes and when deployed properly, will help you crank more fish into the boat. […]