SD Missouri River Fishing Report

SoDak temperatures heat up the bite across the board!

This week’s Fishing Report is sponsored by South Whitlock Resort (https://www.southwhitlock.com/) . Located west of Gettysburg on beautiful Lake Oahe, the family-owned resort offers a variety of stays including full hook up camp sites, motel rooms and cabins. The onsite convenience store offers everything from bait, tackle, fuel and groceries to boat batteries and souvenirs. Other resort amenities include a shower house, laundromat, boat ramp, playground, picnic shelter and supper club. Whether you are looking for adventure or relaxation, South Whitlock Resort welcomes you!

Temperatures in South Dakota have soared upwards and this next week we should see a few days in the 90s, with just a little bit of overcast skies and low risk of rain. Overall, it’s looking like a great week to get after it!

All our best,
The SD Missouri River Tourism Team

Subscribe to the Missouri River Tourism Newsletter (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/newsletter-signup/)
The 2025 AFTCO Walleye Throwdown in Akaska, South Dakota held alongside South Dakota Walleye Classic & Festival (https://sdwalleyeclassic.com/) , introduced an exciting new format this year – one lucky angler has the chance to reel in $10,000! The grand prize goes to the angler with the heaviest walleye weighed in over the two-day event. See rules and registration here (https://www.aftco.com/pages/2025-aftco-walleye-throwdown) .
In the Mobridge (https://mobridge.org/)  and Pollock (http://www.pollocksouthdakota.com/)  areas, the fishing report is about the same as last week. The MoRest Motel (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/morest-motel/)  shared when the weather is nice, the bite is crazy good. People are catching really nice limits of fish. Depth is anywhere between 5-15ft depending on the day. Pretty much any presentation has been working; both minnows and crawlers are doing well. Reports from the Denny Palmer Memorial Walleye Classic shared that the tournament went spectacularly, seeing anglers bringing in excellent weights.

Around Akaska (https://oahewings.com/?y_source=1_OTk3NzA2Ny03MTUtbG9jYXRpb24ud2Vic2l0ZQ%3D%3D) , the bite continues to be a grind. Most fish are being caught from 12 – 20 feet of water. Still using both night crawlers and minnows. There is a good big fish bite pulling crank baits. Not a ton of fish being caught, but you can still manage to bring in a good bundle.
Reported from Oahe Wings & Walleyes (https://oahewings.com/)
A nice day’s catch!
Photo Courtesy of Oahe Wings and Walleyes (https://oahewings.com/)
https://www.southwhitlock.com/
In the Whitlock Bay area near Gettysburg (http://cityofgettysburg.com/) , South Whitlock Resort (https://www.southwhitlock.com/) reports that anglers are catching really healthy & fat walleye. However, presentation has been a fairly mixed bag. Anglers are using all flavors of live bait, minnow & crawlers, and some leeches. Some are still using a plain hook, but the bait shop is seeing an uptick of spinners and propellors. Limits have been attainable for the area. Seeing more anglers starting to go south of the bridge and around Stove Creek, otherwise many are still heading towards Dodge Draw and Swift Bird. Same depths as last week starting fairly shallow 5-8ft all the way up to 23ft.

Lots of happy faces at South Whitlock Resort
Photo Courtesy of South Whitlock Resort (https://www.southwhitlock.com/)
Bob’s Resort (https://www.bobsresort.com/)  is reporting the same as last week:
Fishing is definitely picking up and anglers are catching quite a few, as long as weather cooperates. Presentation has been a bit of everything, minnows/worms and also pulling plugs. Depth starts shallow around 8ft and goes up to 20ft. Catching walleye, smallmouth, and catfish.
No new report for the Spring Creek (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/spring-creek-recreation-area/)  & Cow Creek (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/cow-creek-recereation-area/)  areas, please refer to last week’s report:
The Outpost Lodge (https://outpostsd.com/) shared that fishing in the past week has improved on the peninsula. Cow Creek (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/cow-creek-recereation-area/) has been a great launch sight for a day of monster walleye fishing on the southern end of Lake Oahe. Water temperatures are also coming up! Worms are growing in demand with a shortage of minnows from the western prairie ponds. The South Dakota Rural Electric Association had a great turn out with large bag weights and over 120 fishing team members – smiles ear to ear! “Walleye, Walleye, Walleye, give me this wish of the monster walleye!” Don’t forget The Outpost Lodge (https://outpostsd.com/)  cooks your catch!
Family fishing day on Lake Oahe!
Photo Courtesy of Bill & Anne Sherman
Prospt Professional Anglers (https://propstprofessionalanglers.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKF59NleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFQY1o3MDVVVk13MFd1ZlREAR5XKiPHMtl4AiPzaaSVimieC6OfbJNHtoSyEfHxcHlJSGznPPzE0kYp1vHJXg_aem_Hb8X78kEvNlB0YoQo-zgwg)  have been active on Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe. The bite on lower Oahe remains hit and miss — you can catch fish in 7ft or 20ft, and one day can produce greatly while the next day is not so hot. Finding and staying on actively biting fish will drive you day. Fishing has been best in the bays and working up to the points. Trolling crank have also produced fish in those areas. There are massive amounts of bait, so finding hungry fish away from massive schools of bait can make your day better. Above the 212 bridge is where the majority of Oahe fishing remains, most going towards Akaska. Presentation has been half crawler and a bottom bouncer is producing eater-sized fish. Many larger fish are coming from patches of trees with a jig and nightcrawler or reaction-style bait
like a Berkley Finisher. Trolling with bigger baits like a Berkley Deep Hit Stick over the tops has also been productive.
Salmon Update on Oahe
The Oahe Salmon Guide (https://www.oahesalmonguideservice.com/)  shared their best news of the week: the size of the fish. They saw salmon coming in the teen-pounders, the heaviest at 16lbs. Recent inclement weather has been the biggest enemy right now. Daily storms and fluctuating wind speeds are still keeping the water from warming as it should. Fish can be caught from 35-75ft down, making it hard to pattern the fish! Overall the most productive depth was 45-60ft. FF started to heat up a bit towards the end of the week, but spoons are still going as well. It can pay off to keep a spoon or two in the spread. As far as presentation, all methods proved effective, but change from day to day.

Producing quality Salmon on Lake Oahe
Photo Courtesy of Oahe Salmon Guide Service (https://www.oahesalmonguideservice.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKz0NBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFIUDRtaTFINTJtYUNxRmJiAR6kpmSeD_MOQHSrYZkNSAdLwU_fx5YOUoZSDssX_2K4VSPu2PB0z33P4epGuQ_aem_PJWahM83JNnj_95krGoFCw)
https://sdmissouririver.com/follow-the-river/the-four-lakes-and-dams/lake-sharpe/
In the Pierre (https://pierre.org/) /Fort Pierre (https://www.visitfortpierre.com/)  area on Lake Sharpe between the stilling basin and the dam. Lip Ripper Fishing (https://midwestliprippers.com/) reported:

As far as the stilling basin, trolling crankbaits, bottom bouncing, and even dragging jigs are all producing fish. The bulk of fish are 15-17 inches, with plenty of shorts as well, though there are some quality fish to be caught.

The evening/night shore bite is also picking up in the tailrace area, anglers casting crankbaits and jigs. Plastics are doing quite well after sunset. Traditionally, June is when the summer bite gets very good in the tailrace, as the colder water can attract both fish and bait. The tailrace tends to be excellent near the end of September and on through November.

Hipple Lake in Farm Island Recreation Area (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/farm-island-recreation-area/) is a viable option for good fishing too. Trolling crankbaits is always the go-to, but bottom bouncing with nightcrawlers and Colorado blades can produce. Crankbaits are a bit better for when the fish are actively feeding, the wind is blowing, or light is low. Bottom bouncing is a better option when the sun is high, wind is calm, and fish are less active.

In West Bend (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/west-bend-recreation-area/) , the bite is good. There’s a good number of walleyes down there and lots of smallmouth bass are biting.
Guided Trips on Lake Sharpe
Photo Courtesy of Dave Spaid Guiding (https://www.davespaid.com/)
https://sdmissouririver.com/follow-the-river/the-four-lakes-and-dams/lake-francis-case/
In Chamberlain (https://chamberlainsd.com/) , Allen’s Missouri River Guide Service (http://www.allenshillside.com/) shared that the report has not changed much. Please refer to last week’s report:
There is a lot of fish in the area and you’ll have to sort through smaller sizes to get your limit. Presentation has been mostly crawlers and spinners at about 15-20ft. Lots of action!
No new changes for the report in the Platte (https://www.platteareachamber.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKz2cpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFIUDRtaTFINTJtYUNxRmJiAR7JDGXayyW4VCy_4DMCuwhhkqwS9ZKtUjJVnU4Fc6MitTvYmXAI9pZxChPXgA_aem_7iwzGAbvbzclSuv9zWunxQ) area, please refer to last week:
Fishing has been up and down with weather. Anglers didn’t get out on the water at all yesterday due to strong wind, but when the weather is good, the fishing’s great!
Reported from the Platte Creek Lodge & Guide Service (https://www.plattecreek.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKz2iZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFIUDRtaTFINTJtYUNxRmJiAR7oScl9s3B4ra9iQeM9hZ9HimoXaWCW1UdcoFxbUf6IwtecSGblwd7txoeKkA_aem_uqVNMaprdd0mW_ovc9cN5Q)
From the Geddes area, SD Outfitters Unlimited (https://www.sdoutfittersunlimited.com/)  says lower Lake Francis Case
bite has been great and fish are caught using a variety of techniques. Trolling cranks 20-30ft working flicker shad bait, and using lots of nightcrawlers. Also using spinners, or slow death.

Lots of nice sized fish coming out of Geddes, SD
Photo Courtesy from SD Outfitters Unlimited (https://www.sdoutfittersunlimited.com/)
In the Bonesteel (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/category/cities-and-communities/bonesteel/)  area, Ed with Pavel’s Walleye Camp (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/pavels-walleye-camp/) says fishing remains about the same. There’s lots of fishing pressure. The National Team Championship Walleye Tournament is happening this Thursday-Friday and the top ten teams are vying it out on Saturday. Weigh-ins are at the Fort Randall Marina, and they are anticipating a big crowd of fishing enthusiasts showing up for the weigh ins each day. Come out to see your favorite team, there will be many taking part in this national finals tournament.
Last week’s report:
Fishing continues to get better by the day. The Whetstone Bay Tournament was this weekend and there were some really nice fish caught, 28.5 inches. Many anglers were pitching jigs to shore while others were jigging over trees. Also saw many anglers live baiting slow death hooks with either worms or minnow.
For the Lake Andes (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/category/cities-and-communities/lake-andes/) , Wagner (https://wagnersd.squarespace.com/fort-randall-dam) , and Pickstown (https://pickstown-sd.net/) areas, Lake Andes Inn & RV Park (https://lakeandesinn.com/) reported the waters around Fort Randall Dam and Lake Francis Case had a lot buzzing this Father’s Day weekend. Anglers have filled the inn & RV park as pro teams gear up for the National Walleye Championship this week. Above the dam, trolling crankbaits in 25–30ft brought the heat. Big flicker-shad profiles were the star, drawing solid walleye hits by late afternoon. Mid-depth work with flicker-shad jigs at 1–1.5 mph kept the bite consistent, while slip-bobber rigs baited with nightcrawlers drifting just off the bottom scored both walleyes and feisty smallmouths. Around the 10–20ft zone, bottom-bouncer setups with crawlers, leeches, and minnows ran near feeding flats and along drop-offs, producing steady action through
midweek. Soft “slow death” worm rigs slide slowly along the edges and pick up smallmouths and more cautious walleye — this finesse play was a killer change-up. Below the dam, bank anglers found success with simple crawler rigs and flicker shads along early-morning and evening breaks. Current-side trolling and anchored spinner + crawler combos from the boat also pulled chunky walleyes, showing the bite wasn’t boat-exclusive.
https://sdmissouririver.com/follow-the-river/the-four-lakes-and-dams/lewis-and-clark-lake/

No new reports from the Yankton (https://www.visityanktonsd.com/)  area, please refer to last week’s report:
The Walleye Guys (https://www.thewalleyeguys.com/) shared the bite was excellent until this recent cold front brought nasty storms rolled in for a week dropping temps 15 degrees and dirtying up the water. With stable weather back in the forecast and temps warming back up, so is the bite. By the end of this week, it should be in full effect again. Walleye are being caught all over the lake. Shallow depths are the place to target them right now; however, some can be caught in deeper water as well. Shallow water fish are typically the most active and easier to catch. 6-7ft seems to be a good target for pitching jigs with live bait or plastics. Trolling the flats around the lake can also produce lots of fish. Drive around with your electronics to find the pods of fish and work them until you figure out what they want that day. Guides have been having bust luck pitching jigs but anticipate a great crankbait bite to take off this week. Trolling Salmo Hornet and Berkley Money Badgers has been
best.
https://www.southwhitlock.com/
https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/category/outdoors/fishing/

Lake Oahe

·         Kemnitz MoRest Motel in Mobridge at 605-845-3668

·         Oahe Wings & Walleyes at 605-230-0280

·         Bob’s Resort in Gettysburg at 605-765-2500

·         South Whitlock Resort in Gettysburg at 605-765-9762

·         The Outpost Lodge in Pierre at 605-264-5450

·         Oahe Salmon Guide Service in Onida at 605-691-9020

Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe

·         Lip Ripper Fishing in Pierre at 402-689-9947

·         Hutch’s Guide Service at 605-220-2844

·         South Dakota Walleye Charters at 605-366-1875

Lake Francis Case

·         Allen’s South Dakota Fishing & Hunting at 800-435-5591

·         Platte Creek Lodge at 605-941-1679

·         Missouri River Lodge in Geddes at 605-680-3877

·         Lake Andes Inn Motel & RV Park at 605-418-9888

Lake Lewis and Clark

·         The Walleye Guys in Yankton 402-499-4936
Please note – this report is a snapshot in time and changes can occur quickly. We suggest you call one of our members listed above – they can be very helpful with what is happening along the river. That way you’ll be assured of a great trip!

Questions about boat ramp access? Check the SD Game, Fish & Parks (https://sdgfp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=79c3f941ae6c4abbbc6ac4b6987a06f5) interactive map. You’ll have to zoom in to the ramp you want to look at, and the information is regularly updated. It’s a great resource!

Help slow the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species! Check out the Game, Fish & Parks (https://gfp.sd.gov/) web site for detailed info on the regulations. They are very specific so you’ll want to be sure you’ve read the regulations. If you love to fish the Missouri River in South Dakota, please do your part to keep the reservoirs free of aquatic invasive species.

Have some great photos from your time on the water? South Dakota Missouri River Tourism would love to share them as part of our weekly Fishing Report update on our social media. Send your Mighty MO river photos to info@sdmissouririver.com and we’ll be sure to give you a shout out! Also, be sure to like us on Facebook for up to date information in the Missouri River Region.
Thanks for reading our Fishing Report!