SD Missouri River Fishing Report

https://outpostsd.com/
Hunt AND Fish on the Missouri River this Fall Season

Fall opens the gates to hunting in South Dakota, but it is also the season when fishing reaches another peak. Now is the perfect time to do both, and this week’s sponsor The Outpost Lodge (https://outpostsd.com/)  can outfit you in the field and on the water. Located on Cow Creek Recreation Area north of Pierre on the southern end of Lake Oahe, the lodge affords a prime hunting spot with multiple nearby game production areas, walk-in areas, and Lower Oahe Waterfowl Access areas, providing your choice of hunting grounds. Lower Lake Oahe, while well-known for its ever-popular walleye fishing, is also where you can find Chinook Salmon, unique to this area of the Missouri River. The Outpost Lodge offers full-service packages including food and lodging for your Cast n’ Blast trip, all within the sweeping setting of rolling hills and big water. Take the time to take your time on the hunt for fowl and fish this season — Fall is still fresh on the doorstep!

This week looks like the perfect weather for all things outdoors in Central SD, with mostly clear skies forecasted for every day except Sunday. SD has officially opened the 2025 Grouse Season, : view details on Ruffed Grouse (https://gfp.sd.gov/ruffed-grouse/) , Sharp-tailed Grouse and Prairie Chickens (https://gfp.sd.gov/prairie-grouse/)  on the SDGFP website.

All our best,
The SD Missouri River Tourism Team
Subscribe to the Missouri River Tourism Newsletter (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/newsletter-signup/)
In Mobridge (https://mobridge.org/)  and Pollock (http://www.pollocksouthdakota.com/) , the MoRest Motel (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/morest-motel/)  updated that the bite is the same, please refer to last week’s report:
The bite continues to be extremely tough. Finding fish and bait with electronics has not been an issue, but getting them to bite has been nearly impossible. Fish have been in 10-15ft on some days, 30-40ft on others. Once the water temps cool down some, the bite should kick back into gear.

Around Akaska there are no new reports, please refer to last week’s:
Chad Schilling with Oahe Wings & Walleyes (https://oahewings.com/)  shared angling for walleye have been pretty tough. Catfish, on the other hand, are easy to catch, spot locking in between 40-60ft and using jig and crawler. Walleye have been coming from 30-40 ft, using a bouncer and a crawler.
In the Whitlock Bay area near Gettysburg (http://cityofgettysburg.com/) , South Whitlock Resort (https://www.southwhitlock.com/)  shared some walleye are being caught; however, anglers aren’t limiting out at the moment. Salmon fishing has been better to do from shore, but boaters are catching some too. Salmon have been nice quality and still shiny. Live bait is 50/50 between crawler and minnow. The area is anticipating a good fall fishing season to come!

Quality Salmon & 10lb 5.76oz Walleye
Photo Curtesy of South Whitlock Resort (https://www.southwhitlock.com/)
Bob’s Resort (https://www.bobsresort.com/)  shared that anglers are beginning to see a few more salmon caught in the shallower areas casting from shore and long lining. Boats this past week seemed to have a little harder time with salmon. Some walleye anglers are having luck finding large ones using jigs over trees. Live bait worm and minnow in 25-30ft have been the best method.
https://outpostsd.com/
On the southern end of Lake Oahe, the Outpost Lodge (https://outpostsd.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawM1JLBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVc1dxazRES2NIRHFLOE51AR4c8S5vf9nKn7w6xpvUJkM-N3nCDejpTMGL1mvY40ncnt1GigED9etI5ffbcQ_aem_bW2PIlR1dnZIwBPS6OHxHQ)  shared salmon fishing has been excellent. They have a new salmon guide, Long Hair Guide Service, who has availability this season. The walleye bite has slowed down with only a few still catching giants. Bass fishing has been top notch, with some bag limits of 25# for your 5. Pike fishing has also been great! Go for deeper than 30ft and you will see the magic. The Stockman’s Tournament will start Friday night with a rules meeting and fishing all weekend.

The grouse hunting this year will be the talk of the decade! The Outpost Lodge has found several open spots on the shoreline via public hunting access and are seeing tons of birds; get your dog and come on out. The Outpost Lodge has dinner specials every night, featuring local Meire Meats all-beef patties for hamburgers. Cabins are available with fall rates!

Amazing Fishing Trips on Lake Oahe!
Photo Courtesy of The Outpost Lodge (https://outpostsd.com/)
Propst Professional Anglers (https://propstprofessionalanglers.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawM1HgVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVc1dxazRES2NIRHFLOE51AR6tSU_R0gdF7_AZzZmfXlxsslZMZLLfMjbFtD_1n7EnbOni12Oe7DLz1dHTvQ_aem_J3dCh8yfS3YSP1u0oxyv_w)  shared the bite remained about the same on the lower end of Oahe. Some days are better than others. Finding windblown areas has been the key to fish under 20ft. Once you find a biting pod, you’ll want to get your work done as the bite window varies from 20 minutes to 5. Getting bites in the boat right now is critical to having a successful day as opportunities are fewer this early in the season. They are catching fish on a 2oz bottom bouncer with a bead and slow death, also using a half a crawler or a Berkley 4in gulp crawler. There is a deeper Jig Rap bite out past 20-60ft using forward facing sonar – it seems the best bite has been using more of a light jig cadence. Other baits being used include a Berkley Finisher or a Shiver minnow. New baits like the Berkley Rawler
Jig or the Berkley PowerBait Power Vibe are some to add to the tackle box for catching Oahe walleyes.
Salmon Update on Oahe
The Oahe Salmon Guide (https://www.oahesalmonguideservice.com/)  shared the bite remains good for the most part. The wind last week slowed things down but didn’t shut down the fishing. FF is going strong. There were a few days where spoons were money. It definitely pays to diversify your spread right now. Green, yellows, and blues were the best in FF and spoons. Divers, coppers and riggers all produce regularly. Many fish in the younger-year classes are coming in. There’s still plenty of mature fish around, but they are starting to move. Target depth hasn’t changed from 60-80ft. The beautiful weather this week will help.

For those interested to learn more about the West Whitlock Bay Salmon Spawning Station (https://gfp.sd.gov/whitlock/) , be sure to follow on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WestWhitlock) for updates. SD Game Fish & Park typically opens the Salmon Hatchery around the first or second week of October. During this time, guests and groups are welcome to visit the station, where they will have presentations about salmon spawning on Lake Oahe.
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/)  areas Propst Professional Anglers (https://propstprofessionalanglers.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawM1HgVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVc1dxazRES2NIRHFLOE51AR6tSU_R0gdF7_AZzZmfXlxsslZMZLLfMjbFtD_1n7EnbOni12Oe7DLz1dHTvQ_aem_J3dCh8yfS3YSP1u0oxyv_w)  and Lip Ripper Fishing (https://midwestliprippers.com/)  reported that on Lake Sharpe, heavy rains last week caused the Bad River to dump insane amounts of mud and debris into the main river. The culverts in town also muddied the river, creating some turbidity even within the normally clear areas of the reservoir. Navigating Sharpe for the foreseeable future will require a lot of attention; trees are hung up everywhere. Sharpe will likely not clean up very fast. A lot of debris and silt will catch on the sand bars and anything else it can attach to, and once the Oahe Dam releases more water, it stirs Lake Sharpe up again. It will take a few weeks to clear up proper for the upper
portion of Sharpe.

This has put a great deal of the top fall fishing spots out of play.
The tailrace area was mostly void of walleyes, though there were some smallmouth bass. The bite in the stilling basin has also been extremely slow. Patience will be the name of the game with Lake Sharpe. With no rain forecast for this week, hopefully the current flow can clean up the reservoir and improve the bite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsMU_Th9xfE
Lip Ripper Fishing
Shore Fishing Fall Walleye at the Oahe Dam Tailrace
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/)  reported that guides are doing pretty well with equipment and river knowledge. But really, it’s about catching fish in flurries. Still the same presentation, pulling cranks or bouncer with crawlers, spinner and crawler, or pulling lead core. Depth has varied as fish are chasing shad right now.
In the Platte (https://www.platteareachamber.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMZcRhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFhQlRPeUhHRWVPbHFDT2ZQAR4fDIOSVY5LvfZBWoUUfJ1sdBIds5Q4sx1OXL7CjDPGFVH1e4u8UcTrwjPQiw_aem_vHRLFc1bKVhnZSUQWDZyBQ) area, Platte Creek Lodge & Guide Service (https://www.plattecreek.com/) shared fishing has been good and anglers were doing really well until rain and weather became prohibitive. They are optimistic for conditions getting better again in the next few days.
From Geddes, SD Outfitters Unlimited (https://www.sdoutfittersunlimited.com/)  shared there’s a good jig rap bite starting! Depth has been between 14-18ft using cranks, best presentation has been trolling flicker shads.

Group Trips off Lake Francis Case near Geddes
Photo Curtesy of SD Outfitters Unlimited (https://www.sdoutfittersunlimited.com/)
For the Bonesteel (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/category/cities-and-communities/bonesteel/)  area, Pavel’s Walleye Camp (https://www.sdmissouririver.com/directory/view/pavels-walleye-camp/)  reported Fall fishing is picking up and looks like the area is going to have a good bite!
In 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/)  shared fishing remains pretty good. Every week there are anglers reeling in a solid amount of walleye, even if they’re on the smaller side. The tricky part is expectations: some folks are punting at their favorite depth with their go-to bait. In the fields, this will be a great year for hunters. You can see pheasants everywhere right now, and according to the game wardens, this season should be at least as good as last year, maybe even better.
https://sdmissouririver.com/follow-the-river/the-four-lakes-and-dams/lewis-and-clark-lake/

For the Yankton (https://www.visityanktonsd.com/)  area, the Walleye Guys (https://www.thewalleyeguys.com/)  have no new reports for Lewis & Clark. But big fish are starting to bite and the fall season is about to turn on. Otherwise, please refer to the most recent report for Lewis & Clark Lake:
Cooler temps are settling in and fish are on the move. Changing weather conditions like the switch from summer to fall cause a lot of inconsistency in fishing. There are fish all over the system right now, some deep and some shallow, but getting the right ones to bite can be a challenge. Taking what the day gives you is the best option until a seasonal pattern emerges. Currently, the perch bite on Lewis & Clark Lake is worth targeting. White Bass are also a fun species to go for as they are schooled up and chasing bait. Walleye seems to be the most consistent up-river as those fish are less affected by the changing temps and they will soon start to move back into the lake, making for an excellent fall bite. If you are into Live scoping, it may be the best tool to use so you can pick out the species you want to target while avoiding all the Drum, which are always biting. There is a ton of bait in the system right now and it isn’t going to change anytime soon. Getting away from high-bait
areas can help you find a good bite, but switching up your bait will also attract fish. Sometimes you just have to keep trying different things until something works.
https://outpostsd.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 & SD Outfitters Unlimited at 605-680-3877

·        Skipper Bros Guiding at 605-892-7777

·        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://experience.arcgis.com/experience/fa1e6cd335d8425183944b9f1a03e01e) 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!