Fishing
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The Pierre area’s numerous lakes and ponds boast extraordinary freshwater fishing in every season. Abundant, well-managed populations of numerous species provide exciting fishing on hundreds of miles of shoreline on Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe.
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Smaller ponds and lakes dot the nearby prairies
and the Fort Pierre National Grassland, offering
excellent fishing from shore and small craft.
Successful ice fishing spans locations and
species.
Walleye
The walleye rules on the Missouri River. Prized
for their taste and abundance, walleye are
fished with jigs and minnows in the spring,
crawlers and leeches in the summer and through
the ice in the winter.
Captivated by the walleye, anglers come to
Pierre from across the region. The site of
numerous tournaments, including the Cabela’s
National Team Championship, the South Dakota
Governor’s Cup and the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour
Championship, Pierre has become a familiar
stopping point on the professional walleye tour.
But day in and day out, it’s the amateurs who
reign. They come from behind office desks and
out of operating rooms, sales offices and retail
stores. They come for a day, they come for a
week, but they all come for walleye.
Northern pike
Both the deep, cold waters of Lake Oahe and the
prairie lakes of central South Dakota provide
excellent year-round fishing for northern pike.
Caught with dead bait rigs in the cool early
spring, spoons and crankbaits as the water
warms, these fish often reach 20 pounds or
larger. In the spring of 1993, for example, a
record-setting 36-pound pike was pulled from
Oahe’s chilly depths. Trophy pike are fished
from local lakes year-round; the species is a
common ice-fishing catch.
Bass
Found throughout the Missouri River system, both
white and smallmouth bass are prevalent in Lake
Oahe, and in Lake Sharpe, bass are the second
most commonly caught fish. Smallmouth fishing
peaks during the May–June spawning season in
clear water near rocks, logs and dams.
Deep-diving lures bring success through the heat
of summer.
Native to eastern South Dakota, largemouth bass
are dominant in the calm, well-vegetated ponds
and smaller lakes of the Pierre–Fort Pierre
area. Similar to smallmouth bass, largemouths
spawn in spring when water temperatures climb to
65 degrees F. Plastic worms, jerkbaits,
crankbaits and pork rind are popular largemouth
lures.
Salmon, trout and catfish
From the face of Oahe Dam north to the Cheyenne
River, Lake Oahe offers excellent fishing for
Chinook salmon. These cold-water fish are pulled
from depths of 50 to 100 feet or more. The
salmon’s primary prey is the rainbow smelt, and
the most effective lures imitate this silvery
fish.
The Pierre area’s reputation as a trout hotspot
is growing, thanks to a healthy population of
large rainbow trout, some weighing over 10
pounds. Trophy catches have been pulled from
areas below Oahe Dam, often using silver and
chartreuse lures that imitate smelt and
baitfish. Fly fishing is increasingly common
near the tailrace and marina, starting in the
season just after ice-out.
An easy catch from small craft or the shore,
channel catfish are found in many habitats and
depths in both Lake Sharpe and Lake Oahe. You’ll
land prize specimens — perhaps over 30 pounds —
using night crawlers, chicken livers, crawfish
and other meaty, strong-smelling bait. Look for
the best fishing from spring through fall, when
warmer waters create peak spawning conditions.
Panfish
Bluegill, crappie and perch dominate the dozens
of small lakes and ponds within a short drive of
Pierre. Whether caught on a fly rod or bamboo
pole, these fish are remarkable for their
aggressive attacks on everything from poppers to
worms.
Boat ramps
More than three dozen boat ramps dot the shores
of Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe; access to Lake
Oahe sites depends on the reservoir’s water
levels. Clink on the area map link for the
locations of area boat ramps. For updated
information on possible ramp closings, click
here.
Fishing licenses
May 18-20, 2012 Free Fishing Weekend. During State Parks Open House
Weekend, anyone may fish in South Dakota without
a license. The rest of the year, however,
licenses are required for residents and
nonresidents.
U.S. and Canadian citizens who are over 16 and
have valid Social Security numbers (not required
of Canadian citizens) can purchase
over-the-counter licenses online at
www.sdgfp.info;
a credit card and a printer are needed to buy
the license and print it for use. Parents may
purchase youth permits for their children.
Those who need to present some other form of
physical documentation (e.g., nonresident
students attending school in South Dakota and
nonresidents serving in the military stationed
in South Dakota) must purchase their licenses
from a storefront agent.
Non-U.S./Canadian citizens who need to purchase
fishing licenses in advance of entering the
United States should call Game, Fish and Parks,
(605) 773-3485, to make special arrangements.
Click on the hunting and fishing license agents
link to find agents in the Pierre area. Complete
information and online license registration are
available through South Dakota Game, Fish and
Parks:
www.sdgfp.info.
