SD Missouri River Fishing/Hunting Report 7-23-2010

[Jon Mitzel]

SD MISSOURI RIVER FISHING/HUNTING REPORT – July 23, 2010
Provided by: Great Lakes of SD Tourism Association
Karen Kern, Executive Director
PO Box 786
Pierre, SD 57501
karen@sdgreatlakes.org

HYPERLINK "http://www.sdgreatlakes.org/default.aspx?page=oahe"Lake Oahe

In the HYPERLINK "http://www.pollocksouthdakota.com"Pollock area fishing is great. Lots of limits coming in. Anglers are using crawlers and spinners with most fishing being done around 8-16 feet.
At HYPERLINK "http://www.mobridge.org"Mobridge walleye fishing is also very good. The fish are not usually in the same place two days in a row. Anglers are using crawlers and spinners in anywhere from 12-25 foot depths. There is a good crankbait bite going in the back of creek arms in 8 feet of water.
At HYPERLINK "http://www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/OaheSharpe/SwanCreek.htm"Akaska the fishing is getting good with anglers fishing in the 10-15 foot depths. Anglers are pulling plugs and also using crawlers.
At HYPERLINK "http://www.gettysburgsd.net/"Gettysburg fishing has been good. Walleye are being caught in 8-20 foot depths using crawlers and leeches. Resorts are seeing a lot of fish limits coming in. If you’re looking for smallmouth action, now is the time to be out on the water. There are a lot of smallmouth bass being caught. They are catching the smallmouth on crawlers and leeches – many anglers get them along with the walleye and they are fighters.
Around HYPERLINK "http://www.sdgfp.info/parks/Regions/OaheSharpe/SpringCreek.htm"Spring/Cow Creek the fishing is getting better all the time. The best areas are the Cheyenne arm and north around Bush’s Landing and Little Bend. With warmer weather the fish start to move south. Bait being used is crawlers, leeches and crankbaits in 5-30 feet. Salmon anglers are using primarily herring, with some squid and spoons. The salmon seem to be at any depth from 45-95 feet and the best area is from the face of the Oahe Dam to Snake Creek.
HYPERLINK "http://www.sdgreatlakes.org/default.aspx?page=sharpe"Lake Sharpe has seen good walleye fishing in the HYPERLINK "http://www.pierre.org/"Pierre area. The 15-inch limit is off during July and August. Anglers are using spinners and lindy rigs with crawlers, leeches and a few crankbaits in 4-18 feet. At West Bend the fishing is still going strong. Most fishing is being done in 6-15 feet with anglers using crawlers, leeches and crankbaits. If you have children or are just looking for a lot of rod-bending action it’s the place to be. If it’s windy a suggestion is to try inside LaFramboise. Best fishing on Lake Sharpe north of Chamberlain is from Iron Nation to the Big Bend Dam in 10-20 feet of water.
HYPERLINK "http://www.sdgreatlakes.org/default.aspx?page=francis"Francis Case
Around HYPERLINK "http://www.chamberlainsd.org"Chamberlain on Francis Case the fishing is good from Chamberlain to the Big Bend Dam in about the 10-20 foot depths. Anglers are using crankbaits and crawlers and there are lots of limits coming in. Smallmouth are also biting in this area.
In the HYPERLINK "http://www.plattesd.org"Platte area fishing is really picking up around Platte Creek. Crawlers, leeches and crankbaits seem to be the best for bait. Ramps are open.
At the HYPERLINK "http://www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/LewisClark/RandallCreek.htm"Pickstown and HYPERLINK "http://www.cityofwagner.org"Wagner fishing below the dam has been slow in the boat bay for walleye, with anglers finding the best bite on a jig and minnow. Walleye fishing has been fair to good from Pease Creek north. For walleye the bit seems to be on crawlers in 8-25 feet.
Around Lewis & Clark Lake catfish can be caught on stink bait. White bass are being caught by trolling along the face of the dam in 18-24 feet of water, but only a few walleye are being caught.
At Lake Yankton largemouth bass fishing is going well using artificial purple worms with glitter. Take your kids out fishing for an afternoon and get some sunfish using worms.
In the Springfield area they are catching lots of catfish using stink bait.
On the Missouri River they are catching bluegill and crappie on minnows and worms. The catfish bit seems to be the best on stink bait. Drum can be caught on crawdads. Down along the Nebraska Handicapped section, anglers are catching bluegill, channel catfish, flatheads and small mouth bass.
For more information and up-to-the-minute reports on fishing Lake Oahe, please call West Pollock Resort, 605-889-2448; Kemnitz MoRest Motel in Mobridge at 605-845-3668. Call Bob’s Resort at 605-765-2500 or South Whitlock Resort at 605-765-9762 in Gettysburg. On the lower end of Lake Oahe, call Spring Creek Resort at 605-224-8336 and Lake Oahe/Lake Sharpe call Carl’s Bait Shop at 605-223-9453. On Lake Francis Case, contact the Platte Chamber of Commerce at 888-297-8175, and Fort Randall Bait & Tackle at 605-487-7760 in Pickstown. On Lewis & Clark contact Captain Norms Bait Shop at 605-665-4271.
*Please remember that the fishing conditions in our great state change constantly and this report is simply a guideline.*
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"... they clean up the bait because it has to be gone 10 days before the start of the season. Apparently, people are in the mindset now that there is a baiting season -- it ends 10 days before the season." -- Maj. Rodmen Smith, Minnesota DNR