South Dakota fishing trip destination

Sorry if this is in the wrong place but I tried a couple days in the boating destination with no luck:

We're heading to South Dakota and looking to kill a day or two somewhere, hopefully fishing. I was hoping to find somewhere with Launch Boat Charters (where they take out 10+ people on a big boat for 3-5 hours). I've looked around the internet and all I've found are more expensive guided trips offering trips for 2-4 people max. Most anywhere in the southern half or eastern side would be great.

Re: South Dakota fishing trip destination

have ya checked out lewis and clark lake? it's by yankton SD. southeast SD. it's the last dam on the missouri river.
don't know if they got the charters ya want or not. i take my own boat. great boating there imho. i don't fish, but seen plenty of fisherman doing their thing though. makes me assume there's fish in the lake.
if ya go, watch out for the west end of the lake. it gets kinda shallow. i think it's the second largest lake in nebraska (half the lake is in ne. half in sd.). so easy to stay off the west end. the boat i take is in my sig. 19' is ok there and i've been out in pretty good winds there.
i like this destination.

Re: South Dakota fishing trip destination

ziggy said:

have ya checked out lewis and clark lake? it's by yankton SD. southeast SD. it's the last dam on the missouri river.
don't know if they got the charters ya want or not. i take my own boat. great boating there imho. i don't fish, but seen plenty of fisherman doing their thing though. makes me assume there's fish in the lake.
if ya go, watch out for the west end of the lake. it gets kinda shallow. i think it's the second largest lake in nebraska (half the lake is in ne. half in sd.). so easy to stay off the west end. the boat i take is in my sig. 19' is ok there and i've been out in pretty good winds there.
i like this destination.

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Hey Ziggy. Sorry to sidetrack the thread a bit but my parents just put a camper down at Lewis and Clark for the year so we will be spending a lot of time down there. The couple of times we have been there it has been pretty rough water, definitely got beat up a little bit going across the lake. I'm glad to hear you like it down there, we are looking forward to it. I have heard the fishing can be good there for Walleye. I also have an uncle that used to do a lot of bass fishing down there and did really well.

Re: South Dakota fishing trip destination

sublauxation said:

Sorry if this is in the wrong place but I tried a couple days in the boating destination with no luck:

We're heading to South Dakota and looking to kill a day or two somewhere, hopefully fishing. I was hoping to find somewhere with Launch Boat Charters (where they take out 10+ people on a big boat for 3-5 hours). I've looked around the internet and all I've found are more expensive guided trips offering trips for 2-4 people max. Most anywhere in the southern half or eastern side would be great.

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I doubt you'll find any charters, but Chamberlain might be your best bet (on I-90).

At Lake Lewis & Clark (Yankton), you can rent boats at the marina, including pontoon boats. Haven't checked in a while, but prices were running $150-$200/day for boat rentals. Just stay in the lower ten miles of the lake and you'll be fine. Prevailing winds are out of the south/southeast during summer, so calm waters will be on the south side of the lake (near the bluffs). Fishing in that lake is good for white bass and catfish. Plenty of walleye, but the best time to catch them is in the fall or spring when water temps are around 45 degrees. Bass fishing is good, too, but moreso up in the wetland areas on the western end of the lake where you can't get a big boat. Crappie fishing has been pretty good lately, also. Plus, there is fishing below the dam, especially if you're limited to shore. There is also a small lake below the dam (Lake Yankton) that has had some pretty good bass fishing (may have changed now since the 2011 flood - asian carp got into that lake and are keeping it stirred up and muddy, so not much vegetative growth and bass fishing has declined).

The fishing generally gets better as you travel up the Missouri River, especially for walleye. Get up to Lake Oahe (Pierre) and you have a chance to fish for trout and salmon (chinook). Really good walleye fishing up at Garrison Dam in North Dakota.

There is also good fishing in the glacial lakes in northeast SD, with relatively little fishing pressure, generally great summertime weather and hospitable folks.

Western SD rivers have catfish and Black Hills streams have trout.