Hunting & Fishing Reports
Check Out The Latest South Dakota Fishing Reports & South Dakota Hunting Reports
Fishing Report: October 6th, 2025
Ladders are out and the Salmon Spawn is on the agenda!
Next Monday will be the last fishing report for the season. Over the winter we will highlight Ice Fishing season and 2026 fishing expectations in a special preview. The regular fishing report will start back up in May 2026, running spring to fall, and ending with the salmon spawn in October.
All our best,
The SD Missouri River Tourism Team
All our best,
The SD Missouri River Tourism Team
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!
Lake Oahe
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, Chad Schilling with Oahe Wings & Walleyes shared that this week was more of the same unfortunately. They were a few fish caught pulling crank baits in 35 - 45ft, but it is no runaway bite. The bait bite is pretty much nonexistent. Using forward facing sonar and jigging will produce a few fish as well, but the bite is overall tough.
In the Whitlock Bay area near Gettysburg, South Whitlock Resort shared that the walleye are really slow right now, and there have been some windy days. That being said, anglers are still catching a few. Salmon is picking up from the shore and some boaters are getting lucky using crocodile spoons. Catfish are a big hit in the area. Try early morning and evening hours.
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For more information and up-to-the-minute reports on fishing at Lake Oahe please contact:
Lake Sharpe
| In the Pierre/Fort Pierre areas, Propst Professional Anglers updated that things haven't really changed. Last week still had a lot of hot days. Lake Sharpe is fishable if the wind isn't blowing upstream. There isn't a lot of current right now, so when it's calm, the water produces. However, if the wind's blowing upstream, it stirs it all back up. Go to the deeper channel areas to catch fish. The fish are running very small in the 14 inch range, so you have to go through quite a few fish to get your keeper 15 inches and over. Lip Ripper Fishing shared on the tough bite on Lake Sharpe: The bite on Lake Sharpe continues to be greatly impacted by the flooding event from the Bad River that took place several weeks ago, but things are beginning to clear up, and the bite is slowly recovering. The river has been cleared of debris and we are just dealing with dirty water. Above Antelope Islands seems to have clearer water, and areas where water is flowing. The bite is slow, but persistent anglers who vary their presentation and cover water can still catch fish. Trolling crankbaits is an effective way to cover the most water, and is now possible due to lack of vegetation floating in the column. Small baits like the #5 Berkley Flicker Shad are most effective. Bottom bouncing with larger, #4, brightly colored Colorado blades are the best way to get bites in the dirty water, and can coax more neutral fish to bite. Oahe Dam Tailrace has some fish, but the bite itself is slow. The bulk of the pressure is on the west side, with a few fish on the east side. |
For more information and up-to-the-minute reports on fishing at Lake Sharpe please contact:
Lake Francis Case
No new reports from the Platte area, please refer to last week's report:
Platte Creek Lodge & Guide Service reported that the fishing is continuously picking up. Catching fish jigging and using bottom bouncing around 11-14ft. Pulling crankbaits has also been been a good presentation.
No new reports the Geddes area, please refer to last week's report:
SD Outfitters Unlimited shared there's a good jig rap bite starting! Depth has been between 14-18ft using cranks, best presentation has been trolling flicker shads.
For the Bonesteel area, Pavel's Walleye Camp reported the fall bite is coming on jigs and crank baits in deeper water, and some are being caught on bottom bouncer in 20ft.
In the Lake Andes, Wagner, and Pickstown areas, Lake Andes Inn & RV Park shared fishing season is slowly winding down. The weather is beautiful, and dedicated anglers are managing to reel in some nice catches. Activity is definitely quiet compared to peak weeks, but there’s excitement left for those willing to get out and try their luck.
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For more information and up-to-the-minute reports on fishing at Lake Francis Case please contact:
Lake Lewis and Clark
No new reports for the Yankton area, please refer to the last report: Walleye Guys shared Fall is in the air, though some days are still hitting 80s-90s. Water temps are still in the low 70s but they won't be for long, and with less daylight each day, walleye are migrating to fall locations and starting to put on the feedbags as egg development has begun. Expect this fall season to be one of the best ones yet, with great numbers of fish in the system and several fish over 20" already showing up in the past two weeks. As water temps drop, the fish will begin to search out those deeper breaks and continue to chase bait, which is plentiful, so being around fish when the bite window presents itself is crucial.
For more information and up-to-the-minute reports on fishing at Lake Lewis and Clark please contact:
For more information and up-to-the-minute reports on fishing please contact:
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 Fort Pierre at 402-689-9947
- Propst Professional Angers at 605-222-1621
- South Dakota Walleye Charters at 605-366-1875
Lake Francis Case
- Allen's South Dakota Fishing & Hunting in Chamberlain at 800-435-5591
- Platte Creek Lodge at 605-941-1679
- Missouri River Lodge & SD Outfitters Unlimited at 605-680-3877
- Pavel's Walleye Camp in Bonesteel at 402-340-0033
- Circle H Motel at 605-487-7652
- Skipper Bros Guiding at 605-892-7777
Lake Lewis and Clark
- The Walleye Guys in Yankton 402-499-4936
Remember – 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 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 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.
The Missouri River is a fishing and hunting paradise, filled to the brim with extraordinary opportunities to reel in or hunt your limit before the day is done. Come see why hunters and fishers alike cannot stop coming back to take in the sublime conditions along South Dakota’s Missouri River.
Hunting Fishing
