For more videos from SD Glacial Lakes & Prairies, visit our YouTube page. Be sure to check out our new videos uploaded January, 2013, from Jason Mitchell!
UPDATED: May 13th, 2013
Ice conditions are finally gone in the Northeast Region of South Dakota. Just a couple smaller ice sheets remained as of last evening. With two days of 20-40 mph winds, today and tomorrow, it will finally be Spring:) Weather Forecast: Highs in the low to mid 80s on Monday and Tuesday, cooling Tuesday evening with lows in the upper 40s. Wednesday and Thursday, look for highs in the mid 70s. Friday-Sunday will be highs in the low 70s with a 20-50% chance of rain.
Book your spring and summer fishing trips now! Check out our resort and bait shop links below for more information. Tell them Glacial Lakes sent you! Looking to plan your fall South Dakota hunting trip? Check out our membership directory for lodging, guides, resorts, and more!
Lake Thompson, Lake Preston & Whitewood Lake area:
Bitter Lake, Blue Dog Lake & Waubay Lake area: April 29th, 2013 (Courtesy of Circle Pines Motel 1-877-324-5161) Circle Pine Motel
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
1-877-324-5161 Looks like this was likely the last weekend for ice fishing on area lakes and it was a good one. Not many people fishing but we did have some very happy guests who decided to try it one last time. They fished on Bitter Lake just off the flooded road bed near the State's west boat ramp and they got near limits of very nice perch, some keeper walleye and a bunch of northern pike. Ice conditions will likely deteriorate quickly from now on. There are some open water fishing opportunities from shore near culverts.
Bitter Lake (Courtesy of Bitter Lake Lodge (605)-947-5005 ) Ice off most of the lake. Should all be off by Tuesday of this week. Boat landing is accessible at the Bitter Lake Lodge. Some people caught some walleyes in the evening off shore.
Waubay Lakes, Horseshoe Lake, Antelope Lake, & Pickerel Lake areas: Sportsman's Cove Sportsman's Cove, 1-605-345-2468) (Sportsman's Cabin available for up to 7 people. For rental information call 605-380-7590.) Fair amount of boaters over the weekend. Very little ice left on Sunday. Dock is in on Opitz and dock also in on Enemy Swim. More docks will hopefully go on this week. Shorebite on walleyes very good in the region, and good reports by boats as well. Fishermen starting to have success on Opitz, Swan, Blue Dog, and on Waubay for walleye.
Grenville Sport Mart (Courtesy of Penny & Roy at Grenville Sport Mart, 1-605-486-4641) We have house rentals available. Decent shore fishing for walleyes along the Grenville Grade at Waubay. Enemy Swim, & Waubay Lake area: Fishermen having alright success on Pickerel for walleyes, and on Bitter for walleyes and northerns.
Lake Kampeska, Grass Lake & Dry Lake area: (Courtesy of Doris at Kampeska Lodge 1-605-882-1313)
Big Stone Lake area: (Courtesy of Donna at Schmidt's Landing 1-800-610-4928)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
With the ice finally all gone off the lake anglers hit the open water of Big Stone Lake with a fury over the weekend. Thursday and Friday were excellent fishing days with an abundance of walleye in the 16-18 inch class coming in. Pitching small jigs tipped with a minnow into the rocks along shore was the ticket and anglers that found a little warmer water did well.
Saturday the wind machine kicked in with a cold front hitting the area that kept all the boats off the water. The fishermen did not give into it though...many opted to do some shoreline fishing and were rewarded with their efforts by late afternoon and evening. Utilizing crappie rigs, one family stated they caught three dandy walleyes in half an hour with one over 20 inches.
The majority of walleye caught are the smaller males, however, there were a few reports of some larger females caught as well. Signs are the spawn is just finishing up and the aggressive males are very active while those larger females are recovering. All indications are the bite will only get better as our short spring turns quickly into summer.
Donna Schmidts Landing 800-610-4928
Lake Traverse, MN April 22nd, 2013 (Courtesy of Todd Johnson at Wing N Fin Resort on Lake Traverse. 605-8-237-8323
About a dozen portable fishhouses went out on Traverse this weekend. Not much activity. Easy to get suck with snomobiles and 4-wheelers as there is much slush and rising water between the ice and snow. Hoping for ice out on Traverse by May 1st, however, much sun and warmer temps are needed!
Eden, South Dakota Joe Honer Cell-320.260.6143 http://www.joeguidesyou.com April 29th: Well the ice fishing season was a phenomenol one. We were still driving on 5 days ago but the last 4 days have taken care of most of the snow and has the shore lines getting soft. It will be a couple of weeks before ice out. There are lots of fish in the lakes so come join us for what promises to be a great open water season.
Gary Gangle, Fish Hunter Guide Service If you would like more information please check our website http://www.fishhunterguideservice.com or call 605-448-5751 or my cell 605-881-1853 and ask for Gary or Scott.
May 2nd: The main lakes still have ice on, but I look for ice off by mid-week (May 8-10th) The fishing should be great for walleye and pike. I expect the water temp to move up fast with the forecast for temps in the 60s and 70s most of of the May 6-10th. As soon as we can get on the water I will update an open water fishing report. For more information visit our website.
Kettle & Cattail Lake area: Fishermen having some success with shorefishing along the grade.
Lake Poinsett area:
Hunting season license deadlines and Applications available on line: Click here to get a copy of the applications forms from South Dakota's Game, Fish & Parks Department.
