South Dakota Fish

Been having a great yr. hear in SD.
Buddy & I go out about 5-6 days a week.
Mrs. works evenings so get alot of water time.
On my way to lake shortly again tonight.

Catch & release about 95% of my fish. Only keep few 14"-15" walleyes now & then, to invite as my dinner guest or fix up a meal for elderly from church.

We are at around 20 muskies this size so far. Just planted here couple yrs ago. not real big yet.


Catch about 30-40 smallies each night, with 4-5 a evening like these.


Lost count of walleyes. Most nights 40-50 eyes a night. Some nights more. I am at around 10 of them so far this yr. over 8lbs.


Once in awhile a bonus 14"+perch like this.

Dang nice! Especially that FAT smallie!

Jeff

im big time jealous that is one hell of a perch id take those all day long if i could, between perch and eyes id be set for life, ohio sucks

Good stuff =D>

Was a great night tonight fished from 7:00pm to 10:30pm caught east 60+ eyes. most in the 14" range couple 18"ers. Buddy got a 25" eye tonight was pretty excited. I showed him how to pitch power bait into the weeds where the hawgs lie.

Here's some pictures from other days:
Daughter got a 4-5 of these with me one night. Released them all she had to bring one home to show mom.

Her with another.

Lens was fogged over but one of my hard water eyes from last winter.

another hard water eye

Here's one of my 10# plus get 4-5 of these a yr. had to keep her got hooked in gill. usually just release them.

Here's another one that got hooked bad. this one was just short of 10 lbs.

Pike from about 2 weeks ago

This spring released eye:

For you bluegill lovers these hang around these parts also.
I think they are kinda a nuisance, bait stealers!!!!


I have many more just like pictures just like these.

Great reports! What a pig perch! That is awesome. Looks like a great fishery. Road trip for Musky anyone? :lol:

Wow! Some nice quality fish, I love SMB's but that perch is off the hook!!!!! EXCELLENT =D>

Great fish,do you care to share what type of baits your using :?:

Thanks all.

As for fishing Muskies you might be disappointed. They are recently new to SD & only about 4-5 lakes with fishable populations. Maybe be only couple lakes in state with them over 40". The 14"+ perch are common in lot of lakes.There are number of lakes known for catching them regularly. Dry Lake by town of Willow Lake is known for it's 14"-15" perch having a new state record perch being caught out of there most every spring last 3-4 yrs. I have left there many times with limit of those at about time of ice out. Limit is 15 perch in SD.

With all the flooding we been having, it may be bad for landowners, but fishing has been great. Lakes flooding spill fish into most every small slough & populations thriving. You can find quality walleye fishing from Missouri river to most anywhere east side of state.

Bait I use depends on time of day & time of yr. now when weeds are up during day and light breeze I will tuck right up to deep side weed edges with 1/4 oz. jig & leech, if breezy with cast a plug to edge of weeds (my favorite is #5 perch counts downs) In the heat of summer I use bass tactics, riggin up berkely gulp alive 5" shad weedless on 1/2oz. jig pitch into edges of weed beds & rip it thru fast. Once dark hits I often will go with a husky jerky & work the shallow water between weed line & shore.
I believe more of it is knowing the habits of the species one is after. ie. walleyes will hang on deep water edges in shade during day waiting for prey coming into cover, as you may know their eyes are light sensitive so if calm they will tuck up into those weeds tighter to avoid light. At night they become feeding machines going up into those shallows where the bait fish seek refuge and hit most anything that moves.

Been on water every evening since July 5th. Depending on night I have been getting 25-60 eyes a night.
We have a catch & release lakes here that the Game & Fish dept. loads with fish. on a slow night one usually can catch & release 15-20 eyes & over 100 easy on a night with hot bite going.
Here's sample from tonight:

Great report!! I like all the pics. Super nice fish. Keep up the good work.

Holy smackrel! Nice fish.

Wow ive never seen such a big perch and that smallie is fat!!

Wow,what a great fishery you have there.
Nice job catching them.

This report makes it sound like there's more fish than there is water! WOW...I'd never get tired of that! Awesome!

:twisted: That smallie has to be on steroids. Looks like SD has some great fishing. Nice job guys.

Here's a dandy that one of my friends got Wednesday evening.
It was longer then his 28" fish ruler.

I WANNA GO FISHIN WITH YOU GUYS FOR SURE!!!! NICE FISH!!!

Dude... Wow! I have always been in love with South Dakota: the week I spend out there every fall for the pheasant hunt is the week I look forward to the most out of the whole year, but I never imagined there would be much for fishing... I will be honest: this almost makes me want to move to South Dakota... Nice fish, great report!

Here's s sample of dinner guests from weekend last month:
Friday evening by myself:

Saturday with buddy:

Sunday with other buddy:


Buddy from land of 10,000 lakes has tuff time there finding eyes to cooperate
so I showed him what SD is about.
Good batch of eating size:

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