South Dakota is a state known for more than Mount Rushmore. After all, this state is full of beautiful water and glacial lakes that make it a popular vacation destination. In the summer, many people head to the state to visit Badlands National Park and other incredible outdoor destinations. However, you may not know that the state is also very popular for winter activities, including ice fishing.
Over the years, South Dakota has continued to see many tourists and locals alike making good use of the state’s many beautiful lakes to participate in ice fishing. So whether you’re a tourist unsure of the scenery or a local looking for a new fishing spot, we’ve got the lowdown on the best ice fishing lakes in South Dakota.
There are numerous lakes where you can park for ice fishing. Here are some of the best destinations in the state so you can walk away with a big catch.
1. Lake Waubay
Waubay is one of the deepest lakes in South Dakota and is known for the giant lakers that swim there.
©iStock.com/Nancy Strohm
Our list starts with Lake Waubay. This lake is one of the deepest in the state and has a wide variety of fish that can be caught. The most popular fish, however, is the giant flounder, as it is famous for hosting this giant fish. Some of the other fish you can catch here include smallmouth bass and yellow perch. However, there are also other species such as black crappie, bluegills, rock bass and northern pike. This lake is located in northern South Dakota and covers approximately 15,000 acres. Also, the ice around this lake doesn’t start to melt until April and sometimes even May. This gives the angler plenty of time to ice fish during the season.
2. Lake Madison
Southeastern South Dakota is home to Madison Lake, where anglers can enjoy yellow perch fishing in great numbers.
Anglers looking for a great place to fish will love Madison Lake. This lake is a naturally formed lake that was actually named after Madison, Wisconsin. The lake itself covers about 4.75 square miles of land and 4.36 square miles of water. At its deepest point, the lake reaches a depth of 16 feet, meaning you can easily set up a fishing spot in most of the lake area. If you’re curious about the types of fish you can catch here, you’ll be glad to know that there are plenty of them. You’ll see yellow perch, northern pike, blue whiting, walleye and yellowheads. However, the fish you will find the most is the yellow perch, as it is the most populated fish in this lake.
3. Case of Lake Francis
Located in central South Dakota, Francis Case Lake is a large reservoir on the Missouri River.
©Harry Weddington, US Army Corps of Engineers / This image or file is the work of a soldier or employee of the US Army Corps of Engineers, taken or made as part of official duties of this person As the work of the US federal government, the image is in the public domain.
Francis Case Lake is located on the Missouri River in central South Dakota and is over 100,000 acres. This is a huge reservoir with a depth of almost 140 feet and that is what makes it such a popular ice fishing destination. In addition, it is also one of the best places to catch walleye. It has even been called the epicenter of walleye fishing.
The fishing here is quite simple, which is another reason why it is so popular. Especially for a novice angler, it can be very encouraging as lakers can be caught almost anywhere on the lake, regardless of the time of year. However, walleyes aren’t the only fish you can catch here. There are also large numbers of northern bass, catfish and pike. It is important to note that the ice in the area usually begins to melt around March, although it has been reported earlier in some years.
4. Lake Thompson
This lake has been named a National Natural Monument.
©Creative Commons
Thompson Lake is one of the largest lakes in the state with a surface area of almost 17,000. The lake reaches a depth of nearly 26 feet and has a shoreline of 44.6 miles. The name of the lake was originally Dry Woods Lake. It was called by this name by the natives. However, it was renamed in honor of Jacob Thompson, Secretary of the Interior under President James Buchanan.
This is one of the most popular ice fishing destinations in the state. It is also home to some of the most beautiful panoramic views. In this lake, you will find fish such as yellow perch, walleye, pike and sunfish, but you can also find carp and black bullheads. Since this is a large lake, the ice fishing season takes a while to start. However, the lake is usually frozen in January. This is definitely one of the best ice fishing lakes if you are looking for a wide variety of fish with beautiful views.
5. Lake Pickerel
This lake was formed by glacial activity that occurred thousands of years ago.
Pickerel Lake is one of the cleanest lakes in the state and also one of the deepest. This lake is a 955-acre spring-fed lake that is considered part of the Glacial Lakes Region. This means that this lake was formed thanks to the glacial activity that took place there. Today, Lake Pickerel is known to have many recreational activities, and this includes both fishing and ice fishing. Anglers will be delighted to discover that there are many types of fish that you can catch in this beautiful lake. The fish here include mostly panfish such as blackfish, yellow perch and bluegill. However, there are also many other types of fish to catch, such as smallmouth bass, walleye, and even pike and bass.
6. Lake Opitz
This lake has a great variety of fish to catch, including bass and walleye.
Another wonderful ice fishing lake located in South Dakota is Opitz Lake. This lake is a meandering lake and the associated fishery is currently managed by SDGFP. Interestingly, this lake did not start out as a lake. Originally they were four shallow waters. Over time, the area began to see higher water conditions. These water conditions created the lake that anglers can enjoy today. The biggest catches here include large numbers of pike, as well as smallmouth bass, yellow perch, common carp and largemouth bass. As water conditions have continued to be high, public access to the lake has been limited to a specific access point. Overall, this is a beautiful lake with great scenic views for your next ice fishing trip.
7. Lake Sheridan
The United States Forest Service owns and operates Lake Sheridan.
If you’re looking for an ice fishing spot within easy reach of Rapid City, you’ll want to check out Lake Sheridan. It is only 15 miles from the city. The lake is considered a reservoir and is located in the Black Hills National Forest. As a result of being in a national forest, the US Forest Service owns and operates the lake. The lake is usually frozen over by January, which means you can start ice fishing as soon as the new year rolls around. This is one of the most popular lakes for ice fishing as you can catch trout, pike, bass, perch and other panfish. Plus, since it’s in the National Forest, there are plenty of fun things to see and do throughout the area when you’re not ice fishing.