Fishing in
South Dakota
2,463 named waters · 3 stocked in the last 30 days
Lake Oahe holds a Chinook salmon fishery built entirely on stocking, since the fish can't reproduce naturally in the reservoir, alongside strong walleye fishing across its length. The Missouri River reservoir system defines South Dakota's fishing, with cold, deep water supporting species that wouldn't otherwise survive on the northern Plains.
South Dakota holds 2,463 fishable waters on the books. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks has logged 18 stockings in the last year. The biggest water in the state is Lake Oahe at 309,912 acres.
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Freshest stockings
Full report →- Deerfield LakeWalleyeJul 15, 2026
- Eureka LakeLargemouth BassJul 15, 2026
- Dalton LakeRainbow TroutJul 10, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- Eureka Lake1× stocked
- Dalton Lake1× stocked
- Deerfield Lake1× stocked
Biggest waters
- Lake Oahe309,912 ac
- Lake Francis Case82,167 ac
- Lake Sharpe58,420 ac
- Lewis and Clark Lake25,142 ac
- Lake Thompson13,888 ac
- Lake Poinsett9,795 ac
- Bitter Lake7,865 ac
- Columbia Road Reservoir7,075 ac
Major rivers
- Cheyenne Riverorder 9 · ~1,862 cfs
- Sage Creekorder 9 · ~822 cfs
- Belle Fourche Riverorder 8 · ~705 cfs
- White Riverorder 8 · ~553 cfs
- Moreau Riverorder 8 · ~275 cfs
- Grand Riverorder 8 · ~272 cfs
- Beaver Creekorder 8 · ~185 cfs
- Big Sioux Riverorder 7 · ~894 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Butte (136) · Harding (133) · Pennington (127) · Meade (125) · Dewey (95) · Fall River (89) · Perkins (77) · Marshall (75) · Oglala Lakota (72) · Lawrence (69) · Jackson (64) · Haakon (61) · Corson (60) · Custer (60) · Ziebach (57) · Stanley (50) · Todd (48) · Lyman (47) · Charles Mix (45) · Tripp (41) · Roberts (41) · Day (39) · Gregory (39) · Lake (35) · Mellette (34) · Bennett (32) · Deuel (31) · Minnehaha (30) · Codington (30) · Campbell (27)
Seasons, limits, and rules are South Dakota's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
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South Dakota fishing — FAQ
Where does South Dakota stock fish?+
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks logged 18 stockings across South Dakota in the last year, led by trout and warmwater species. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
How often does South Dakota stock fish?+
South Dakota's agency publishes stocking updates that we check daily. Follow any water to track its stocking schedule.
Do I need a license to fish in South Dakota?+
Yes — South Dakota requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in South Dakota?+
South Dakota has 2,463 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.