2021 Fishing Report
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May 25-29 brings great fishing in shallow warm water in the Minneconjou Creek region of the lake. Dusty reports he had more great days up in the Cheyenne. Despite winds blowing 40 mph he found great success going simple with a bottom bouncer and minnow. The two largest walleye came on custom shacky shads. Boats are bringing in regular limits when working the warm waters of the shoreline.
We welcomed our first large group of the season in mid-May. They fished in the Minneconjou Creek region using worms. Two of the boats brought in limits each day and all of the boats managed to bring in great looking, post spawn, walleye.
It is already clear that walleye in June will be plentiful, easy to get the overs and unders were between 16-18.
It is already clear that walleye in June will be plentiful, easy to get the overs and unders were between 16-18.
On May 19 limits started coming in. Our Pike Haven guide, Dusty Miller, had a great day on the water in the Cheyenne. He was fishing 4 to 12 feet using Walleye Nation Creations marble jigs and shaky shads. He reports it was an easy limit to bring in.
2020 Fishing Report
April 4 - The past week started with good weather but winter returned mid-week with snow and frigid temps. Despite that though, the strong wind took out the remaining ice cover in this area. The lower part of Lake Oahe was open last weekend allowing boat access. There were reports of good catches of 10 #+ pike, as well as a 30 pounder. We caught and released a fat 38 incher in the back bay along with a couple of cat fish. With improving weather the bite should get into full swing.
March 2, 2020 - Ice fishing/spearing has been slow in Little Bend area, but good reports from Sutton Bay and Whitlocks areas. Open water fishing in tailrace below Oahe Dam has been excellent for walleye. The main lake ice around here is still thick enough to fish on by walking but looking like it's weakening. Nice weather ahead will probably degrade further. Meanwhile Dusty has been working on custom painting cranks for this year's trolling trips.
2019 Recap –
Fishing during 2019 was very good. Continued improvement in condition, size and numbers of fish was found throughout Lake Oahe.
An unusually late spring shortened the shoreline pike season. Those who were lucky enough to get the timing right did well. Plenty of big pike are still in the lake.
The walleye fishing too was slow to get going. But once it did, it was fantastic. 17 – 19 inch, husky walleyes were plentiful. It was not unusual for 25 to 28 inchers to be caught. The good news for the future is that people were catching walleyes of all sizes. Lake levels stayed high with cool water keeping the walleye shallow well into the summer. When they did finally go deeper, many fishermen were able to locate them and continue catching very good fish throughout the year. The Cheyenne River was very productive during the fall.
Concentrations of smallmouth bass seemed to be more difficult to locate. Those who did find them did well, catching many 18+ inch fish. There was a lot of forage in the lake, so it could have been that presentation made the difference.
Salmon fishing was not impressive. Persistent fishermen caught a few, but we need the population to improve to get a good fishery going again.
2020 Outlook –
We are really looking forward to 2020. Hopefully a normal spring will allow a typical ice-out pike season during April, and good walleye and bass action beginning in May. In this part of Lake Oahe, June is a very popular month. Our June reservations are filling up. If fishing is your primary goal, we feel that May can be just as productive and not as crowded. If you are looking for a variety of water fun, July and August has warmer water, less traffic and good fishing too.
Fishing during 2019 was very good. Continued improvement in condition, size and numbers of fish was found throughout Lake Oahe.
An unusually late spring shortened the shoreline pike season. Those who were lucky enough to get the timing right did well. Plenty of big pike are still in the lake.
The walleye fishing too was slow to get going. But once it did, it was fantastic. 17 – 19 inch, husky walleyes were plentiful. It was not unusual for 25 to 28 inchers to be caught. The good news for the future is that people were catching walleyes of all sizes. Lake levels stayed high with cool water keeping the walleye shallow well into the summer. When they did finally go deeper, many fishermen were able to locate them and continue catching very good fish throughout the year. The Cheyenne River was very productive during the fall.
Concentrations of smallmouth bass seemed to be more difficult to locate. Those who did find them did well, catching many 18+ inch fish. There was a lot of forage in the lake, so it could have been that presentation made the difference.
Salmon fishing was not impressive. Persistent fishermen caught a few, but we need the population to improve to get a good fishery going again.
2020 Outlook –
We are really looking forward to 2020. Hopefully a normal spring will allow a typical ice-out pike season during April, and good walleye and bass action beginning in May. In this part of Lake Oahe, June is a very popular month. Our June reservations are filling up. If fishing is your primary goal, we feel that May can be just as productive and not as crowded. If you are looking for a variety of water fun, July and August has warmer water, less traffic and good fishing too.
2019 Recap –
Fishing during 2019 was very good. Continued improvement in condition, size and numbers of fish was found throughout Lake Oahe.
An unusually late spring shortened the shoreline pike season. Those who were lucky enough to get the timing right did well. Plenty of big pike are still in the lake.
The walleye fishing too was slow to get going. But once it did, it was fantastic. 17 – 19 inch, husky walleyes were plentiful. It was not unusual for 25 to 28 inchers to be caught. The good news for the future is that people were catching walleyes of all sizes. Lake levels stayed high with cool water keeping the walleye shallow well into the summer. When they did finally go deeper, many fishermen were able to locate them and continue catching very good fish throughout the year. The Cheyenne River was very productive during the fall.
Concentrations of smallmouth bass seemed to be more difficult to locate. Those who did find them did well, catching many 18+ inch fish. There was a lot of forage in the lake, so it could have been that presentation made the difference.
Salmon fishing was not impressive. Persistent fishermen caught a few, but we need the population to improve to get a good fishery going again.
2020 Outlook –
We are really looking forward to 2020. Hopefully a normal spring will allow a typical ice-out pike season during April, and good walleye and bass action beginning in May. In this part of Lake Oahe, June is a very popular month. Our June reservations are filling up. If fishing is your primary goal, we feel that May can be just as productive and not as crowded. If you are looking for a variety of water fun, July and August has warmer water, less traffic and good fishing too.
Fishing during 2019 was very good. Continued improvement in condition, size and numbers of fish was found throughout Lake Oahe.
An unusually late spring shortened the shoreline pike season. Those who were lucky enough to get the timing right did well. Plenty of big pike are still in the lake.
The walleye fishing too was slow to get going. But once it did, it was fantastic. 17 – 19 inch, husky walleyes were plentiful. It was not unusual for 25 to 28 inchers to be caught. The good news for the future is that people were catching walleyes of all sizes. Lake levels stayed high with cool water keeping the walleye shallow well into the summer. When they did finally go deeper, many fishermen were able to locate them and continue catching very good fish throughout the year. The Cheyenne River was very productive during the fall.
Concentrations of smallmouth bass seemed to be more difficult to locate. Those who did find them did well, catching many 18+ inch fish. There was a lot of forage in the lake, so it could have been that presentation made the difference.
Salmon fishing was not impressive. Persistent fishermen caught a few, but we need the population to improve to get a good fishery going again.
2020 Outlook –
We are really looking forward to 2020. Hopefully a normal spring will allow a typical ice-out pike season during April, and good walleye and bass action beginning in May. In this part of Lake Oahe, June is a very popular month. Our June reservations are filling up. If fishing is your primary goal, we feel that May can be just as productive and not as crowded. If you are looking for a variety of water fun, July and August has warmer water, less traffic and good fishing too.
April 20, 2019 - Ice is out and boats on the water. Today air temp is 85, water temp is 42. Pike are biting in swallow water near spawning areas.
April 8, 2019 - Open water along shorelines are providing access to pike fishermen. The main lake is still covered with ice not allowing boat traffic. Guest Phil from Michigan caught a couple today. The largest was a 42 incher shown here.
