← South Dakota fishing maps

Best northern pike lakes in South Dakota

81 South Dakota waters hold northern pike, 1 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Aggressive ambush predator that patrols weed edges and cool water.

1. Angostura Reservoir — 68 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
2. Waubay Lake — 31 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
3. Thompson Lake — 26 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
4. Bitter Lake — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
5. Whitewood Lake — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
6. James River — 10 ft max · Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
7. Poinsett Lake — 22 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
8. Red Lake — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
9. Kampeska Lake — 16 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
10. Richmond Lake — 23 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
11. Pelican Lake — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
12. Albert Lake — 13 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
13. Big Sioux River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel Catfish
14. Roy Lake — 21 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
15. Long Lake — 23 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
16. Opitz Lake — 23 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
17. Goose Lake — 15 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
18. Sinai Lake — 33 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
19. Mitchell Lake — 29 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
20. Swan Lake — 17 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
21. Dry Lake — 14 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
22. Henry Lake — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
23. Enemy Swim Lake — 26 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
24. Grass Lake — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
25. Pocasse Lake — 17 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie

…plus 56 more South Dakota waters holding northern pike.

When to fish northern pike in South Dakota

• Spring 2–8 ft — Shallow, dark-bottomed bays that warm first; pike spawn in flooded vegetation.
• Summer 8–20 ft — Deep weedlines and cool water; the biggest fish slide deeper than most anglers fish.
• Fall 6–18 ft — Trophy time: big baits near the last green weeds and steep breaks.
• Winter 5–15 ft — Weedy flats near drop-offs; pike remain active all winter.

Also in South Dakota: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best brown bullhead lakes

Northern Pike elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Québec · Michigan · New Hampshire · Montana · Massachusetts · North Dakota · Iowa · Indiana · Alaska · New York · Wisconsin · Illinois · Maine · Manitoba · Alberta · Vermont · New Jersey