← South Dakota fishing maps

Best smallmouth bass lakes in South Dakota

16 South Dakota waters hold smallmouth bass. 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. Current- and rock-loving fighter. Lives around gravel, boulders and hard-bottom structure.

1. Waubay Lake — 31 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
2. Thompson Lake — 26 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
3. Bitter Lake — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
4. Poinsett Lake — 22 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
5. Missouri River (Gavins Point) — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Sauger
6. Big Sioux River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel Catfish
7. Roy Lake — 21 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
8. Long Lake — 23 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
9. Opitz Lake — 23 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
10. Sinai Lake — 33 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
11. Enemy Swim Lake — 26 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
12. Pickerel Lake — 41 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
13. Reid Lake — 18 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
14. Clear Lake — 20 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
15. Kettle Lake — 18 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
16. Missouri River (Oahe Tailrace) — 35 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Sauger

When to fish smallmouth bass in South Dakota

• Spring 3–12 ft — Gravel and rock flats near deep water; spawning happens on hard bottom.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Offshore rock humps and deep points; smallmouth suspend near bait.
• Fall 8–25 ft — Feeding hard for winter — long tapering points and rocky drops.
• Winter 20–45 ft — Deep, vertical presentations near rocky wintering holes.

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

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