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Best walleye lakes in South Dakota

88 South Dakota waters hold walleye, 5 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. Low-light predator with reflective eyes. Feeds on structure edges at dawn, dusk and night.

1. Lake Oahe — 205 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
2. Lake Francis Case — 140 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
3. Lake Sharpe — 78 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
4. Big Stone Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
5. Traverse — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
6. Belle Fourche Reservoir — 61 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Channel Catfish, Yellow PerchWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
7. Lewis and Clark Lake — 45 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
8. Angostura Reservoir — 68 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Waubay Lake — 31 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
10. Thompson Lake — 26 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
11. Bitter Lake — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
12. Whitewood Lake — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. James River — 10 ft max · Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Hendricks — 8 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
15. Poinsett Lake — 22 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
16. Missouri River (Gavins Point) — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
17. Red Lake — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
18. Kampeska Lake — 16 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
19. Richmond Lake — 23 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
20. Albert Lake — 13 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
21. Big Sioux River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel CatfishWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. Roy Lake — 21 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Opitz Lake — 23 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
24. Mitchell Lake — 29 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
25. Swan Lake — 17 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented

…plus 63 more South Dakota waters holding walleye.

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When to fish walleye in South Dakota

• Spring 4–15 ft — Spawning runs to gravel shoals, rocky shorelines and inflows.
• Summer 15–35 ft — Deep humps and breaklines by day; edges and flats in low light.
• Fall 12–40 ft — Fish steep structure near deep basins; big fish move shallow at night.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Deep basin flats and humps; short dawn/dusk feeding windows.

Also in South Dakota: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best white bass lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best brown bullhead lakes

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