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Best walleye lakes in South Dakota

88 South Dakota waters list walleye (official records or labelled estimates), 19 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — 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. Big Stone Lake — 15 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
2. Traverse — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
3. Belle Fourche Reservoir — 61 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
4. Angostura Reservoir — 68 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. James River — 10 ft max · Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Hendricks — 8 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
7. Albert Lake — 13 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
8. Missouri River (Gavins Point) — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
9. Enemy Swim Lake — 26 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
10. Big Sioux River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel CatfishWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
11. Pickerel Lake — 41 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Herman Lake — 13 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. Brant Lake — 14 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
14. Reid Lake — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
15. Cottonwood Lake — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
16. Cochrane Lake — 24 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
17. Marindahl Lake — 29.2 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Alvin Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
19. Louise Lake — 27 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Swan Lake — 6.2 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
21. Wall Lake — 22.8 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Missouri River (Oahe Tailrace) — 35 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Henry Lake — 37.2 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 65 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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