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Best yellow perch lakes in South Dakota

83 South Dakota waters hold yellow perch, 4 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. The premier eating panfish. Roams soft-bottom flats and weed edges in schools — a daytime biter.

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 Sharpe — 78 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
3. Big Stone Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
4. Traverse — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
5. Belle Fourche Reservoir — 61 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Channel Catfish, Yellow PerchWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
6. Waubay Lake — 31 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
7. Thompson Lake — 26 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
8. Bitter Lake — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
9. Whitewood Lake — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. Hendricks — 8 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
11. Poinsett Lake — 22 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Red Lake — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. Kampeska Lake — 16 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Richmond Lake — 23 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
15. Albert Lake — 13 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
16. Roy Lake — 21 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
17. Opitz Lake — 23 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
18. Mitchell Lake — 29 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
19. Swan Lake — 17 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Dry Lake — 14 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
21. Pelican Lake — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. Henry Lake — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
23. Enemy Swim Lake — 26 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
24. Grass Lake — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
25. Pocasse Lake — 17 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site

…plus 58 more South Dakota waters holding yellow perch.

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When to fish yellow perch in South Dakota

• Spring 3–12 ft — Spawning runs to shallow weeds and gravel — find the school, stay on it.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Schools slide deeper to soft-bottom flats and deep weedlines.
• Fall 12–35 ft — Jumbo perch pod up on deep basin flats feeding on invertebrates.
• Winter 15–35 ft — A premier ice-fishing target — deep mud flats, small jigs.

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

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