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Fishing Belle Fourche Reservoir: what the data says
8,000-acre reservoir near Belle Fourche. The lake tops out around 61 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Walleye fishing at Belle Fourche Reservoir
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Channel Catfish fishing at Belle Fourche Reservoir
Spring channel catfish on Belle Fourche Reservoir hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow feeding flat: a feeding flat around 9 ft that scores prime in summer. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday |
Yellow Perch fishing at Belle Fourche Reservoir
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 60 ft
- Deepest basin: deep basin, around 60 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 21 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 10 ft
- Rock reef: rock pile, around 10 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 10 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 9 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 9 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 8 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Rock reef: rock pile, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Belle Fourche Reservoir?
Belle Fourche Reservoir is about 61 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Belle Fourche Reservoir?
Anglers target walleye, channel catfish, yellow perch on Belle Fourche Reservoir.
Where is the best fishing spot on Belle Fourche Reservoir?
Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Belle Fourche Reservoir?
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Angostura Reservoir · Morristown East Lake · Isabel Lake · Mallard Lake · Eagle Butte Lake · Hayes Lake
See how Belle Fourche Reservoir stacks up: best walleye lakes in South Dakota · best channel catfish lakes in South Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in South Dakota
Browse all South Dakota fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.