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77-acre lake near Milbank. The lake tops out around 7 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Farley Lake runs 77 acres with 3.5 miles of edge. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.8) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. The basin spans about 1.1 mi end to end and 0.6 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Grant County. The nearest mapped water is Big Stone Lake, 14 mi to the north.
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 2 to 7 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 7 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 7 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 7 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 7 ft covers summer, 2 to 7 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 6 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 7 ft before dropping to 2 to 7 ft for winter. Spring bluegill concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 7 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 7 ft covers summer, 2 to 7 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Farley Lake; the deepest is Main-lake point at about 7 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for South Dakota waters are set by the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks — and special regulations can apply to Farley Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official South Dakota fishing regulations →
Farley Lake is about 7 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, northern pike on Farley Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Farley Lake is regulated by the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. Check the official South Dakota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Big Stone Lake 14 mi, MN/SD · Long Tom 16 mi, MN · Otrey 18 mi, MN · Summit Lake 18 mi · Round Lake 20 mi · Bullhead Lake 21 mi · North Rothwell 22 mi, MN · Lone Tree Slough 23 mi, MN · Barry 24 mi, MN · Marsh 24 mi, MN · Long 25 mi, MN · Lannon 25 mi, MN
See how Farley Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in South Dakota · best crappie lakes in South Dakota · best bluegill lakes in South Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in South Dakota
Browse all South Dakota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.